Mighty Ducks Reacquire Semenov

The Mighty Ducks on Tuesday tried to strengthen themselves for a playoff run by reacquiring center Anatoli Semenov after trading him to Philadelphia last season.

The Ducks got Semenov and a Flyers’ prospect, University of Minnesota defenseman Mike Crowley, for one of their prospects, Brian Wesenberg, 18, a slender right winger who was a second-round pick last July.

Semenov, 34, was the Ducks’ most skilled player during their first season and was their leading scorer before teammate Stu Grimson dislocated Semenov’s elbow with an errant check. Semenov’s production faded after his return, and the Ducks sent him to Philadelphia last season for defenseman Milos Holan.

Now the Ducks see Semenov as a potential linemate for Teemu Selanne and Paul Kariya because of his creative play. He had three goals and 16 points in 44 games with the Flyers this season but played mostly on the Flyers’ fourth line.

“He gives us a little more skill down the stretch,” General Manager Jack Ferreira said, calling the move something of a hunch. “He still has a house here, and he’s in the last year of his contract. We add another experienced skilled guy, and he has other incentives. He should be thinking about his contract. It could be an opportunity for him.”

Semenov, who will join the Ducks before their next game, Friday at St. Louis, said he’s glad for the chance to get more playing time.

“I’m happy,” Semenov said. “I will play with anybody and I will do my best for the team. I have played all year on the fourth line, five shifts a game. What can you do? You can’t score, you can’t play well. Like some newspaper said about me, I was part time. I want to have a full-time job.”

Last March, Semenov took a few parting shots at Coach Ron Wilson when he was traded, saying, “I think it’s bull what he said about me, that I’m scared to hit,” and, “He doesn’t talk to me, doesn’t say to me, ‘Hi,’ the last couple of months.”

Wilson laughed about it Tuesday.

“I’ll make sure to say hello,” he said. “I’ve got nothing against Tony.”

Semenov agreed.

“Maybe we just misunderstood each other,” he said. “I hope everything will be great and we’ll be good friends. When I was traded, I was mad because I like this team and I have good memories. Hockey is hockey and business is business.”

David McNab, who is the Ducks’ assistant general manager and has been based in Minnesota, has watched Crowley since high school. A sophomore at Minnesota, Crowley has 62 points in 40 games and is a finalist for the Hobey Baker award, which is given to the best U.S. college player. The Ducks’ Paul Kariya won the award in 1993.

“He’s a terrific player, an offensive defenseman,” McNab said. “He’s one of the few guys that plays college hockey who from the day he stepped into college was an absolute dominating impact guy. We’ve talked to Philly most of this year trying to get him.”