Krygier Sent Back to Capitals

Todd Krygier, the Mighty Duck left wing who clashed with Coach Ron Wilson two months ago, was traded to the Washington Capitals Friday for minor league goaltender Mike Torchia.

Krygier’s expletive-laced argument with Wilson during the morning skate Jan. 11 was only part of the reason he was sent packing, and General Manager Jack Ferreira downplayed it, saying production was the issue. Once the Ducks’ second-leading scorer, Krygier had gone 20 games without a goal and had only four assists in 18 games since the incident, when he reacted angrily after Wilson told him he wouldn’t play against Chicago that night.

Krygier, 30, was also in the first year of a three-year contract that will pay him $500,000 next season. With nine goals and 37 points and a plus-minus rating of minus-9, he wasn’t worth that to the Ducks.

“Personally, I don’t have any bitterness or anger,” Krygier said. “It was actually good for me here last season and all of this season except for one month. There’s nothing to be upset about.

“I was upset with situations, but I was always grateful to Jack and Ron. Coming here gave me an opportunity to play, and I think playing here made me a lot better player. I think I’m more valuable to [the Capitals] now.”

Ferreira sent Krygier back to Washington, the team he came from little more than a year ago for a fourth-round draft pick. In return for Krygier, who has 435 games of NHL experience, he got Torchia, a 5-11, 225-pound goalie with six games of NHL experience who has played for four minor league teams this season. In six NHL appearances with Dallas last season, Torchia, 24, was 3-2-1 with a 3.30 goals-against average.

“We needed more depth at that position,” said Ferreira, who assigned Torchia to minor league affiliate Baltimore, where he’ll play behind Mike O’Neill.

As for Krygier, he apparently wasn’t going to be in the lineup much had he stayed in Anaheim.

“It was time to get [Valeri] Karpov more ice time and Washington called and asked about Krygier,” Ferreira said.