Gauthier Pulls the Plug on a Lame-Duck Coach

Surprising no one, the Mighty Ducks on Thursday fired Craig Hartsburg after 2 1/2 seasons as coach and replaced him with assistant Guy Charron. Only the precise date and time of the announcement were unexpected, coming a day after an overtime victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Hartsburg, through a team spokesman, declined to comment, but said he might do so today.

Charron, 51, was the 1999-2000 coach of the year in the International Hockey League while with Grand Rapids. Pierre Gauthier, team president and general manager, handed Charron the job through the end of this season. Terry Simpson was retained as Charron’s sole assistant.

“There’s been a lot of frustration around the club,” Gauthier said. “It builds and builds to the point where something has to be done. Guy is a very positive person. He brings a lot of optimism and enthusiasm to the club.”

Hartsburg was 80-88-29 in his Anaheim tenure, leading the team to the 1999 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Ducks finished last in the NHL’s ultra-competitive Pacific Division in 1999-2000 and had hit bottom again this season.

The Ducks were 5-12-3-1 in Hartsburg’s final 21 games, which included a 5-4 overtime victory Wednesday against the expansion Blue Jackets.

Charron’s first order of business will be to find a way to restore the team’s confidence, which took a beating during its 21-game skid to the bottom of the Pacific Division standings. He said he plans to make no major changes in the Ducks’ style of play--at least not immediately.

“I can’t say there’s one definite thing wrong with the team,” Charron said. “We haven’t generated the success that was expected. We have some young players who haven’t dealt well with the circumstances.”

Fact is, even veteran players like all-star wingers Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne have been squeezing their sticks into sawdust as the frustration has mounted. Neither player is among the league’s top 20 scorers. Each has 11 goals. Selanne, sidelined for Wednesday’s game because of a groin strain, has been blanked in nine consecutive games.

“You can’t say we have to change the system to generate more offense for our elite players,” Charron said. “The opportunities have been there, but maybe our confidence is lacking. We’re a team that has given up a lot of goals. We have to minimize our goals against.”

The Ducks have given up 100 goals in 33 games. Only the New York Rangers, who have given up 114, and Boston, with 107, have given up more than the Ducks.

In the end, how the Ducks were losing was more important than the mere fact that they weren’t winning, according to Gauthier. In recent weeks, Gauthier had been hanging around the dressing room and observing practices more than in the past.

“The disposition of the club is very important,” said Gauthier, who hired Hartsburg to replace Pierre Page in the summer of 1998. “Last week, I started thinking about making a move. We’re not in a position where we have time to wait for a couple of losses.”

Gauthier deflected questions about his role in the Ducks’ 11-15-4-3 record and 11th-place standing in the Western Conference. He acknowledged making a mistake in acquiring defenseman Patrick Traverse and winger Andrei Nazarov, but suggested dealing them to the Boston Bruins last month for young center Samuel Pahlsson will turn out fine for the Ducks.

Gauthier also said center German Titov, who doubled his goal output with two goals Wednesday, will soon prove to be worth the three-season, $4.6-million contract the Ducks gave him last summer. Titov had only two goals and five points in 25 games before Wednesday’s game.

All of which means Charron will be saddled with the same roster that Hartsburg failed to turn into consistent winners. Gauthier believes Charron’s personality will create a more relaxed attitude in the dressing room, which should lighten an atmosphere thick with frustration.

Gauthier gave Hartsburg a vote of confidence a day after the Ducks’ 3-0 loss Nov. 15 to the Colorado Avalanche, telling reporters he would not fire his coach. Gauthier also said he would not trade Kariya or Selanne.

Clearly, Gauthier’s message did little to rally the troops.

“Confidence is a big part of our answer,” Gauthier said. “Hopefully, we’ll build the confidence of the club. Confidence is going to be a big part of getting over the hump.”

Charron led Grand Rapids to a 55-22-9 record last season and a berth in the Turner Cup finals, where it lost to the Chicago Wolves in six games. This will be his second stint as an NHL coach. He served as interim coach with the Calgary Flames in 1992, going 6-7-3. He was an assistant with the Flames from 1990-95 and with the New York Islanders from 1995-97.

Hartsburg is the fourth coach to be fired this season, joining Pat Burns of Boston, Craig Ramsay of Philadelphia and Alain Vigneault of Montreal.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

CRAIG HARTSBURG WITH MIGHTY DUCKS

*--*

Season Record Place 1998-99 35-34-13 *3rd 1999-00 34-36-12-3 5th 2000 11-15-4-3 5th

*--*

* Swept in first round of playoffs

MIGHTY DUCK COACHES

Ron Wilson (1993-97): 120-145-31

Pierre Page (1997-98): 26-43-13

Hartsburg (1998-00): 80-88-29

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Guy Charron Profile

* Duck history: Is in his first season as an assistant coach with Anaheim, having been named to the position June 29.

* Recent coaching experience: Spent last two seasons as coach of the Grand Rapids Griffins of the International Hockey League. Was named IHL coach of the year for 1999-2000 after leading the Griffins to a 51-22-9 record and first place in the Eastern Conference. Grand Rapids lost to the Chicago Wolves in the 2000 Turner Cup Finals. Was coach of EV Landshut in Germany in 1997-98.

* NHL coaching experience: Was an assistant coach with the Calgary Flames from 1990-95, assuming head coaching duties at end of 1991-92 season, finishing with a record of 6-7-3. Was an assistant coach with the Islanders from 1995-97.

* Background: Before joining Calgary, Charron was director of player personnel/assistant coach for Hockey Canada from 1985-88 and assistant general manager/assistant coach from 1988-90. Was coach of the Canadian National Junior Team that won the gold medal in Helsinki in 1990.

* Start in coaching: After retiring as a player from the NHL after the 1980-81 season, began his coaching career with Arosa of the Swiss Hockey League as a player/assistant in 1981-82. Returned to North America in 1983 to take over as general manager/coach of the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, where he remained until joining Hockey Canada.

* Playing career: Played 12 NHL seasons as a center with the Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings, Kansas City Scouts and Washington Capitals from 1969-81. Had a career-high 82 points (36 goals, 46 assists) with Washington in 1976-77 and played in the All-Star Game that season. Played in 734 career NHL regular-season games, scoring 530 points (221 goals, 309 assists).

* Personal: Charron, 51, was born in Verdun, Quebec. He and his wife, Michele, live in Orange County. He has two children, a daughter Renee, 24, and a son Erik, 18.