Gulls Introduce Smith, Lacroix, New Game Plan

Promising to provide more excitement and victories in the 1991-92 International Hockey League season, the Gulls introduced one of their two new principal owners, Ballard Smith, and their new executive vice president, Andre Lacroix, Wednesday at the San Diego Sports Arena.

The Gulls, who finished 30-45-8 and narrowly missed the playoffs in their first IHL season, also announced:

- Their search for a new head coach has been narrowed to three candidates and could end within two weeks.

- They will promote two NHL exhibition games in September.

- They will open the season with two home games.

Smith, with co-owner Howard Baldwin absent, also denied rumors that his partnership was trying to woo the NHL Winnipeg Jets to San Diego. Rumors have linked the Jets, who long have complained of arena problems, with several cities.

Instead, Smith kept the focus on the Gulls, who have signed only one player (1990-91 scoring leader Larry Floyd) and will open this season with home games on Oct. 3 and 4.

“I’m sorry the focus is going toward the NHL,” said Smith, Padres president and chief executive officer from 1979-87. “The IHL team that you’re going to see this year is going to be an exciting team. It’s going to have former NHL players, players that are someday going to be in the NHL, and it’s going to be a very good professional hockey team.

“That’s really what we’re focusing on right now. Obviously, all of us feel that this is a city where the NHL someday ought to be. But it’s a ways down the road.”

Don Waddell, Gulls vice president and general manager, said the two NHL exhibition games the Gulls are promoting will serve as tests for this area. The games tentatively are set for Sept. 23 and 27 at the Sports Arena. The likely participants will be the Kings, Stanley Cup-champion Pittsburgh Penguins, expansion San Jose Sharks and New Jersey Devils.

Charlie Simmer, the former King who was player/coach under Mike O’Connell last season, has emerged as a finalist for the head coaching position. Waddell would not reveal the other two candidates because both are under contract to NHL clubs.

Waddell said most of the team would be players with ties to NHL teams. Clubs targeted for a possible working agreement include the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, Hartford Whalers, Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers and Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Gulls changed owners when developer Ron Hahn agreed to purchase the Sports Arena from Harry Cooper. Hahn, in turn, has agreed to sell the club to Smith and Baldwin when the San Diego City Council approves the arena sale, probably in mid-September.

Smith and Baldwin--a former president of the World Hockey Assn.--took over two months ago and hired Lacroix.