Winning Proves to Be Perfect Elixir for Ducks’ Troubles

He’s hot again, perhaps not scalding like he was after coaching Team USA to the World Cup of Hockey championship in September, but Coach Ron Wilson is better than lukewarm.

After a wretched October, the Mighty Ducks got things sorted out in November and began December with two solid victories. A 3-1 victory over Tampa Bay Wednesday at the Pond was the Ducks’ fifth in seven games.

Paul Kariya’s return from injury and two recent trades helped the Ducks’ turnaround, to be sure. But Duck President Tony Tavares gave a great deal of credit to Wilson before Wednesday’s game.

“I think Ron is a real good coach,” Tavares said. “I think he makes a huge difference on this team. I think he’s a real cutting-edge coach.”

Now about that contract extension. . . .

“That’s all Jack’s deal,” Tavares said, referring to General Manager Jack Ferreira.

So, Jack, will you announce Wilson’s new deal when it’s done?

“Probably not,” Ferreira said.

In other words, the Ducks still haven’t completed the contract extension. Actually, the team offered Wilson an extension after last season--as required by his previous contract. It’s the precise terms that still have to be hammered out.

Yes, it’s difficult to believe the deal wasn’t done a long time ago. But that’s the Ducks for you.

Wilson has delivered the goods by creating a feisty, competitive team out of two thoroughbreds and 18 plow horses. The glaring exception is his failure to lead the Ducks to the Stanley Cup playoffs. They were close last season, falling a victory short of securing the eighth and final spot in the Western Conference.

When Wilson led the U.S. team to victory over Canada in the World Cup, it seemed as if the Ducks’ world was spinning in greased grooves.

Nothing could have been further from the truth.

Kariya missed the season’s first 11 games. The goaltending was shaky. The defense was porous. Wilson seemed a bit full of himself in the wake of his triumph in Montreal.

Tavares said in the season’s first weeks he believed Wilson’s absence during training camp was among the reasons the Ducks suffered. Wednesday, Tavares admitted his comments were misdirected.

“It was not an attack,” Tavares said. “You know me, you know when I’m taking a shot at somebody. We were flat as hell in training camp. The coaches were frustrated as hell.

“When he’s not here, even if it’s just five days, it’s a huge difference. It’s not the same when the master is gone.”

Kariya’s return combined with trades last month added size on defense with Dmitri Mironov and added skill with Brian Bellows at forward.

They weren’t blockbuster deals, but because the Ducks weren’t willing to part with Kariya or Teemu Selanne, they had to settle for what appeared to be minor deals. The moves have had the desired impact, however.

“We’re now playing like we were at the end of last year,” Tavares said. “We are counter-punching. Paul and Teemu are major threats and now we have a solid second line with Bellows and Jari [Kurri] where we get something out of them too.

“I wish I had the answer. It’s nothing short of unbelievable. Paul comes back and the offense begins to percolate. But why does the defense pick up?

“This has been one of those strange, strange seasons so far.”