Personal Matter to Delay Zezel’s Joining New Team

The Ducks’ quest for added experience, depth and skill hit a snag Tuesday when newly acquired center Peter Zezel told the team that he will need some time to attend to a personal matter before reporting.

Pierre Gauthier, team president-general manager, granted Zezel’s wish to be by the side of his terminally ill 3-year-old niece at her Toronto home for as long as necessary.

Gauthier was not certain when Zezel, acquired hours before the noon trade deadline from the Vancouver Canucks for future considerations, might join the Ducks.

“I’ve spoken to Peter and he has a family situation that’s very personal and he might need a little time,” Gauthier said. “We knew about this when we made the deal. . . . He said he’s very excited about [playing for the Ducks]. I told him we didn’t trade for him for just this week. There are still four weeks left in the regular season, plus the playoffs.

“We’ll talk again [today].”

Zezel, through his agent, told the Canucks some time ago not to trade him because of his young niece’s situation.

“This is just unbelievable . . . ,” Zezel told a Vancouver reporter. “I have to look like the bad guy if I don’t go to Anaheim. How am I supposed to go to another team when mentally I’m thinking about what’s going on back home?”

Brian Burke, Vancouver general manager, was unhappy to learn of Zezel’s comments.

“Peter is going through a tough time right now and the club has bent over backwards to help him,” Burke said.

While on the mend from a broken leg earlier this season, Zezel received permission from the Canucks to spend a week with his niece during a family trip to Disney World.

“We could have waived this guy two weeks ago and sent him to the minors,” Burke said. “But we said, ‘We have to treat this guy right.’ ”

The trade is conditional upon Zezel’s reporting to the Ducks. If he doesn’t show up, the late-round pick the Canucks acquired will be returned to the Ducks.

“He might need a little time,” Gauthier said. “We would give time to anyone on our team who was going through something like this. There are things in life that are bigger than hockey.”

Coach Craig Hartsburg wasn’t certain where he will play Zezel once he joins his new teammates.

It’s possible Zezel, who had six goals and eight assists in 41 games for the Canucks, could play between all-star wingers Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne on the first line. But he also could play on the checking line.

“He’s been a pretty versatile guy,” Hartsburg said of Zezel, 33. “He’s a great faceoff guy. He’s good defensively. He can help us with his offense. . . . He’s a pretty dependable player.”

Although his speed and goal-scoring aren’t what they once were, Zezel remains an accomplished faceoff winner. He won 53% of his faceoffs for the Canucks.

“Peter has always been good on faceoffs,” Hartsburg said. “He’s strong and he’s got a low center of gravity.”

The Ducks will be Zezel’s eighth NHL team. He also has played for Vancouver, New Jersey, St. Louis twice, Dallas, Toronto, Washington and Philadelphia.

Zezel has 219 goals and 389 assists in 873 regular-season games. He also has 25 goals and 39 assists in 131 playoff games.

He will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end and Gauthier said he would wait until then to decide whether to re-sign him.

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Hartsburg made the Ducks a deal at the end of Tuesday’s practice: If he scored on a breakaway against goalie Guy Hebert the team would practice today, but if he failed to score, they would have the day off.

Hebert gobbled up Hartsburg’s weak effort from the slot and most of the Ducks got the day off. Defensemen Fredrik Olausson (sore ribs) and Ruslan Salei (sore shoulder) and forwards Steve Rucchin (groin strain) and Jim McKenzie (sore ankle) are expected to go for an easy skate to test their injuries.