Ducks put on amazing jersey retirement ceremony for Paul Kariya.

This one was long overdue.

On Sunday night the Anaheim Ducks did something that a large segment of their fan base have been waiting on for what feels like an eternity at this point, they officially retired the jersey of long time forward Paul Kariya. The star forward was recently inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, another that was long overdue, and it seems likely that his induction is what prompted the Ducks to finally go forward with the decision to raise his number to the rafters. 

To be fair to Hockey Hall of Fame, the National Hockey League and the Anaheim Ducks organization it is believed that Kariya's absence from the game since his retirement was largely a self imposed exile on the part of Kariya. The long time NHL veteran was reportedly very unhappy with the fact that his career had been badly derailed by a serious of head injuries and reportedly placed a large portion of the blame on the NHL itself for not doing a better job of protecting it's players. 

That being said though Kariya has always remained a fan favorite for an entire generation of hockey fans and although he may have held some bitterness towards the game of hockey that segment of the fan base never for a second stopped respecting him. when Kariya finally decided to end his long imposed exodus from the NHL and the hockey world at large he was welcomed back to the game with open arms and I don't think I've heard a single one of his detractors speak up since that return.

The ceremony on Sunday night was one befitting a player of Kariya's stature and will likely go down as one of the classiest moments in the young history of the Anaheim Ducks franchise. Not only was it a beautiful ceremony in general but there were a ton of guests on hand to speak kind words about the former NHL star and the Ducks did not rush things in the least. A full 20 minutes prior to the start of the Ducks match up against the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday night was reserved for the ceremony and all of it was riveting to say the least. 

However it was Kariya's former teammate Teemu Selanne who stole the show as the main speaker and presenter on the evening/ Selanne cracked some jokes at the expense of his former teammate all the while singing the praises of a man who helped him form one of the most iconic player duos in the history of the National Hockey League. Fans and Kariya alike were heard chuckling every time Selanne dropped quip at the expense of his long time friend but all of it was in good nature and it only served to heighten the mood of Kariya and everyone else on hand to witness the historic event. 

Selanne commented on the fact that his jersey had hung lonely in the rafters at The Pond and it seems fitting that Kariya's jersey will hang alonside that of a man who helped him achieve so much during his incredible NHL career.

[pub]