Kurri Joins Gretzky as a King : Hockey: Once linemates on a perennial Stanley Cup champion at Edmonton, they will skate together again. But the trade costs Duchesne and Kasper.

It took three years of waiting, a season in Italy, months of haggling and hours of sweating, but Jari Kurri finally has his wish: a reunion with Wayne Gretzky.

And Bruce McNall hopes he finally has his Stanley Cup.

In a blockbuster three-team, nine-player trade involving Steve Duchesne and Steve Kasper, Kurri became a King Thursday after McNall signed him to a four-year (three and an option), $3.75-million contract.

But the cost was high.

The Edmonton Oilers traded the rights to Kurri, 31, a free agent; right wing Dave Brown and minor league defenseman Corey Foster to the Philadelphia Flyers for right wing Scott Mellanby, left wing Craig Berube and minor league center Craig Fisher. Philadelphia then traded Kurri’s rights and defenseman Jeff Chychrun to the Kings for Kasper, the center of their checking line; Duchesne, one of their most dependable defenseman, and one of the team’s two fourth-round draft choices this season.

“In one way, it’s thrilling to get Jari Kurri,” McNall said. “In another way, it’s always tough when you have friends you’re giving up. You have two top quality players who meant a lot to our team. I was trying to give up a little less than that. Unfortunately, that was the only choice we had.”

Oiler General Manager Glen Sather had little to say after he was told earlier in the day that King General Manager Rogie Vachon and Don Baizley, Kurri’s agent, had agreed to terms to a contract conditioned upon the Kings getting the rights to Kurri.

After a decade in Edmonton that produced five Stanley Cup rings, Kurri, making $500,000 a year and unhappy with Sather’s idea of a raise, jumped ship and played this past season with the Milan Devils.

Talks resumed with the Oilers after the season ended in Europe, but Kurri made plain his preference if he returned to the NHL.

“If this has happened or is happening,” he told the Edmonton Sun Thursday morning from Finland, before the trade, “I would say thanks to the Oilers for making it possible it would happen. No question, I want to finish my career playing with Wayne. I think we all know that.”

Kurri had already set today as his personal deadline. If no deal was struck, he would re-sign to play in Italy.

The last place Sather wanted to send Kurri was Los Angeles. The Oilers are still taking heat for trading Gretzky to the Kings three seasons ago. Giving Gretzky his former right-hand man in a division where the two teams inevitably seem to meet in the playoffs was considered unthinkable.

But when Baizley and Vachon came to terms, Sather knew it was either give Kurri what he wanted or give him back to Milan without getting anything in return. Kurri and Baizley didn’t have long to sweat out Sather’s decision.

“I would have preferred trading him elsewhere,” Sather said, “but I know that’s where Baizley was working on him going from the beginning. I knew that was coming, that he wanted to play with Wayne.

“I’m relieved that it’s done. When I found out they (Vachon and Baizley) agreed, I knew that I had to make a deal. I’m glad it’s over with. I’m sick and tired of guys whining and moaning around here. There’s too much of a ‘my way’ attitude. I’m sick and tired of it.”

Kurri’s deal calls for $800,000 the first season, $950,000 the second, and $1 million for both the third and the option year.

He appeared in 40 games for Milan, scoring 37 goals and 97 points. In 10 years in Edmonton, he had 474 regular-season goals, 1043 points and 92 postseason goals, second-highest total in league history by one behind Gretzky.

Kurri scored many of those goals after receiving pinpoint passes from Gretzky, the two forming one of the most potent offensive pairs in league history.

And now they will team again, with Kurri replacing Tony Granato on the Kings’ first line to join Gretzky and Tomas Sandstrom.

“That’s exciting,” McNall said. “That kind of sends chills up your spine. I think it helps us a lot. I’m really excited about it. Between Sandstrom and Kurri, with their speed, we ought to make it happen now. If nothing else does, this ought to do it.”

The Kings felt they could make the deal because of the development of center John McIntyre.

“We think McIntyre is ready to take over,” Vachon said. “He’s a very strong guy. Obviously to get Kurri, we had to give up something. Chychrun is good and tough. He’s a stay-at-home defenseman and a bruiser.

“We had one of the best lines (the Gretzky line) before. Now, we have, by far, the best line. It should be fun.”

Duchesne, shocked by the trade, would not comment.

Times staff writer Chris Baker contributed to this story.