Tverdovsky Comes Full Circle

It was one thing when the Mighty Ducks bamboozled the Winnipeg Jets into trading all-star winger Teemu Selanne and a prospect for promising youngsters Oleg Tverdovsky and Chad Kilger on Feb. 7, 1996.

And it was quite another when the relocated Jets, known now as the Phoenix Coyotes, returned Tverdovsky to the Ducks for Travis Green and the 15th overall pick in the entry draft Saturday at Boston.

Call it the trade that keeps on giving.

Well, giving to the Ducks anyway.

Pierre Gauthier, Duck general manager, couldn’t trust his ears when Bobby Smith, his Phoenix counterpart, suggested the deal only minutes before Anaheim was to make its first-round selection.

So, Gauthier hung up the telephone and walked from his seat to speak to Smith on the floor of the FleetCenter in Boston. Gauthier then walked back to inform the Duck scouts, “We just got Oleg.”

It was one of several remarkable deals during a frantic first round in which the expansion Atlanta Thrashers traded up to select former Ice Dog center Patrik Stefan No. 1 overall.

The Kings did not have a first-round pick, but took Russian left wing Andrei Shefer on the second round (43rd overall). They also used three third-round picks to select defensemen Jason Crain and Franticek Kaberle and goalie Cory Campbell.

Earlier, the Vancouver Canucks wheeled and dealed their way into the second and third overall picks, taking twins Daniel and Henrik Sedin from Sweden.

The New York Rangers, still smarting from getting snubbed in the deal that sent Ziggy Palffy from the Islanders to the Kings, traded with Tampa Bay to take high-scoring Czech center Pavel Brendl fourth overall.

Gary Bettman, NHL commissioner, announced those deals before the draft officially got underway. But the Ducks’ trade with the Coyotes came as a result of a last-minute phone call from Smith to Gauthier.

The two had talked some time ago; Gauthier inquired about Tverdovsky and Smith asked about Green. But Gauthier figured nothing would happen since Smith said, “It would take an unbelievable deal,” for the Ducks to land Tverdovsky.

As Gauthier related it, their conversation Saturday went something like this: Smith called to ask if Gauthier wanted to trade his pick and Green. Gauthier then asked again about Tverdovsky.

“Bobby Smith took a pause and said, ‘It’s a deal,’ then hung up,” Gauthier said.

And just like that, the Ducks had the Coyotes coming and going.

In the end, the Selanne trade looks like this: The Ducks have Selanne, minor-leaguer Marc Chouinard and Tverdovsky and the Coyotes have Green and first-round pick Scott Kelman, a center from Winnipeg. Kilger was traded from Phoenix to Chicago two seasons ago and from Chicago to Edmonton last season.

Most general managers would take that deal every day of the week and twice on Sunday. But Smith seemed pleased to have acquired Green, a veteran center, and Kelman.

Of Kelman, Smith said, “We see him as our top center in the future.”

Meanwhile, Gauthier and Coach Craig Hartsburg sounded giddy, a remarkable transformation from their normally reserved demeanors. “It’s a great day for the Mighty Ducks,” Gauthier said with a laugh.

Tverdovsky, who was the Ducks’ first-round pick (second overall) in the 1994 draft, adds much-needed speed and skill to their defensive corps. Last season, the Ducks often struggled to get the puck out of their zone.

Tverdovsky, 23, a former all-star defenseman, had seven goals and 25 points in 82 games for the Coyotes last season. He also had a plus/minus rating of plus 11.

“We felt we had to upgrade our transition game,” Hartsburg said. “We needed to create more offense back there. It gives us a look we didn’t have last year at the blue line. We’re certainly going to use Oleg’s strengths.”

Tverdovsky, who recently sold his Orange County home, was not immediately available for comment. He was angry at management and former coach Ron Wilson after the 1996 trade and a year later said he “hated the Ducks.”

Fans at the Arrowhead Pond booed Tverdovsky without mercy during the 1997 playoff series between the Ducks and Coyotes. They might be forced to change their opinions of him now, however.

“I think all our fans know what Oleg does for a team,” Gauthier said. “He’s a tremendous skater. He’s an offensive defenseman, but he’s rounded out his game better. He’s a more well-rounded player, but he still brings that offensive element.”

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Ducks Trade

Thumbnail sketches of the players involved in the Mighty Duck-Coyote trade during Saturday’s NHL entry draft.

THE MIGHTY DUCKS GET

* D Oleg Tverdovsky: Ducks’ top pick in 1994 draft, was sent to Winnipeg Jets (now Phoenix Coyotes) as part of deal that brought RW Teemu Selanne to Anaheim on Feb. 7, 1996. Scored seven goals and 25 points in 82 games last season for Phoenix.

THE COYOTES GET

* C Travis Green: Acquired by Ducks in six-player deal with New York Islanders on Feb. 6, 1998. Handled many key faceoffs for Ducks. Scored 13 goals and 30 points last season.

* C Scott Kelman: Phoenix used 15th overall pick acquired from Ducks to select Winnipeg native, who grew up cheering for Jets before they moved to Phoenix in 1996.