Any Hartsburg Firing Is News to Gauthier

The National Post and the Globe and Mail, Canada’s Toronto-based national newspapers, each mentioned Duck Coach Craig Hartsburg as a candidate to be fired if the Ducks don’t make the playoffs.

“Surprise, it’s the Toronto media again,” said Duck President and General Manager Pierre Gauthier, who declined to comment further on Hartsburg’s status at season’s end.

“I don’t say, ‘No comment,’ very often. But no comment.”

The newspapers’ criticism focused on the widely held notion that Hartsburg’s conservative game plan has muzzled high-flying wingers Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne.

Hartsburg and Gauthier both have blasted such talk this season, pointing out that the Ducks play an aggressive forechecking style.

The Ducks were very much in the playoff race going into Friday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks at General Motors Place. Whether they advance to the postseason, Hartsburg believes it has been a successful season on many fronts.

“I think our guys have grown through this whole process,” Hartsburg said. “It’s a young team. We have a lot of veteran guys, but we have a lot of young guys playing in key roles.

“It’s tough in this league to make the playoffs now. We’ve just got to get it done. . . . It’s a time to grow and push together.”

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Kariya headed home to North Vancouver for a home-cooked meal Thursday.

“My mom misses cooking all those big meals,” said Paul, one of five grown Kariya children. “There’s no one at home anymore.”

Steve Kariya was living at home while playing for the Canucks earlier this season. But he has been demoted to Syracuse of the American Hockey League.

Paul said he stays in close contact with his younger brother.

“When he’s played [for the Canucks], he’s played well,” Paul said. “Just on what he’s done already he’s had a really successful season.”

The Kariya brothers played against each other for the first time in organized hockey when the Ducks and Canucks tied, 2-2, Dec. 8 at the Arrowhead Pond.

But Paul missed the next two games because of a bruised right foot and Steve was with Syracuse for the season finale between the Ducks and Canucks Friday.