Loyalty. It’s a forgotten word in professional sports. Former University of Maine Hobey Baker Award-winner Paul Kariya has been the torchbearer for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for nine seasons. He leads them in every career offensive category: goals (300), assists (369), and points (669).

He has scored 30 or more goals six times. He has also played more games than any other Duck in history (606).

He has played in seven All-Star games.

He led them to their greatest achievement in their 10-year history this past season: a berth in the Stanley Cup finals.

The Ducks extended a veteran New Jersey Devils team – a two-time Stanley Cup champion – to a seventh and deciding game in the championship series.

He could have bolted when the Ducks were struggling, but he remained in Anaheim. They certainly made it worth his while financially by paying him $10 million a year.

But every player’s goal is to win a Stanley Cup and he hung in there when it was evident the Ducks weren’t going to be chasing the Cherished Chalice.

Now the Ducks management has decided he wasn’t worth his $10 million-a-year contract. So he is a free agent.

Bryan Murray, the team’s general manager, said on the NHL Web site, “We will still try to negotiate a contract with him. Paul is a great guy and a great player. We’ve had a very good relationship.”

Kariya was more than just a great player for the Ducks. His work ethic is second to none. He is articulate, intelligent, and well-spoken. He has been a tremendous role model for the hockey fans in Southern California.

I suppose it’s possible Kariya could return to the Ducks. He obviously enjoys living in Southern California.

But knowing his competitive nature and the pride he takes in his performance, I expect to see him with one of the money teams next season: the New York Rangers, Dallas Stars, or Detroit Red Wings.

The Ducks are basically telling Kariya what former Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette told Roger Clemens after the 1996 season: You aren’t worth the money.

The difference between Kariya and Clemens is that Kariya is coming off a productive season while Clemens had a so-so final season with the Red Sox.

Kariya was the team’s leading scorer. His 81 points in 82 games was 22 points better than the next highest-scoring Duck (Petr Sykora).

Clemens was let go after going 10-13 with a 3.63 ERA in 1996. Over his final four seasons with the Red Sox, he was 40-39 with a 3.65 ERA.

He is 109-45 with a 3.36 ERA since then.

I’m sure Kariya will make Anaheim regret its decision.

There isn’t much loyalty in college athletics, either.

The blatant example is Big East member Virginia Tech, which filed suit against the Atlantic Coast Conference when it wasn’t invited to join the conference.

Then it withdrew its suit when it did receive an invitation.

The Big East took Virginia Tech and Miami when it was one of the premier college basketball conferences in the country and gave those schools a ton of TV exposure.

Where was the ACC back then?

Nowhere to be found.

But the ACC made offers to Miami and Virginia Tech they couldn’t refuse.

It does make more sense, geographically.

But, again, loyalty doesn’t mean squat.

Larry Mahoney can be reached at 990-8231, 1-800-310-8600 or by email at lmahoney@bangordailynews.net.