Jack Ferreira

Former Phoenix Coyote coach Don Hay said Thursday he has a weekend interview scheduled with Mighty Duck General Manager Jack Ferreira to discuss the team's coaching position. The Ducks said last week that they would not renew Ron Wilson's contract. Wilson, who met with Phoenix General Manager Bobby Smith for a second interview Thursday, is believed to be a finalist for the Coyote job. Former Boston Bruin coach Brian Sutter also is thought to be a finalist.

Mighty Duck defenseman David Karpa has signed a two-year contract, General Manager Jack Ferreira said Monday. Karpa, 26, will receive $800,000 this season and $900,000 in 1997-98 after winning an arbitration hearing Friday. The Ducks offered $650,000. Karpa has been one of the Ducks' top defensive players since he was acquired from the Quebec Nordiques in March, 1995. Last year, Karpa held out for three weeks of training camp, then signed a one-year deal.

Roman Oksiuta was out of the lineup again Friday after a heated verbal exchange with Coach Ron Wilson at the morning skate. "I decide who's on the team; Ron decides who plays," General Manager Jack Ferreira said. "I'd worry if a guy wasn't upset he wasn't playing." Oksiuta was the Ducks' third-leading scorer last season and signed for $600,000 this season after a holdout. But he has only 11 points and has played in only four of the last 22 games.

Jack Ferreira, fired last week as general manager of the Mighty Ducks, agreed Monday to accept the newly created position of vice president of hockey operations. Ferreira will scout the NHL and Europe and serve as the primary hockey advisor to Pierre Gauthier, the man who fired him. Gauthier, whom the Ducks hired as president last month, appointed himself general manager after repeatedly vowing he would not replace Ferreira, whom he called a good friend.

General managers Jack Ferreira of the Ducks and Pierre Gauthier of the Ottawa Senators this week neither confirmed nor denied they are working on a deal that would bring right wing Alexandre Daigle to Anaheim. "No," Ferreira said when asked if had talked to Gauthier about trading for Daigle. Asked if he would say so if he had, Ferreira said, "No." Gauthier, an assistant general manager for 2 1/2 seasons with the Ducks, also was cagey when asked about dealing with his old team.

Right wing Roman Oksiuta and his $600,000 salary don't appear to be going anywhere, even though Duck General Manager Jack Ferreira gave agent Serg Levin permission to find a trade before today's noon deadline. Oksiuta, a regular in Coach Ron Wilson's doghouse who has played in 28 games and has only six goals, is scheduled to make $700,000 next season, but the Ducks have the right to buy him out for two-thirds of his salary.

Defenseman Dave Karpa returned to the lineup Friday after sitting out 13 games because of a broken right hand. The Ducks fared better than they imagined they would without him, going 7-4-2, in part because of the unexpectedly solid play of rookie Dan Trebil and better defensive commitment from the forwards. * General Manager Jack Ferreira would like to add scoring depth up front before the March 18 trading deadline.

Enforcer Shawn Antoski skated to test his groin injury last week and is probably headed for surgery because it was too painful to play. "It didn't go well," General Manager Jack Ferreira said, adding that he expects a medical decision soon. "He could go the rest of the year if he could tolerate the pain and then have it done at the end of the year, but he probably wouldn't be ready for the beginning of next season."