Canadiens, Islanders Deal Centers : Hockey: Trade sends Muller to New York, Turgeon goes to Montreal. Jet coach quits.

Centers Kirk Muller and Pierre Turgeon changed teams in a five-player NHL trade Wednesday between the Montreal Canadiens and New York Islanders.

The Canadiens sent Muller, their captain, along with defenseman Mathieu Schneider and minor league center Craig Darby to the Islanders for Turgeon and defenseman Vladimir Malakhov.

It was the second major trade of the season for Montreal, which dealt John LeClair, Eric Desjardins and Gilbert Dionne to Philadelphia for Mark Recchi on Feb. 9.

That deal drew criticism as the Flyers soared to the top of their division and LeClair emerged as a scoring star, while the Canadiens dropped to a sub-.500 record.

Montreal Coach Jacques Demers said Turgeon, drafted first overall by Buffalo in 1987, would center a line with Recchi and left winger Vincent Damphousse.

Muller’s offensive production dropped off markedly since he led Montreal over the Kings in the 1993 Stanley Cup finals. A shoulder injury held him to 57 points in 76 games last season--a 10-year low--and he has only eight goals and 11 assists in 33 games this season.

“I’m shocked,” he said. “But I also understand the game and the position of the team. Life goes on. I loved it here.”

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John Paddock, his team out of contention for the playoffs, quit as coach of the Winnipeg Jets. He was replaced on an interim basis by assistant Terry Simpson. Paddock will remain as general manager.

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Notes

Hartford defenseman Glen Featherstone, who threw his helmet and accidentally hit an usher during a game at Buffalo Monday night, was suspended from Wednesday night’s game at Pittsburgh. . . . Goaltender Kirk McLean has signed a five-year contract extension with the Vancouver Canucks.