Carson Sent on the Road Again : Hockey: Kings send him away for second time, this time to Vancouver for Ward and future considerations.

The Vancouver Canucks acquired much-traveled Jimmy Carson in a Saturday trade with the Kings.

The 25-year-old center was traded for the fourth time in his career, moving to Vancouver for Dixon Ward and future considerations.

The Canucks, desperate for depth at the center position, played at Toronto on Saturday night.

Rumors of a Carson-Ward deal have been circulating for over a month, and general manager Pat Quinn decided to make the transaction when it became apparent he was unlikely to unload free-agent holdout Petr Nedved by Monday, Nedved’s self-imposed trade deadline.

But Quinn, who was Carson’s first NHL coach, denied the deal was a second-best scenario.

“This is just an alteration of our plans,” said Quinn at an impromptu news conference at Maple Leaf Gardens. “It may provide some flexibility with Petr that will still help our hockey club.”

Carson, who signed a three-year $3.3-million deal earlier this season, had four goals and seven assists for 11 points in 25 games this season and often didn’t dress for the Kings.

He was in King Coach Barry Melrose’s doghouse during the playoffs last spring, and was benched for most of the Kings’ march to the Stanley Cup final.

“It is obvious he seems to be at the end of his rope with the coach,” said Quinn.

“It is a risk, let’s face it. We don’t know what has happened between Jimmy and his coach out there. Maybe there is something we don’t know about but the upside for us is good. But if Jimmy comes in and performs at four goals and 11 assists level, it is not a good gamble for us.”

Ward, an impressive rookie last season who earns $200,000, had six goals and one assist for seven points in 33 games. He learned of the trade shortly before the Canucks played the Leafs.

“I was working on my sticks and preparing for the game,” said Ward. “I knew that as soon as they told me Pat wanted to see me, I was going somewhere. There could be worse places to go but I will miss my friends in Vancouver.”

Carson, born in Southfield, Mich., was the second overall pick in the 1986 entry draft when selected by Los Angeles from the Verdun juniors.

After 37- and 55-goal seasons with the Kings, Carson was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in the megadeal for Wayne Gretzky in August 1988.

Edmonton swapped Carson to the Detroit Red Wings in November 1989 (with Kevin McClelland) for Petr Klima, Joe Murphy, Adam Graves and Jeff Sharples. Ironically, Murphy was the player picked ahead of Carson in the draft.

Detroit sent Carson back to Los Angeles last January in a six-player deal involving defenseman Paul Coffey.

In seven NHL seasons, Carson had 258 goals.

The Canucks have never had a center with the scoring touch of Carson.

Vancouver has not been able sign Nedved, and the Carson deal likely means Nedved will skate with the Canadian Olympic team at the Winter Games next month in Lillehammer.

Quinn said he has talked to a number of teams over the last couple of days but nothing is imminent.

Ward, also 25, was a late-round pick of the Canucks in 1988 from the University of North Dakota.