Valk Finds His Niche With Ducks : Playing on Top Line Beats Minor Role With Canucks

The numbing sensation lasted about a week, but there was little Garry Valk could do about it. He knew there was no miracle cure available from his doctor. Only time and distance could ease his pain.

The Oct. 3 news troubled Valk deeply, forcing him to ponder his future in hockey.

Someone told him the Vancouver Canucks, his team for three seasons, had left him unprotected in the NHL waiver draft and now he was a Mighty Duck.

At the time, it seemed as if he might have to fight another battle simply to prove he belonged in the league. And hadn’t there been enough of those already?

Just past the midway point of what’s turning out to be his finest NHL season, Valk wonders what he was so worried about.

“I was disappointed to leave Vancouver,” he said. “They’re a good bunch of guys, a good team. But right now there’s no way I’d ever want to go back there.”

Not when he knows for certain he’ll be in the Duck lineup every night. Or when he’s contributing in ways he rarely did in Vancouver.

Like so many Ducks, Valk played a minor role with his old team. His job in Vancouver was to check somebody, play sound defense and keep the other team from scoring while the top-line players took a breather.

He always hoped the day would come when he would play on the No. 1 line, but it took a move to Anaheim to realize that goal.

Except for an eight-game period starting the season, Valk has played on the Ducks’ top lines and been a big part of the expansion team’s startling success.

Coach Ron Wilson, a Canuck assistant for the three seasons Valk was there, knew he could be a valuable addition and talked General Manager Jack Ferreira into making the selection.

“When he became available, I said to Jack, ‘He could really help our team,’ ” Wilson said. “Jack didn’t know much about him, but fortunately he trusted my judgment. I knew he would be good for the kind of team and character we have.”

But who could have known Valk would be this good? Even Wilson has been surprised.

Valk is not the Ducks’ leading scorer, their best playmaker or fastest skater, but somehow good things happen when he hits the ice.

His play has been key to making his line the Ducks’ most productive this season--a threesome of Valk, Peter Douris and Anatoli Semenov.

In a 17-game span, that line combined for 46 points, including a 10-point performance in a 5-4 victory Nov. 3 over Dallas. Semenov led the line with eight goals and 10 assists, Valk had four goals and 11 assists and Douris added four goals and nine assists.

Injuries to Valk and Semenov ended the hot streak in early December, however.

First, Valk suffered a concussion when he was cross-checked into the boards from behind by Tampa Bay’s Joe Reekie on Dec. 5. Then, Semenov was sidelined with a dislocated elbow when he collided with teammate Stu Grimson Dec. 7.

Valk missed five of the next seven games and Semenov is not expected to return until the end of this month.

After juggling his lines, Wilson recently put center Bob Corkum with wingers Valk and Douris and they’re off and scoring again.

With two assists in a 5-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night in St. Louis, Valk pushed his point total to 23 (seven goals, 16 assists).

His career-high is 25 points (eight goals, 17 assists) set in 1991-92, but it might not last until the end of the week.

“I’m finally starting to feel like I can be an everyday NHL player,” said Valk, Vancouver’s fifth-round pick in the 1987 entry draft.

“It’s the first year I really have. In Vancouver, I just never really felt comfortable enough to be an everyday NHL player.”

Wilson believes he knows the reason why.

“I think he was caught in a numbers situation in Vancouver,” Wilson said. “The last year and a half, he didn’t get much quality ice time and possibly his confidence went down.”

In 1991-92, Valk played well enough to win the Canucks’ unsung hero award.

But they had acquired Geoff Courtnall, Robert Dirk, Cliff Ronning and Sergio Momesso in a March, 1991 trade with St. Louis and it was only a matter of time before Valk was squeezed out of the picture.

He went from playing in 65 games in ‘91-92 to 48 games last season.

“He played a lot like this in his first year in Vancouver, when the team was a little under .500,” Wilson said. “He scored quite a few goals at the beginning. But then Vancouver made the big trade and got Courtnall and Momesso, some real quality left wings, and it limited his ice time. He dropped from the second to the fourth line.

“Garry is the kind of player who, on a real good team, could be an excellent third liner because he can check and kill penalties and punch in the odd goal. Here, his role is obviously expanded.”

Wilson brought Valk along slowly. After all, Valk had spent his training camp with Vancouver and was the new Duck on the block when he arrived in time for opening night on Oct. 8.

What’s more, Wilson was about the only one in the organization Valk had met before.

“We got along pretty good there,” Valk said. “He helped me a lot by letting me know what I needed to do to stay in the league. I respected him in Vancouver.”

Valk played on the Ducks’ checking line for eight games before Wilson took him aside one day and said he needed more offensive punch from him. Valk was pleased to hear Wilson’s demand and soon found himself playing on a line with Semenov, a teammate last season in Vancouver, and Douris.

“Semenov, Douris and I seemed to click for a while,” Valk said. “If it’s worked, (Wilson) has stuck with it. If you’re playing well, he rewards good play.

“He’s the reason I’m here. He’s got expectations. I’ve got expectations. I just hope I can fulfill them.”

So far, there have been no complaints and Valk couldn’t be happier.