Hartsburg Can Empathize With Ex-Chicago Coach

Coach Craig Hartsburg scowled and said he didn’t want to talk about the firing Monday night of Dirk Graham only 59 games into his first season as Chicago Blackhawk coach.

“No comment,” Hartsburg said Tuesday when asked about Graham, who replaced him at Chicago last summer. “I’m just glad I’m in California.”

But 20 minutes rolled by and Hartsburg was still talking about Graham and the difficulties of coaching in the NHL.

“Hopefully, Dirk isn’t devastated,” Hartsburg said of his former assistant. “I know what he’s going through. I feel for Dirk. He’s going through hell right now.

“The whole last half of last year, [the losing] was excruciating, especially being in Chicago, where the whole focus is on the Bulls and the Blackhawks [in the winter months].”

Hartsburg spent three seasons coaching the Blackhawks, but was fired after the team failed to make the playoffs for the first time in 29 years. The Ducks hired him to replace Pierre Page, who was fired after they missed the playoffs.

Graham was unable to turn the Blackhawks into winners, leading them to a 16-35-8 record. The Blackhawks have lost 10 of their last 12 and are headed for their worst record since 1956-57.

TONIGHT at Edmonton

6 PST

* Site--Skyreach Centre.

* Radio--XTRA (690).

* Records--Ducks 24-25-9, Oilers 22-27-8.

* Record vs. Oilers--1-3.

* Update--Right wing Teemu Selanne has a 10-game point streak, longest in the NHL at the moment. Selanne also is three goals shy of 300 for his career. The Ducks sent struggling center Johan Davidsson to Cincinnati of the American Hockey League, hoping a short stay there will bolster his confidence. Davidsson last scored Dec. 9 against Vancouver.