Photo: Jaime4Jesus at English Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Paul Kariya is a special name for me. A Japanese-Canadian winger from Vancouver, he became a genuine NHL superstar and made the Hockey Hall of Fame, which I find quietly moving given the path he had to cut. He won the Lady Byng Trophy in 1996 and 1997, the award for skill combined with sportsmanship, which tells you everything about how he played: brilliant and clean in a rough sport. Speed, vision, and intelligence over size, that's the Kariya package. I'm a sucker for athletes who win with brain and technique rather than brawn, and he was the gentleman who never sacrificed his game for it.
Overview
Paul Tetsuhiko Kariya (born October 16, 1974) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who was a winger for 15 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). Known as a speedy and intelligent offensive force with exceptional vision, he played in the NHL for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators, and St. Louis Blues between 1995 and 2010.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Paul Kariya
- Name (Japanese)
- ポール・カリヤ
- Reading
- ぽーる・かりや
- Born
- October 16, 1974 (age 51)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Libra / Tiger
- Origin
- Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- 178 cm
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- ice hockey player
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- University of Maine
Awards & achievements
- 1996 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
- 1997 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
- British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame
- Hockey Hall of Fame
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Ice hockey player — see all → · More people from Canada →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.