NHL Player O’Connell Set to Coach IHL Team

Mike O’Connell, a 12-year NHL defenseman, is expected to sign a one-year contract today to coach San Diego’s International Hockey League franchise after being released from the remaining year on his contract with the Detroit Red Wings.

Don Waddell, director of hockey operations for the unnamed San Diego Hockey Corp. team, said Tuesday that the clubs have reached a financial agreement on O’Connell and that he plans to introduce O’Connell, 34, at a press conference today at the San Diego Sports Arena. Jim Devellano, Detroit’s senior vice president and former general manager, confirmed that it’s almost a done deal.

“The whole thing took about one minute,” said Devellano from Lake Placid, N.Y. “I knew (Waddell) needed a coach. Mike was coming to the end as a player, and it was an opportunity for him to continue on with the game. We didn’t want to stand in the way.”

Waddell had narrowed his coaching choices to O’Connell, who has no coaching experience, and Bob Hoffmeyer, a former coach in the New Jersey Devils organization.

O’Connell played in Chicago and Boston before spending the last four years in Detroit. He interviewed late Saturday in San Diego, and Waddell offered him the job Monday.

“I was leaning toward him,” Waddell said. “I decided who I felt was the No. 1 guy, and I wouldn’t fly the other one out.”

Waddell said he was impressed by O’Connell’s work ethic and perseverance.

“He came highly recommended by numerous personnel in the NHL,” Waddell said. “He’s a hard-nose, blue-collar worker. No one expected him to play even one season. He’s 5-feet-9. For defense, that’s small, but he uses his smarts. You don’t play 12 years in the NHL if you’re dumb.”

Neither team would say how much it cost to settle the remaining year on O’Connell’s player contract. Waddell said the average salary in the NHL is $200,000 and that a player of O’Connell’s level would probably command at least that much.

“We’re not in a position to buy out his whole contract, but the difference of a few thousand isn’t going to keep me from hiring him,” Waddell said.

It may be a good deal more than that. Waddell said he had originally budgeted approximately $50,000 for his coach, but the IHL team will have to absorb part of his player contract and also compensate the Red Wings.

“It’s getting up there,” Waddell said. “It’s more than I had planned.”

Said Devellano: “I don’t want to get into dollars, but there was an accommodation made between San Diego’s and Detroit’s hockey clubs.”

O’Connell was in San Diego looking at homes but was unavailable for comment.

The search for a name for the team has been narrowed to three--the Gulls, Sharks or Breakers--and they have been submitted to an artist for logo considerations.