Tardif’s future brighter> Former UM player likes trade to LA

Patrice Tardif, the former University of Maine hockey winger, is the answer to an NHL trivia question.

Tardif, Craig Johnson, and Roman Vopat were traded from the St. Louis Blues to the Los Angeles Kings for all-time leading scorer and future Hall-of-Famer Wayne Gretzky in February.

“I was nervous the first few games [in Los Angeles],” said Tardif, who is out with a sprained left shoulder. “Then everything calmed down. Everybody liked him [Gretzky] here. But the fans realize he’s getting old and this was a chance to get some young guys. To be involved in a trade for Gretzky makes you feel good.”

Tardif had a goal and an assist in 15 games for LA after scoring three goals in 23 games for the Blues. He had 13 goals and 13 assists in 30 AHL games for Worcester.

“I got a lot of ice time and played on the power play when I first came to LA. I had some good scoring chances, but the puck wouldn’t go in. My last few games, I just played on a checking line and didn’t get as many chances.

“When you get off to a rough start, it’s tough to get back on track,” said the 25-year-old Tardif. “Hopefully, next year I’ll have a fresh start and the puck will start going in like it did last year.”

Tardif, who had 27 goals at Peoria (IHL) and three for the Blues last year, was grateful to Blues coach-general manager Mike Keenan for the chance to play in the NHL, but said Kings coach Larry Robinson has more patience with younger players.

“Larry Robinson is a great coach. If you make a mistake, he’ll talk to you about it on the bench and send you back out there,” said Tardif.

Keenan benched young players if they made mistakes, said Tardif.

“Time will tell if it was a good trade. I’m just happy to be getting more of a chance to play,” said Tardif, who feels he needs to drive to the net hard, keep his feet moving, and play physical hockey to succeed.

University of Maine senior center Brad Purdie was selected as the Most Valuable Player for the Hockey East team in the Hockey East-ECAC Senior All-Star game at the Towse Rink on the University of New Hampshire campus on Saturday. Purdie had two goals and two assists. The ECAC team won 11-9 before 1,258 fans.