The Finesse Game
Kariya may be the best skater in the NHL. He is so smooth and fluid his movements appear effortless. He's also explosive, with a good change of direction, and he can turn a defender inside out on a one-on-one rush. His speed is a weapon, since he forces defenders to play off him for fear of being burnt, and that opens the ice for his playmaking options. He combines his skating with no-look passes that are uncanny. Teemu Selanne is the perfect linemate for him, because the Finnish Flash breaks as soon as he sees Kariya with control of the puck. Kariya puts on a burst of speed and can lift his pass over the sticks of defenders just ahead of Selanne for him to skate into. He uses his speed defensively, too, and is quick on the backcheck to break up passes. Kariya kills penalties by hounding the point men and pressuring them into bad passes, which he turns into scoring chances. Kariya is smart; some would say cerebral. He is a magician with the puck and can make a play when it looks as if there are no possible options. He likes to use the net for protection, like his idol Wayne Gretzky, and make passes from behind the goal line. His release on his shot is excellent. Playing with the defensively alert Steve Rucchin gives Kariya and Selanne the freedom to make their breakout dashes, but Kariya never goes for high-risk plays when it might cost his team. Kariya is a low maintenance superstar. He has worked on his weaknesses, becoming stronger on the puck, less fancy in his passing, and more willing to shoot. He is willing and able to carry a team on his back.

The Physical Game
Kariya added about 10 pounds of muscle coming into last season, and the weight helped him absorb some of the punishment he takes as a member of Anaheim's top (some might say only) line. He has powerful thighs and legs and has improved his upper body. He's gritty in his own way and plays through minor nicks, and major ones, without a whimper.

The Intangibles
It was tough to argue with Buffalo's Dominik Hasek as the league MVP, but when Kariya missed the first 11 games of the season with his groin injury, the Ducks went 1-8-2. Kariya proved to be as excellent a player in the playoffs as he is during the regular season. As the youngest captain in the NHL, Kariya has accepted the role as team spokesman and understands how he can contribute to promote the game he plays with such passion.