Kings’ McNall Says Ftorek’s Job Not in Danger : Owner Tries to End Controversy Over Report That Coach Is Disliked by Players

Bruce McNall, owner of the Kings, was en route here Thursday, but not to fire his hockey coach.

He was planning to see the Kings’ game against the Maple Leafs Saturday night, to talk to Toronto owner Harold Ballard about the possibility of switching divisions, and to get to the bottom of the controversy that started with a story in the Globe and Mail, suggesting that the King players were waiting for Coach Robbie Ftorek to be fired.

“It’s amusing,” McNall said, not sounding too amused. “I’m flattered that the Kings are finally involved in a controversy. That’s never happened before. Nobody ever paid any attention to us.”

But McNall said it would not lead to the firing of Ftorek. “We will not, period, under any circumstances, change coaches in the near term,” McNall said. “We will not be involved in a revolving door of coaches.

“Robbie is absolutely here until the end of the year unless he drops dead.”

McNall was most concerned about whether any of the King players had actually talked to columnist Al Strachan to give him the background for the story. No one was quoted in the story.

McNall said: “I don’t think any of our players leaked anything to Strachan. . . . If any of our players spoke with him, they would not be playing with our team very long, no matter who it is.”

That’s a pretty strong statement for the owner of a team that includes Wayne Gretzky. But McNall added: “I know for sure who didn’t do it. I know it wasn’t Gretzky. . . . He has been extremely supportive of Robbie every time I’ve talked to him, including yesterday.”

McNall said repeatedly that any player who had a complaint should handle it “internally” and not take it to the media, a move that he considers “a very divisive thing.”

“Robbie, of all people, is very open. Not with the press, maybe, but with his players. Or they could come to me. Or to (General Manager) Rogie Vachon. . . . God almighty! How much more open can I be?”

Mc Nall added that “the inmates are not running this asylum. I’ll call the shot.”

McNall pointed out that when he hired Ftorek at about this point last season, the team had been 3-9-1 in its first 13 games under Mike Murphy. The Kings are now 7-6.

Ftorek, who directed the Kings at an off-day practice at Maple Leaf Gardens, said that players who don’t like how much they’re playing, or who they’re playing with, always blame the coach.

“It was easier last year, when we didn’t have as much ability,” he said. “We didn’t have a lot of NHL veterans. Now we have guys who, among them, have nine Stanley Cup rings, and they’re bumping some people out of ice time. That can be good. Competition is healthy. . . .

“And then we have Wayne, who plays a little more than anyone else, and that takes up another spot.”

Ftorek said he is “not enjoying” this situation.

“I’m not very comfortable with the fact that a lot of things going around are not directed toward winning hockey games,” he said.

“If I have a problem with a player, I talk to them. It should be a two-way street.”

King Notes

Center Bernie Nicholls missed practice Thursday, apparently because of a minor injury, but Coach Robbie Ftorek would say only that Nicholls would be back today. . . . The Kings traded right wing Paul Guay to the Boston Bruins Thursday for Dave Pasin, another right wing. Both will continue to play with the teams’ American Hockey League affiliates. Pasin was drafted by the Bruins in the first round of the 1984 entry draft, the 19th pick overall. Pasin (6 feet 1 inch, 203 pounds) has 2 goals and 5 assists in 11 games this season and has 18 goals and 19 assists in 71 NHL games. . . . The goalie who may be sent to the Kings’ New Haven club this weekend is Mark Fitzpatrick, not Bob Janecyk, as was incorrectly reported in Thursday’s editions.