Detroit’s Campbell to Meet With Vachon

Colin Campbell, a prime candidate to become the next coach of the Kings, confirmed from his home in Windsor, Canada, Wednesday that he would meet in Los Angeles today with Rogie Vachon, the Kings’ general manager.

Campbell, an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings, said that he felt ready to make the move to head coach. And he acknowledged that his longtime friendship with Wayne Gretzky probably doesn’t hurt his chances of getting the job.

Campbell is not the only candidate being brought in for interviews, and the Kings are still planning to take their time in the selection process.

“They haven’t indicated to me exactly when they plan to make a decision,” Campbell said. “The only thing I’ve heard is that they want to have a coach before the draft.”

It was reported earlier that when Vachon asked Detroit General Manager Jimmy Devellano for permission to talk with Campbell, Devellano indicated that the Red Wings would want a draft pick as compensation if the Kings were to hire Campbell.

“Jimmy has given me his blessing in this,” Campbell said. “I think it’s the unwritten rule in this league that if you have the chance to better your position, they’ll let you go. . . . I think they only get snooty if you do it within your own division.”

Although Campbell has never been a head coach, he has been given a wide range of responsibility under a respected head coach, Jacques Demers.

Besides coming to Los Angeles with the blessings of both Devellano and Demers, Campbell said he was also coming with warnings from them.

“They told me to look at what was being offered very carefully and be sure it was what I wanted,” Campbell said.

The Los Angeles job wasn’t much of a plum a few years ago, but all that has changed with the addition of Gretzky and others.

“L.A. is a very nice situation now,” Campbell said, echoing the comments made recently by Calgary assistant Doug Risebrough, another possible candidate.

“They have some great scorers and they have a great goaltender. If you don’t have a great goaltender, you can’t always just go out and get him. They made a good deal there (to get Kelly Hrudey). And they have some toughness. They also have some weaknesses, but they could be worked out.”