Daigneault Isn’t Flashy but He Is Steady, Reliable

J.J. Daigneault got word around 2:30 p.m. Friday, packed and caught a 5:30 flight to Los Angeles, landed around 1 a.m., checked into a hotel and fell fast asleep.

He was awake Saturday by 8 a.m., ironed a shirt and a pair of slacks and headed to the Pond for his first game as a Mighty Duck.

Several of his new teammates seemed surprised to see Daigneault so soon after the trade that brought him to Anaheim.

“Well, you have a game to win today, don’t you?” said Daigneault, acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins for winger Garry Valk.

By 3 p.m., the Ducks had won their game--defeating the Phoenix Coyotes, 4-2, in front of 17,174 at the Pond.

It was a whirlwind 24 hours for Daigneault, to be sure, but it hardly seemed to faze him. He certainly made a good first impression on the Ducks.

“J.J. played very well,” Duck Coach Ron Wilson said. “He did exactly what we thought he would do for our team. He played like a defenseman who has played 600 games in the NHL.”

There was nothing spectacular about career game No. 692, but Daigneault showed he can still play steady, reliable defense. At this point, that’s a godsend for the Ducks’ beleaguered defensive crew.

Broken hands sidelined veterans Ken Baumgartner and David Karpa two weeks ago and neither is expected back for at least 10 days. The Ducks have attempted to make do with rookies such as Ruslan Salei, Darren Van Impe and Dan Trebil.

The acquisition of Daigneault certainly doesn’t solve all the Ducks’ troubles on the blue line, but at least it’s a start.

“He’s an honest hockey player who doesn’t beat you with a mistake,” said Jacques Demers, who coached Daigneault with Montreal in the early 1990s and now is a scout for the Canadiens.

“I think it’s a real good trade for Anaheim. At this time of year, he’s a good solid player in this situation. He can play defensively while [defensive partner Dmitri] Mironov can go to the offense. He can contribute on the power play.

“The thing about J.J. is that he’s a good guy in the dressing room. He commands respect from the younger guys. I respected his leadership in Montreal. At this time of year, you need a player like J.J. Daigneault.”

Daigneault also believes he’s just what the Ducks needed to bolster their faltering playoff hopes.

“I am sure I can be a big help,” Daigneault said. “I hope I can be a big help.”

Racing cross-country to join the Ducks was the first step in his rescue attempt. Playing well in his first game was the second. He then completed the hat trick by saying all the right things about the trade and his new club.

“I’m very happy,” said Daigneault, who is playing his 12th NHL season. “I’m very excited. I was still playing in Pittsburgh, but my ice time had gone down. I was expecting something like this.

“This team is fighting for a playoff spot. I want to be a part of that.”