Telephone Rings Out Old Ducks, Rings In Kurvers

On the first day of the draft, plenty of NHL players were tuned in to see who their future teammates might be.

But on Day 2--Rounds 3-11--they were going about their business. Troy Loney was preparing to move some belongings to California. Sean Hill was driving from Minneapolis to his home in Duluth, Minn. Tom Kurvers was going to play golf.

And then the phones started to ring.

“My wife was feeding the baby and couldn’t get to the phone,” Loney said. By the time he heard Jack Ferreira’s voice on the answering machine, he could figure out what it meant.

“That’s trouble. The GM doesn’t call you on draft day to ask your opinion.”

Loney was sent to the New York Islanders for Kurvers, and Hill was sent to Ottawa for two draft picks.

Come training camp, Loney and Hill will head east, and Kurvers will come west.

“It’s a positive reaction,” Kurvers said from his home outside Minneapolis. “Looking from the outside in, it seems like a well-run organization.”

For him, the trade should mean more playing time.

“My whole time playing for Al Arbour, I never was one of their top four,” said Kurvers, a power-play specialist who had to wait his turn for a regular shift behind such players as Vladimir Malakhov and Darius Kasparaitis.

“I never got a lot of ice time, and every player will tell you that you play better the more ice time you get. The opportunity didn’t seem to be there.”

Islander General Manager Don Maloney said Loney was acquired for his leadership, physical grit and experience at winning two Stanley Cups (with Pittsburgh), and called the deal “a good fit” for both teams.

“Tommy is maybe a premier power-play player in the league. . . . He can move the puck really well.”

The news was better for Loney than for Hill--at least Loney’s going to a team that has been competitive.

“I was a little surprised,” said Hill, who had been the Ducks’ youngest player. “It’s part of the game, though, and I’m looking forward to going to Ottawa because obviously they want me. A friend of mine, another defenseman, (Ottawa’s) Norm Maciver, spends his summers in Duluth too, so we’ll get to play together.”

*

There are many players General Manager Jack Ferreira would rather have parted with than Loney, the team captain.

“I’ll tell you, this was a real tough one for me to do because Troy has given us tremendous leadership,” Ferreira said. “He was an important part of our success--our limited success. I’ve had to think about this one long and hard.”

Stu Grimson and Randy Ladouceur were Loney’s assistants last season, but Coach Ron Wilson expects younger players to take on leadership roles too.

“We feel Bob Corkum and Bobby Dollas have really matured and are ready to accept some leadership responsibilities,” he said.

*

Negotiations with Oleg Tverdovsky, the second pick overall, aren’t expected to be anything like the stalemate that has emerged with Paul Kariya, last year’s first-round pick. Indications are that Tverdovsky is eager to leave Russia for North America, and Ferreira and agent Don Meehan are already planning their first negotiation talks.

Ducks Draft by Rounds

1. (No. 2 overall) Oleg Tverdovsky, D, 18, Krylja Sovetov (Russia). Hard shot is expected to make him future quarterback of power play, perhaps next season.

2. (No. 28) Johan Davidsson, C, 18, HV-71 Jonkoping (Sweden). Skilled skater and playmaker needs to grow.

3. (No. 67) Craig Reichert, RW, 20, Red Deer (Western Hockey League). Undrafted in ‘93, he responded with 119-point season. Will play in San Diego next season if not Anaheim.

4. (No. 80) Byron Briske, D, 18, Red Deer (WHL). Big blueliner is one of four defensemen drafted by Ducks.

5. (No. 106) Pavel Trnka, D, 17, Skoda Plzen (Czech). NHL Central Scouting ranked him 23rd best European.

6. (No. 132) Jon Battaglia, RW, 18, Caledon Canadians (Central Ontario Junior League). Physical winger who finishes his checks. Will play at Lake Superior State next season.

7. (No. 158) Mark (Rocky) Welsing, D, 18, Wisconsin Capitols (U.S. Hockey League). Will play at Northern Michigan next season.

8. (No. 184) John Englehart, 18, LW, Kimball Union (Mass. High School). Will play at Wisconsin next season.

9. Traded pick to Ottawa.

10. (No. 236) Tommi Miettinen, C, 18, Kalpa (Finland). Ranked 17th among Europeans by Central Scouting but slipped to late rounds.

11. (No. 262) Jeremy Stevenson, LW, 19, Sault Ste. Marie (Ontario Hockey League). Drafted in third round by Winnipeg in 1992 but returned to draft after Jets did not sign him. Born in San Bernardino.