STANELY CUP FINALS : Gretzky to Retire or Leave? : Intrigue: The King captain is said to want money and assurances that certain personnel will be retained.

Wayne Gretzky says he’s contemplating retirement. Or is he?

Gretzky’s dramatic announcement after Wednesday’s Stanley Cup finale that he might retire in a few weeks comes on the heels of information, obtained by The Times, that Gretzky has talked in recent days about leaving the Kings unless certain demands are met.

Gretzky, 32, wants to be the highest-paid player in hockey. But his primary concern, according to several sources, is a list of individuals he wants retained.

Among those are defenseman Marty McSorley, forward Warren Rychel and assistant coach Cap Raeder.

Gretzky is known to still be angry that the Kings traded his close friend, defenseman Paul Coffey, at midseason.

King owner Bruce McNall has said he plans to make Gretzky the NHL’s highest-paid player. Gretzky’s current contract is good through the 1997-98 season.

Although he declined to acknowledge the existence of a list, McNall said before Wednesday’s game: “We decided to wait until the end of the playoffs to deal with the issues. He knows my sentiments. If he has an interest in other players being kept, that’s certainly something we’ll discuss.”

Gretzky’s agent, Mike Barnett, denied there was any list of players. “I can assure you there have been no demands,” Barnett said. “Everyone knows he’s not a person to give ultimatums.”

McNall seemed as shocked as anyone when Gretzky went on national television immediately after the game and said that this could be his last game.

“When I came to L.A., it wasn’t just to play hockey,” Gretzky said. “It was to spread hockey, to fill seats and to help turn the organization. The things I used to worry about--filling the rink, turning the organization around--I don’t have to worry about those anymore because Barry’s (Coach Barry Melrose) doing that. I think I fulfilled all my obligations.

“I’ve got to seriously think about what I’m going to do. I’ll think about it in the next week and, before the draft happens (June 26th), the Kings will know my decision.”

When a story surfaced last week in an Ottawa paper that Gretzky was unhappy in Los Angeles, McNall said he approached Gretzky, but was told there was no problem. The story said Gretzky wanted to play in Toronto or Detroit. Thursday’s Toronto Sun reported that Gretzky is interested in playing for the New York Rangers.

One source said that Gretzky, who made $3 million this past season, was offered $7 million by the Kings in the midst of the playoffs, but McNall denied that. Both Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins ($6 million a year) and Eric Lindros ($3.5 million) of the Philadelphia Flyers make more.

“I went to Wayne last summer,” said McNall before the game, “but he didn’t want to do anything until he was back on the ice.”

At the time, Gretzky was suffering from a herniated thoracic disk. When it became apparent the injury was career-threatening, Gretzky went to McNall.

“He told me that ‘I want you to take a million dollars off my contract,’ ” McNall said. “I told him I couldn’t do that because of a) the insurance, and b) because that’s why he has a contract.

“Right now, I have no clue what other (player) contracts exist. Once I know that and what Wayne wants and how long he wants to play, we will re-do his contract.”

The ties between McNall and Gretzky, who has completed his fifth season with the Kings, go far beyond the ice. Gretzky is a partner with McNall in everything from race horses to the Toronto Argonauts football team. McNall refers to Gretzky as “my best friend.” But the King center showed his dissatisfaction with the rest of the King hierarchy in March.

When the team was stranded by an Eastern blizzard, Gretzky uncharacteristically blasted team management for the travel arrangements and schedule and wouldn’t back down. He said that management lacked backbone and that no other team would have had to play on the East Coast one night and the West Coast the next.

Said one player, who asked for anonymity, in the locker room after being told of Gretzky’s announcement: “This is all about (team president) Roy (Mlakar) and (general manager) Nick (Beverley).”

Gretzky was also frustrated that there had been no intent to re-sign McSorley and Rychel during the season. Melrose has joined the chorus, calling McSorley “the best defenseman in hockey” after the Toronto series.

There is no guaranteed compensation attached to McSorley’s imminent free agency, but the Kings have the right to match any team’s offer. Rychel is an unrestricted free agent and there is no similar right to match in his case.

By waiting the cost of the players has gone up. It is estimated that McSorley, who is making $650,000 this season, could be worth anywhere from $1.2 to $1.5 million next season on the open market. Rychel’s salary is $175,000 and it could at least double because he is an unrestricted free agent.

After Gretzky held a news conference to reiterate his televised statement on ESPN, he marched past McNall, who was surrounded by reporters wanting a response.

“Thank you,” said McNall looking perplexed and waving goodby to Gretzky.

On his way back to the locker room, McNall stopped for a private conversation with Gretzky’s wife, Janet.

“We’ll get this straightened out,” he told her as he moved down the hall.

Then McNall stopped for an animated discussion with Barnett, Gretzky’s agent, and McSorley.

By the time he had reached the locker room, McNall was shaking his head.

“I don’t know what to think,” he said. “It might just be emotion. He might change his mind in a few days. Right now, he’s down. He hates to lose.”

Power play, contract ploy, fatigue or heartfelt decision to quit?

The answer will soon be known. But for Wednesday night, at least, Gretzky’s words had thrown a pall over what had been the most thrilling two months in the Kings’ history.

“It’s too bad we can’t just go home in peace,” said one club official.

Instead, they are going home in pieces.