Marha Is Sent to Blackhawks

The Ducks traded Josef Marha, a seldom-used center, to the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday for future considerations. Marha played in 10 games this season, recording one assist.

He was scratched in nine consecutive games before the trade, the odd man out among a group of young players that includes Antti Aalto, Matt Cullen and Johan Davidsson.

Marha, picked 35th overall by the Quebec Nordiques (now the Colorado Avalanche) in the 1994 draft, showed great promise after the Ducks acquired him last March.

But he suffered a sprained right ankle in the Ducks’ opener Oct. 10 against the Washington Capitals and never found a regular spot in the lineup.

Last season, Marha had seven goals and four assists in 12 games for the Ducks after a March 24 trade from Colorado. He also had two goals and five assists in 11 games for the Avalanche.

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Duck Coach Craig Hartsburg on the second half of the season: “We have to recommit ourselves [to hockey]. Right now, everything has to take second fiddle to what we’re doing here. After our families, this hockey team has to be the focus of all our lives.”

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Aalto was sidelined for the second consecutive game because of flu. . . . The goal credited to Teemu Selanne in the Ducks’ 3-3 tie Jan. 21 against the Phoenix Coyotes was awarded this week to Marty McInnis. . . . Colorado winger Warren Rychel, a former Duck, hopes to return to the lineup in the next few weeks. He has been sidelined because of a broken left hand since Dec. 17. . . . Colorado center Peter Forsberg left the game in the third period because of a bruised thigh.