Gauthier Denies Rumors of Shakeup

Pierre Gauthier, Mighty Duck president and general manager, defended Coach Craig Hartsburg, saying he’s not going to respond to every rumor about a possible coaching change.

Gauthier also denied reports that he is accepting offers for right wing Teemu Selanne, who hasn’t scored a goal in eight games but could probably fetch a package of promising young players and/or draft picks in a blockbuster trade. The New York Rangers are rumored to be set to dump winger Theo Fleury and perhaps several other players in an attempt to jettison some of their bloated $60-million-plus payroll.

What’s more, Gauthier took the unusual step of defending the play of Selanne and fellow all-star winger Paul Kariya, neither of whom is among the NHL’s top 20 scorers. Selanne and Kariya each have 27 points in 31 games.

“These guys are trying,” Gauthier said. “Paul is going nuts. How many posts has he hit in the last few games? Five?”

Of the play of the team, which has only four wins in its last 19 games, Gauthier added: “It’s tough. It’s not like we’re getting waxed. We’re outshooting clubs most nights, out-chancing them. It’s really frustrating. We’re so close to having something here. This could get pretty good, you know.”

Gauthier refused to respond when asked in August about the Ducks’ tough road schedule to start the season. Friday’s game was their 19th on the road in their first 31, tops in the league, and he conceded the schedule has been a concern.

“When I saw the schedule in the summer, I said if we get to .500 by Christmas that’s pretty good,” he said. “Of course the schedule is very tough.”

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The Ducks sent rookie center Andy McDonald to Cincinnati of the American Hockey League to make room for newly signed defenseman Mike Crowley on the roster. Crowley played his first NHL game since the 1998-99 season, joining defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky on the Ducks’ top power-play unit.

“It’s nice to get my feet wet, it’s been a while,” said Crowley, who has played the last two seasons in the International Hockey League. “I was more excited than nervous.”

Crowley is a former University of Minnesota standout, but the public address announcer at Xcel Energy Center called him “Matt” Crowley when introducing the starting lineups.

“Oh?” Crowley said. “That’s funny. I was in here [inside the dressing room] and didn’t hear it.”

Crowley played 16 minutes 21 seconds, had one shot on net and set up Kariya for a third-period near-miss from point-blank range with a pass from the right wing into the slot.