Kings Trade Millen : Hockey: Center had said he would test the market. L.A. gets the 117th pick in draft.

King center Corey Millen is coming off his best NHL season with 23 goals and 39 points despite sitting out 38 games because of a persistent groin strain. Center Jimmy Carson found himself benched for most of the Stanley Cup final and another center, Wayne Gretzky, is talking about retirement.

So, why was Millen traded during Saturday’s entry draft to the New Jersey Devils for merely a fifth-round choice?

Millen, who had played out his option, threatened to test the market in Europe, and the Kings took him seriously. Instead of getting nothing for Millen, the Kings turned the draft choice (117th overall) into 17-year-old goaltender Jason Saal, who played for Detroit of the Ontario Hockey League.

“It (Europe) is something I’m considering,” Millen said from his home in Cloquet, Minn. “L.A. has some people who are paid well, and they’ve got some other guys like me and Mike Donnelly who aren’t highly paid. They were going to have to pay us or lose us.”

Money has become a major issue this summer for the Kings, as it is for the entire league. With the loss of Lonnie Loach and Jim Thomson in the expansion draft and this trade, the Kings have saved at least $530,000 in payroll at these meetings.

The Kings are trying to brace themselves for potential big financial hits from free agents Marty McSorley and Warren Rychel, among others, and a new contract for Gretzky, if he decides to return. Donnelly is heading into his option year and will make $310,000 this upcoming season.

“There are going to be a few headaches there,” Millen said. “It was not going to be easy to re-sign me, and they’ve got a lot of people to worry about.

“Maybe I’m one less headache.”

The Kings could be faced with another kind of headache, given their depth at center. Those in the organization with any significant NHL experience are Gretzky, Carson and Jari Kurri.

And there is Pat Conacher, but he will become a restricted free agent on July 1 and has indicated to General Manager Nick Beverley that he will test the market.

“I felt it was time to open things up,” Beverley said. “We’ve talked about (the Kings) getting younger, and I wanted to open it up, give encouragement to people like Guy Leveque and Robert Lang. And I’ve had some other discussions (with another team) that may bring us another player. But it’s in the preliminary stage.

“And I’m confident Wayne will be back. He’s coming around to getting over the disappointment of losing. Everything will be fine.”

Said King Coach Barry Melrose: “Jari will be playing center from now on--a lot. Corey is a 31-year-old who has had some injury problems.”

Actually, Millen is 29 and Kurri is 33. But there is no question Kurri had a strong playoff performance and Millen struggled in postseason play. The addition of Millen filled a pressing need at center for the Devils.