Advertisement

Wilson Scolds Oksiuta Over Work Ethic

Share via

Roman Oksiuta has been the Ducks’ biggest underachiever. Considered capable of scoring 30 goals, he has only five and has been a healthy scratch 23 times; he has missed the last four because of a groin injury.

“If he wanted to work, he could help our team,” Coach Ron Wilson said. “Right now, he doesn’t want to.”

Wilson and Oksiuta have clashed over Oksiuta’s work habits and his defensive rating of minus-10.

Advertisement

“I can’t accept playing somebody who won’t contribute in our end,” Wilson said. “You can’t be a liability--score one goal and contribute to two being scored on the other end.

“There’s always a point you hit--maybe not a breaking point, but a point of revelation. . . . Sometimes it takes sitting out three or four games. Sometimes it takes two months before people realize.”

*

Winger Warren Rychel was in the lineup after missing three games because of lower back strain but was clearly hampered. . . . Winger Joe Sacco, who has missed three because of strained chest muscles, said he felt some improvement but underwent a bone scan to be certain he doesn’t have any undetected rib fractures.

Advertisement
Advertisement