Robinson Agrees to a Two-Year Pact With Kings

Last summer, owner Bruce McNall of the Kings committed millions of dollars to get Wayne Gretzky from the Edmonton Oilers. Now he has come up with another million or so to get defenseman Larry Robinson from the Montreal Canadiens.

How long can this go on?

“Until we stop owning the team or drop dead or go broke doing it,” McNall said Wednesday at the Forum in announcing that the Canadiens had not matched the Kings’ offer for the services of Robinson, a free agent since July 1.

“I think we’ve made it fairly obvious that our desire is to bring a Stanley Cup to Los Angeles as soon as possible. Larry Robinson will help us do that,” McNall said.

Robinson accepted a contract from the Kings to play for two years, with an option year, for a reported $1.6 million.

It was not easy for Robinson, 38, to leave the Canadiens, a team he has played for all 17 years of his National Hockey League career. Robinson won two Norris Trophies as the league’s best defenseman, and played on six Stanley Cup championship teams.

“This was a big step for me,” Robinson said. “I know I’m not a young puppy anymore, but I hope I can help them win a championship here.”

Robinson asked to clarify reports that during contract negotiations, Canadien General Manager Serge Savard refused to assure him that his No. 19 would be retired.

“Donny (Cape, Robinson’s agent) asked Serge if they were thinking of doing it, and Serge said he couldn’t give him an answer,” Robinson said.

“But I never made any demands. I don’t think it’s something that you demand. It’s an honor that comes to you.”

Jim Fox of the Kings thinks that is an honor that is sure to come to Robinson. So when Fox--who has worn No. 19 for the Kings since he joined the club in 1980--heard that the deal was official, he immediately offered Robinson his number.

“Nobody asked me,” Fox said. “I just said right away that he has to have No. 19. He’s going to be a Hall of Famer five years from now. I didn’t even have to think about it. I just did it out of respect for him.”

Robinson said he appreciated Fox’s offer. He had told the Kings he would wear any number available.

Among the Kings who showed up at the Forum to welcome the new teammate was Ron Duguay. He said that he came “out of respect for the man,” adding: “We’re just that much closer to the Stanley Cup. . . . We’re bringing in winners.”

Said McNall: “A few years ago, people thought that being sent to Los Angeles was like being exiled. Hopefully, with Wayne’s presence here, we’re changing that.”

Robinson said that the idea of playing with Gretzky was “a joy.” As a defensemen, he has had more than enough of playing against Gretzky.

“Wayne has shown what he can bring to a club,” Robinson said. “The Kings moved up from pretty low (18th overall) to fourth last year. Hopefully, we’ll up that a little.”

As for his age, Robinson said: “Everybody says I’ve been a teacher my whole career. I don’t know about that. But I do think that the best teaching is to lead by example. . .

“They’ve been telling me I’ve been over the hill for the last five or six years. Yet when they need someone in a big situation, they call on me. I’ve always tried to look after myself. I have taken care of myself. I can’t do what I did at 24 or 25, but, then, I wasn’t the greatest at 24 or 25.”

Robinson’s career took off right after that, however. He was a first-team all-star in 1977, 1979 and 1980, a second-team all-star in 1978, 1981 and 1986. And he has played in the All-Star game nine times.

He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs in 1978.

The Kings figure he has a few good years left, even though he scored his first NHL goal against Rogie Vachon, now the Kings’ general manager.

Vachon, who was out of town Wednesday, has said that Robinson will add “stability, character and leadership” and bring the Kings a “giant step closer to a Stanley Cup championship.”

Asked what he thought the Kings need most, Robinson answered: “Ice.”

The Forum was set up for TeamTennis and that’s not something he found at the Forum in Montreal.

But he had earlier said that one thing he liked about Los Angeles was that there is a hockey off-season. In Montreal, there is no down time, as he put it.

As for what it will be like for him to go back to the Forum in Montreal and play against the Canadiens, Robinson said: “Thank goodness we don’t have to go there until the 11th of December.”

But the Kings’ training camp this year is at Hull, Quebec, a short drive from Montreal. And Robinson will be reporting there Sept. 7.