#9 will soon forever hang as a retired number in the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The Anaheim Ducks announced that on October 21st Paul Kariyas number will be retired in a special ceremony.
Kariya was first ever draft pick of the then expansion Anaheim “Mighty” Ducks, fourth overall, in the 1993 NHL Draft. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame last year. As part of the Ducks 25th season, they will also hang #27 Scott Niedermeyers jersey to the rafters the same night.
In 606 games as a Duck, Kariya amassed 300 goals and 369 assists. Kariya had one 50 goal season for 106 points in 2005-2006, and also led Anaheim to a 2003 appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals. Kariya went on to play for both the Nashville Predators and St Louis Blues finishing his NHL career with 989 games played, 402 goals, 587 assists, for a total of 989 points, an average of exactly a point per game.
In one season in 1992-93 with UMaine in college, the freshman had 25 goals and 75 assists to win the Hobey Baker Award and lead the Black Bears to a 42-1-2 season and their first ever national title. The now retired Hall of Famer is one of only three former Bears also retired in Orono, along with Jim Montgomery and Scott Pellerin.
