Rookie Defenseman Impresses Ducks

The Mighty Ducks scrimmaged for the first time Tuesday and one young player got Coach Ron Wilson’s attention.

Pavel Trnka, 19, a defenseman drafted by the Ducks in 1994 but attending his first training camp, played for HC Kladno in his native Czech Republic last season.

“He was excellent,” Wilson said. “I had never seen him play before and I didn’t know what to expect. Meeting him at the draft I thought he was just a skinny kid, but he’s filled out. Veterans, beware.”

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Defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky seems to have won his battle with Reiters Syndrome, a rare arthritic-inducing infection that caused him great foot pain his rookie season.

“Whenever you have a physical ailment it’s easy to fall back on it and use it as an excuse, and Oleg did that a few times,” Wilson said.

And now?

“He’s flying out there,” Wilson said. “Young defensemen grow from year to year. He came in at 18 and it was like, ‘Oh, he’s got a long ways to go.’ Then he’s 19 and he’s matured and he’s got a mind to play well and it’s, ‘Look out.’ ”