Ducks’ Leclerc Says His Season Is Over

Mike Leclerc, a gritty power forward, will sit out the rest of the season, another reminder of a year that has gone terribly wrong for the Mighty Ducks.

Leclerc, who sat out the first 55 games this season, said that his surgically repaired left knee was not strong enough to continue playing. He also was less than certain about returning for training camp in September, should there be a settlement in the labor negotiations.

“Our goal is to be ready by camp,” a solemn Leclerc said Friday morning. “We’re going to get on a program with the trainer. We’ll take one step at a time and evaluate in two weeks. I don’t know what’s going on. I plan on being ready. I’m committed to getting there [by camp]. I’m confident I will play again. But just like last summer, when I couldn’t tell you how long I would be out, I just don’t know.”

Leclerc basically played on one leg the second half of last season and was still one of the Ducks’ most productive players during their playoff run to the Stanley Cup finals. He had two goals -- both game-winners -- and nine assists during the playoffs.

He underwent surgery on his knee in late June. Duck officials said they had hoped Leclerc would return in November, but the recovery process lasted until the All-Star break. He played 10 games, scoring one goal, but has sat out the last five games because of soreness in the knee.

“We think it’s partly a matter of giving it a break from the grind,” said Leclerc, who has a year left on a two-year, $2.9-million contract. “I haven’t had a break since surgery.

“I was on crutches, so I lost a lot of muscle strength. I needed to build it back up and try to get back in a certain amount of time. There was only so much I could do. Coming back, playing four games in six nights and twice in a row, it’s just physically impossible to maintain that level of progression at this point in the season.”

Coach Mike Babcock said of the situation: “This is Mike’s decision.”

Babcock has had to talk as much about triage as strategy this season because of injuries. Defenseman Keith Carney, forward Rob Niedermayer and defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh also have sat out significant time.

“Last year, everything went well,” Babcock said. “People stayed healthy.”

All that General Manager Bryan Murray would say was, “We’re disappointed.”

There seems little need for Leclerc to risk the knee at this point. The Ducks are all but out of the playoff race. They are 11th in the Western Conference, 10 points behind eighth-place Nashville. Leclerc may be looking more at the big picture.

He had arthroscopic surgery in November 2002, sitting out 11 games. The surgery in June was more extensive and Leclerc has said that if he had to undergo another one, it probably would end his career.

“I’m just trying to be smart and do what’s best for the team,” he said. “For me to have to go through this again next year isn’t good for the team.”

A sound Leclerc is vital to the Ducks, who have only a few big forwards who can score consistently. He had 20 goals in 82 games in the 2001-02 season. He has sat out portions of his other four seasons with the team because of injuries.