Hartsburg Gives McInnis New Role

The NHL’s crackdown on stick work this season could prove to be a boon for a team with the staggering power-play potential of the Ducks. Then again, it could turn out to be a frustrating nightmare of missed opportunities.

Two seasons ago, the Ducks led the league with a 22% success rate on the power play, posted a winning record and advanced to the Stanley Cup playoffs. Last season, they finished 14th with a 16.6% success rate, were a sub-.500 team and missed the playoffs.

So, Coach Craig Hartsburg is trying a new wrinkle to generate scoring on the power play, moving winger Marty McInnis to the right point spot vacated when defenseman Fredrik Olausson retired at the end of last season.

“I’m definitely looking forward to it,” McInnis said. “Playing defense, you see everything in front of you. You see the whole play develop in front of you. You see all the options.”

McInnis joined defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky as the power-play triggermen for Wednesday’s exhibition against the expansion Minnesota Wild at the Arrowhead Pond. Wingers Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne and center Steve Rucchin also played on the first unit.

Two seasons ago, McInnis played up front with Rucchin and Selanne and Kariya joined Olausson on the blue line.

“We think we have two pretty good units,” Hartsburg said. “We have Rucchin’s line plus [German] Titov and [Jonas] Ronnqvist on a second unit.”

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Mike Leclerc scored twice and Rucchin once as the Ducks defeated the Wild, 3-0, for their first victory in four exhibitions. Dominic Roussel stopped 18 shots.