Ducks’ List Includes Martin

The Mighty Ducks’ search for a coach hinges on what will be done in Ottawa, where Senator Coach Jacques Martin is under fire after a third consecutive first-round flop in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

If Ottawa does not retain Martin, Duck General Manager Pierre Gauthier is ready to offer a draft pick to Ottawa as compensation for hiring him, sources said Wednesday. Martin signed a two-year extension, worth about $1.8 million, in October.

Gauthier, who is Germany for the world hockey championships, was not available for comment.

Martin is scheduled to meet with Ottawa officials this week. The Senators were eliminated by Toronto in four games after finishing the regular season with a record of 48-21-9-4, good for the No. 2 seeding in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Martin and several key Ottawa players have been criticized for the team’s 10-22 record in the playoffs the last three seasons.

Gauthier, Ottawa’s general manager from 1995-98, hired Martin as the Senator coach midway through the 1995-96 season. Ottawa is 208-167-69 under Martin. The Senators had won 41 games in 3 1/2 seasons before Martin was hired.

Among the coaches the Ducks are considering, sources say, are former Montreal Coach Alain Vigneault, Phoenix assistant Rick Bowness and Detroit assistant Dave Lewis. The Ducks are also expected to interview Mike Babcock, the coach of their minor league affiliate in Cincinnati.