In game six at home, Kariya was knocked out by Devils defenseman Scott Stevens.

After a two-year career with the Penticton Panthers, in which he was named Canadian Junior A Player of the Year in 1992, Kariya joined the college ranks with the Maine Black Bears.

Before deciding to join the University of Maine, Kariya was also accepted and had visited Boston University and Harvard for their respective programs, while entertaining offers from several other NCAA teams.

A top prospect heading into the off-season, Kariya was projected to be selected between second and fifth overall in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft.

Five years after his tenure with the Black Bears, Kariya was selected for induction into the University of Maine Sports Hall of Fame.

It was reported that Kariya was seeking a US $ 12 million contract over five years from the Ducks.

Despite Kariya's efforts, the Ducks were low-scoring as a team ; the deal was designed to give Kariya offensive support.

With seven goals and seven assists over the final seven games of the season, Kariya was named NHL Player of the Month for April.

With 20 penalty minutes over 82 games, Kariya won the Lady Byng Trophy as the league's most gentlemanly player and was also named to the season-ending NHL First All-Star Team.

After serving as an alternate captain the previous year, Kariya was chosen as the third captain in team history, following Ladoceur and Troy Loney.

As the ensuing 1996 – 97 season began, Kariya was out of the lineup with a pulled abdominal muscle.

Two weeks after his return, however, he was injured again after suffering a concussion during a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on November 13, 1996, after opposing defenceman Mathieu Schneider hit Kariya in the head with his elbow.

Later in the season, Kariya was voted in by fans to the West's starting lineup in the 1997 NHL All-Star Game.

While the initial year of the contract paid Kariya a pro-rated salary of $ 5. 5 million ( it was also agreed in contract negotiations that Kariya would donate $ 2 million of his first year's salary to Orange County charities ), the second year of the contract paid him $ 8. 5 million, making him the second-highest paid player in league history ( behind Mario Lemieux's $ 11 million salary in 1996 – 97 ).

Kariya had scored a goal and was standing still at the side of the Blackhawks ' net when Suter hit him.

There was wide speculation in the media that the incident was an intentional effort to keep Kariya from playing for Canada at the Olympics ; Suter and teammate Chris Chelios were both members of the United States ' national team.

While Kariya was initially expected to recover in time for the Olympics, the injury ( his fourth concussion in three years ) ultimately sidelined him from the competition, as well as the remaining three months of NHL play.

Leading up to the 1998 – 99 season, Kariya told reporters he was ready to play a rougher style to protect himself from the opposition, including " getting stick up " against oncoming players.

During his recovery, Kariya was outspoken regarding the culture of the league regarding excessive physicality, as well as the lack of deterrence.

Kariya was also nominated for the league's Bill Masterton Trophy, awarded for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

Later in the season, Kariya was speared by San Jose Sharks defenceman Bryan Marchment during a game in March 2000.

During his nine-year tenure with Anaheim, Kariya formed an effective duo with fellow winger Teemu Selänne that helped him to three NHL First All-Star Team distinctions, while also finishing as the first runner-up for the Hart Memorial Trophy in 1997.

Kariya also received Hockey East First All-Star Team honours, alongside teammates Jim Montgomery, Chris Imes and Mike Dunham.

Prior to the World Championships, Canada also named Kariya to their team for the 1996 World Cup, which was held in August and September.

His omission was singled out by the media ; general manager Wayne Gretzky, who selected the camp's participants, explained publicly, " Paul is a great player, but at some point you have to have a cutoff ," while also asserting that he had spoken to Kariya personally regarding the situation.

Kariya was also recognized for his " hockey sense " and the cerebral aspect of his game, which included analyzing the game at a high level.

His first NHL coach, Ron Wilson, also once described Kariya as " the hardest-working athlete ever been associated with ".

Other nearby cities were also formed from municipalities previously belonging to Hekikai District: Anjō, Kariya, Takahama, and Chiryū.

The series also saw Scott Stevens land one of his prototypical crushing hits on Anaheim captain Paul Kariya, similar to the one that had knocked out Eric Lindros, then of the Flyers in the 2000 Playoffs.

In addition, St. Louis Blues ' Al MacInnis won his fourth straight Hardest Shot event, which was also his sixth all-time victory in the event, and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim ' Paul Kariya would win his second-straight Puck Control Relay event.

* 1977 – Steve Kariya, Canadian ice hockey player

* 1974 – Paul Kariya, Canadian hockey player

* October 16 – Paul Kariya, Canadian hockey player

Paul Tetsuhiko Kariya (; ( Kariya Tetsuhiko ; born October 16, 1974 ) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey winger who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League ( NHL ).

During his absence from the Ducks, Kariya trained with the Canadian national team in preparation for the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

In the Canadian media especially, there was a widespread position that Kariya should be moved to a better club.

In the summer of 1991, Kariya joined the Canadian Under-18 Selects Team at the Phoenix Cup, the inaugural tournament of what would go on to become the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament.

Four months later, in April 1993, Kariya debuted with the Canadian men's team in the IIHF World Championships, held in Germany.

Later that year, in December 1993, Kariya left his college team, the Maine Black Bears, to join the Canadian national team in preparation for the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway.

Kariya finished the tournament with a team-high 5 goals and 12 points over 8 games and received Best Forward and All-Star Team honours ( on the latter, he was joined by Canadian goaltender Bill Ranford.

Over three World Championship appearances, Kariya recorded 28 points ( 11 goals and 17 assists ) over 24 games, which at the time, ranked him at third all-time among Canadian scorers, behind Steve Yzerman's 39 points and Marcel Dionne's 32.

On November 29, 1997, Canadian general manager Bobby Clarke announced his roster for the Games, which included Kariya.

The hit received much publicity as Suter, a member of the United States ' national team, was accused by many in the media, as well as Canadian general manager Bobby Clarke for targeting Kariya specifically in order to sideline him for the Olympics.

Playing on the top line with Mario Lemieux, Kariya scored three goals and one assist over six games, tying for fourth in Canadian point-scoring.

Japanese fans were disappointed when their adopted hero, Paul Kariya, a Canadian of Japanese heritage and one of Team Canada's best stars, failed to make the Games due to a crosscheck by Gary Suter during regular season NHL play.

Steven Tetsuo Kariya ( born December 22, 1977 ) is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger and younger brother of retired National Hockey League player Paul Kariya.