After a two-year career with the Penticton Panthers, in which he was named Canadian Junior A Player of the Year in 1992, Kariya joined the University of Maine's Black Bears men's ice hockey team.

During his nine-year tenure with Anaheim, Kariya formed an effective duo with fellow winger Teemu Selänne that helped him to three NHL first All-Star team distinctions, while also finishing as the runner-up for the Hart Memorial Trophy in 1997.

[8] At age 16, he left home to play Junior A hockey in Penticton, British Columbia,[6] where he also worked at a clothing store that belonged to the team's coach and general manager.

Recording 45 goals and 112 points over 54 games in his first season, he was awarded the Vern Dye and Bruce Allison Memorial Trophies as the Interior Conference's most valuable player (MVP) and rookie of the year, respectively.

[6] During his second BCJHL season, in November 1991, he verbally committed to joining the Maine Black Bears of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA)'s Hockey East conference for the 1992–93 campaign.

[6] Kariya's efforts led Maine to a record of 42 wins, one loss and two ties, en route to the Lamoriello Trophy as the Hockey East's playoff champion and the NCAA title as the country's top college team.

[27] Garnering a great degree of attention from the Mighty Ducks' fanbase, Kariya's first public practice at Arrowhead Pond drew an attendance of 9,000, while 16,000 fans watched his first exhibition game.

[39] Less than a month after the All-Star Game, the Mighty Ducks acquired Finnish winger Teemu Selänne in a trade with the Winnipeg Jets, in a move that was designed to increase team offense.

However, two weeks after his return, he was injured again after suffering a concussion during a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on November 13, 1996,[51] after opposing defenceman Mathieu Schneider hit Kariya in the head with his elbow.

[62] Due to the contract impasse, he missed an opportunity to play in Japan, as the Mighty Ducks opened the season with a two-game series against the Vancouver Canucks in Tokyo, an effort on the NHL's part to attract attention to the sport ahead of the Olympics.

[64] With several weeks remaining until the start of the Olympics, Kariya suffered another concussion after receiving a cross-check to the face from Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Gary Suter during a game on February 1, 1998.

There was wide speculation in the media that the incident was an intentional effort to keep Kariya from playing for Canada at the Olympics; Suter and teammate Chris Chelios were both members of the United States' national team.

[65] Canada general manager Bobby Clarke called the hit a "cheap shot" and publicly echoed the sentiment that Suter wanted to eliminate Kariya from Olympic play.

While Kariya was initially expected to recover in time for the Olympics, the injury (his fourth concussion in three years) ultimately sidelined him from the competition, as well as the remaining three months of NHL play.

Kariya's comeback season following injury was capped off with his third NHL first team All-Star distinction, receiving 47 of the possible 58 first-place votes for the left-wing position from the Professional Hockey Writers' Association.

[notes 6] Kariya was also nominated for the League's Bill Masterton Trophy, awarded for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey; he lost to Tampa Bay Lightning forward John Cullen, who attempted to return to the NHL after missing the previous season with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

[85] Several months into the 2000–01 season, Kariya suffered a broken right foot after blocking a shot from Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Pavel Kubina during a game in December 2000.

[91] Kariya played on a line with Mario Lemieux and Joe Sakic (a trio that remained intact two weeks later for the 2002 Winter Olympics)[92] and notched an assist in an 8–5 victory for the North American All-Stars.

[117] Kariya and Selänne joined an already high-powered Avalanche team that included such forwards as Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Milan Hejduk and Alex Tanguay.

In anticipation of the Avalanche-Ducks game on December 20, Anaheim fans began a fund that raised over $1,200 to be given to the favourite charity of the Ducks player who scores the game-winning goal against Colorado.

[130] During the Predators' training camp in September 2005, Kariya suffered separate ankle and groin injuries that limited his participation in team practices and pre-season games.

[142] Two months later, Kariya recorded his tenth career NHL hat-trick against the Dallas Stars on December 29, scoring the Blues' final three goals, including the game-tying marker with ten seconds remaining in regulation.

[144] A month into 2008–09 season, Kariya suffered a hip injury after being hit from behind in a game against the Anaheim Ducks on November 5, 2008, tearing muscle fibers near the top of his left thigh.

[146] Undergoing surgery for a torn acetabular labrum on January 5, 2009, the team listed him as sidelined indefinitely, while Blues president John Davidson told reporters he might be back late that season or the next.

[166] Playing on a line with Chris Kontos and Petr Nedved,[167] Kariya led his team in scoring with three goals and seven points over eight games, helping Canada to a silver medal.

[158] Kariya finished the tournament with a team-high five goals and 12 points over eight games and received Best Forward[172] and All-Star team honours on the latter, he was joined by Canadian goaltender Bill Ranford.

The hit received much publicity as Suter, a member of the United States' national team, was accused by many in the media, as well as Bobby Clarke for targeting Kariya specifically in order to sideline him for the Olympics.

His omission was singled out by the media; general manager Wayne Gretzky, who selected the camp's participants, explained publicly, "Paul is a great player, but at some point you have to have a cutoff," while also asserting he had spoken to Kariya personally regarding the situation.

In the late 1990s, he joined the organization as a national spokesperson with women's team forward Jayna Hefford for the Initiation Program, promoting a safe and positive experience for children first becoming involved with hockey.

[5][196][197] During the 1994 Winter Olympics, American Head Coach Tim Taylor likened his skating and playmaking ability to Gretzky's, while Kariya's linemate, Chris Kontos, described his on-ice vision as "Gretzky-like."