Unhappy Carson Quits Edmonton : Hockey: Oiler center leaves team on eve of Gretzky’s chance to break scoring record.

The Kings were greeted at the airport here Saturday morning by TV crews, crowds cheering Wayne Gretzky and the news that former King Jimmy Carson has left the Edmonton Oilers.

One of the Oiler equipment managers, at the airport to help transport the Kings’ equipment to the Northlands Coliseum for tonight’s game, broke the news to some of Carson’s best friends.

It was quite a jolt to the Kings, who have been caught up in the countdown to the game--perhaps tonight--that Gretzky breaks Gordie Howe’s all-time National Hockey League scoring record.

The Kings have been basking in the glory of the attention and excitement that came with Gretzky in a trade with Edmonton in August, 1988. The news that Carson has left town, choosing not to play at all rather than continue playing for the Oilers, was a harsh reminder that not everyone was thrilled with the trade.

Carson didn’t want to be traded. He was never happy with the Oilers.

King owner Bruce McNall, who offered the Oilers an extra $5 million for Gretzky in an attempt to keep Carson, said Saturday that he feels “just terrible” about Carson. But that was all that he could say without risking being charged with tampering.

The Oilers aren’t happy with Carson, either.

It won’t be easy for the Oiler management to sit through the celebration that will erupt tonight if Gretzky scores his second point. Not only are they without Gretzky, they are without the talented young center who was supposed to be a large part of their compensation.

Asked how he expects the Oiler administration to handle the Carson situation, Gretzky said: “The track record of the Oilers is that the team comes before any player. They won’t panic to make a deal. I don’t think they’ll sit him out all year, either, because that hurts them, too.

“But they’re in the driver’s seat. They won’t panic. If the right deal comes along, they’ll make a trade.”

In the meantime, Carson will not play.

“God, I don’t know what to think about that,” said Luc Robitaille, one of Carson’s closest friends. “It is a big surprise to me now. I talked to him over the summer and I knew he wasn’t happy. He told me that he wouldn’t be back after this year.

“But I didn’t know he would do this. On the other hand, when Jimmy wants something, he’s a pretty smart guy . . .

“I can’t blame him for being upset about the trade. Who would want to get traded from L.A.?”

How times have changed since Gretzky changed teams.

But one thing that has not changed is the way the fans here love Gretzky. Outside the Northlands Coliseum stands a 10-foot statue of Gretzky in an Oiler sweater, holding a Stanley Cup over his head. It is inscribed: “A true champion and gentleman of dedication and character whose talents brought world recognition to the city of Edmonton. Erected in sincere appreciation by the citizens of Edmonton.”

The statue was erected after Gretzky was traded.

Scotty Morrison of the NHL Hall of Fame told Terry Jones of the Edmonton Sun: “If the record happens in . . . L.A. I think we’ll be stopping the game for five minutes. If it happens in Edmonton, I don’t think we’ll be able to do any speaking for five minutes.”

The deafening ovation is expected to last much longer than that.

Referee Andy van Hellemond, who will work tonight’s game, said the league has suspended Rule 66-S, which reads: “A bench minor shall be imposed on a team whose players leave the bench for any purpose other than a line change.”

The players will be allowed to jump over the boards in order to congratulate Gretzky when he scores his second point.

No one is doubting that he will do it.

All of his major milestones have come here. It was here that he scored five goals in one game to become the only player to score 50 goals in the first 39 games of the season. It was here that he passed the puck to Jari Kurri for the point that put him ahead of Howe’s all-time assist record. It was here that he scored his 500th goal. It was here that his 51-game scoring streak came to an end.

Gretzky has been saying for months that his best guess was that the record would be broken in the Kings’ sixth game of the season--at Edmonton.

He told Oiler Kevin Lowe that last July. Recounting that conversation prompted Lowe to recall: “About three years ago, we were talking about it and he had it mapped out for late last season. But he got hurt two years ago, and missed 16 games. That threw him off schedule. It’s still amazing that he had charted out his future that explicitly. It’s a testimony to his belief in his ability.”

And what does Lowe think about Gretzky setting the record against the Oilers: “I’ll be very happy for him, just as long as we win the hockey game.”

Former Oiler teammate Mark Messier has asked to be allowed to say a few words during the NHL’s ceremony.

As for Oiler Coach John Muckler? “It’s great for the game, but I would like not to see it happen here and we’ll try to prevent it,” Muckler said. “It won’t be the easiest thing to stop the greatest hockey player in the world, but if I had my druthers. . . “