No Skipper Yet; Ducks Are at Sea

The Mighty Ducks believe they have found their next coach, and his name is Pierre Page.

So why aren’t they making arrangements to interview him, haggling with his agent over a contract and planning to introduce him soon at a press conference at the Pond?

Blame it on a Caribbean cruise.

General Manager Jack Ferreira left today on the Ducks’ fan cruise from San Juan, Puerto Rico, without resolving compensation issues with the Calgary Flames. Page, who resigned as Calgary coach Wednesday, had one season remaining on a three-year deal.

“I guess I’ll have to make a lot of calls from the boat next week,” Ferreira said Saturday night.

The Flames asked Ferreira to fax a written request to interview Page to the team’s offices, although they could have accepted a hand-written note just as easily since all concerned attended Saturday’s NHL draft in Pittsburgh.

Calgary also is insisting on compensation in the form of cash or future draft picks, and Ferreira and Calgary General Manager Al Coates spoke briefly about that Friday night.

“I gave them some options or things to consider and they’ve never gotten back to me,” Ferreira said. “I called again tonight, but no one answered. I’m just waiting to hear back. They’re holding the cards right now.

“It’s a busy time, probably the worst time for anybody to really concentrate on hiring a coach because of all the draft preparations. Now with the draft over it’ll be easier.”

Or as easy as it can get with a general manager out to sea.

Ferreira has said all along that he had no deadline for hiring a replacement for Ron Wilson, whose contract was not renewed May 20 after four seasons as coach.

“I don’t think I have to,” Ferreira said. “It’s not going to get it done next week. [But] we’ll get it done the first week of July.”