But the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim forward, voted to the starting lineup for the North America All-Star team at the 51st NHL All-Star Game, takes a pragmatic approach to the injury, almost to the point where he sounds like a doctor himself. "Every day, it feels better," Kariya told reporters of the injury that occurred on Dec. 17, 2000. "I'm starting to put some weight on it."
Last season, Kariya missed 18 days with a similar injury. The current injury has taken longer to heal because of its placement.
"I don't think the break was as bad [as last year], but this is a major, weight-bearing bone," Kariya said. "Once it's healed, I think I'll be fine."
Kariya, in fact, may well be fine enough to play in the All-Star Game.
Kariya already has disposed of his crutches. A protective boot also has bit the dust.
"It's in the trash can," Kariya joked with reporters. "It's being lit right now."
He says he will go slow in his comeback attempt, but don't figure it to be slow enough to keep him out of the lineup for the All-Star Game.
Kariya stayed fit by riding a stationary bicycle and lifting weights during his absence, and as he pointed out, unfortunately, he has experience coming back from these kinds of injuries.
"It's not like I'm coming back from a three-year absence," he said. "It's not like I forgot how to play."
No, that's hardly likely. After all, more than 151,000 votes were cast for Kariya, so a fair share of hockey fans seem to think he is a pretty special player.
If you need some proof, consider the following numbers.
Coming into the 2000-2001 season, Kariya had 464 points in only 376 games. He twice has topped the 100-points plateau in a season, checked with 99 in a third, and last season scored 42 goals and 44 assists in 74 games for the Mighty Ducks.
Heading into the 2000-2001 season, Kariya was a combined plus-96 since the 1995-96 season.
Kariya also was voted a North America starter in the 2000 All-Star Game in Toronto. The 2001 Game in Denver will mark his fifth selection to the contest.
Combined with winger Teemu Selanne, the Mighty Ducks boast one of the most exciting tandems in the NHL. Their speed, skill and savvy make the two forward a pleasure to watch. A dilemma for Anaheim coaches has been whether to place the two offensive stars together, or break them up to form a more balanced attack. But even when they're apart, it seems they're together. The two have meshed brilliantly on the ice and their divergent personalities have accomplished the same off the ice.
Selanne is happy-go-lucky, confident and always seems to have a smile on his face. Earlier in his career, Kariya was intense to the point of being distant. But hanging with Selanne, coupled with being the Mighty Ducks' captain, has helped Kariya mature into a leader and spokesman.
"I've learned a lot from Teemu," Kariya told reporters. "He has helped me tremendously in that area. Before he came, there wasn't really anyone I could watch and see how he handled things. He has been great for me. He is the complete opposite from me. Every time I get too serious, he will loosen me up. He has taught me a lot of things off the ice."
And Kariya has paid his gregarious teammate back as well.
During his rehab, Kariya kept close tabs on the Mighty Ducks, and that had a positive impact on Selanne, who was suffering through a frustrating 14-game goal-less streak.
When Paul Kariya shoots, the Mighty Ducks tend to score a lot of victories.
"I told him he's a scorer and he's got to trust himself," Kariya said. "He scores so many of his goals from about five feet away from the net on the left side. He was playing on the perimeter. He was playing like a playmaker. I told him, 'Go to the net. Pass and go to the net. Shoot and go to the net. After everything you do, go to the net.'
"He's an unbelievable playmaker, but this club needs him to score goals. Teemu needs to be a scorer right now. He needs to be in the right position to score goals."
Selanne had four goals and one assist in his last three games before Friday's game against the Sabres.
"It's a good sign," Kariya said of Selanne's recent production. "He's going to the right spots [for scoring chances]. No one can finish like he can."
Well, maybe Kariya.
In 1998-99, Kariya scored 39 goals and 62 assists in 82 games. He also took 429 shots - second most in NHL history - after being told by former coach Craig Hartsburg that shooting more would help the Ducks play a mightier game. True to form, Kariya complied with his coach's request.
The Mighty Ducks finished the 1998-99 season with a 35-34-13 record and made the Stanley Cup playoffs. Unfortunately for the Ducks, an injury limited Kariya to only three playoff games in an opening-round defeat to Detroit, but Kariya managed a goal and three assists in those games.
"He is probably the most focused hockey player I have been around," Hartsburg told reporters. "If we had more players who were as focused and committed to the game as Paul is, the game would be even better. He is a young player and they have to keep learning on and off the ice. He still is a great ambassador for the game.
"There is not a guy who works harder than Paul," Hartsburg said. "There are a lot of good players in this League who once they get to a certain level they stop doing certain things to get better. Paul's whole day is comprised of finding ways to get better."
And stay healthy.
Source: NHL