Melrose In Place But For How Long?

The Los Angeles Kings say Barry Melrose is their coach - for now.

“There have been no discussions to my knowledge concerning a possible coaching change,” said Scott Carmichael, vice president of broadcasting and communication for the Kings, said Wednesday. “I think it’s very premature and unfair for everyone involved, both coaches and players, for this kind of speculation to be reported.”

Television station KNBC reported the Kings, 1-6-1 in their last eight games, will fire Melrose shortly if they don’t start winning.

Ducks deal veteran center

The Mighty Ducks dealt veteran center Anatoli Semenov to the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday for Milos Holan, an unproven rushing defenseman.

Semenov, 33, has 256 NHL games under his belt, including 15 this season. Holan, 23, appeared in eight NHL games early last season but had played exclusively for the Hershey (Pa.) Bears of the American Hockey League this year.

Holan had 22 goals and 27 assists in 56 games with Hershey, but left the team abruptly Tuesday to return to his hometown of Bilovec in the Czech Republic, having purportedly grown disillusioned with what he saw as a lack of opportunity to advance in the Philadelphia organization.

He is expected to join the Ducks in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Saturday and possibly make his debut Wednesday at Calgary.