Ducks Retrace Steps After Goring Talks Get Them Nowhere

The Mighty Ducks formally severed negotiations with Butch Goring late Thursday night and have focused their coaching search on Craig Hartsburg and Andy Murray, General Manager Jack Ferreira said Friday.

“We’ve told him it’s over,� Ferreira said of Goring, the coach and general manager of the Utah Grizzlies of the International Hockey League who rejected the Ducks’ take-it-or-leave-it offer of about $400,000 per season earlier this week. “There are seven or eight coaches in that price range in the NHL and we didn’t think we were low-balling him.

“But that’s done with.�

Ferreira said he was trying to arrange a second interview with Hartsburg, who was fired after the Chicago Blackhawks failed to make the playoffs for the first time in 29 years.

“He’s a candidate,� Ferreira said.

The Ducks also remain interested in Murray, a former Canadian national team coach who has worked with new team President Pierre Gauthier on several international teams.

“We all know him,� Ferreira said of Murray, who already has been interviewed twice. “He’s still in the mix.�

Ferreira indicated there are no new candidates in the picture, ruling out Carolina assistant Randy Ladouceur, a former Duck defenseman, and Mike Murphy, fired last month as coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Of Ferreira’s original list of candidates--Goring, Hartsburg, Murray, former King coach Barry Melrose and minor league coaches John Anderson, Dave Tippett and John Van Boxmeer--only Goring has been eliminated.

Ferreira did not rule out second interviews for Anderson, Tippett or Van Boxmeer.

“We’re probably going to bring in some other guys for second looks,� Ferreira said. “Obviously, we want to get this done right. We also want to get it done as soon as possible. We’re going to work right through the weekend.�

*

The Ducks announced they have signed a working agreement with the Huntington (W.Va.) Blizzard of the East Coast Hockey League.