McSorley Goes to Penguins After Kings Match Offer : Hockey: In return, L.A. gets center Shawn McEachern from Pittsburgh.

Marty McSorley’s way out of town was paved by St. Louis, but Pittsburgh received ultimate delivery of the 30-year-old defenseman Friday afternoon when the Kings matched the Blues’ contract offer and then traded McSorley to the Penguins for 24-year-old center Shawn McEachern.

McSorley came to Los Angeles five years ago as an afterthought in the Wayne Gretzky deal and emerged as a cult hero here. This past season was his finest with the Kings (41 points, 399 penalty minutes), and he was a key figure in their drive to the Stanley Cup finals, particularly in the series against Toronto. But McSorley’s ignominious role in Stickgate--when his illegal stick penalty in Game 2 helped Montreal climb back and eventually win the finals--will also be his legacy.

In the playoffs, King Coach Barry Melrose called McSorley “the best defenseman” in the NHL. Apparently that was not enough for the Kings to sign McSorley, even before the Blues jumped into the picture a week ago with a surprising five-year offer sheet worth almost $10 million. McSorley’s agent, Michael Barnett, said Friday that the Kings could have signed his client last season for $1.1 million per year. Barnett said McSorley, who began his career with the Penguins, would speak to reporters today. McEachern was unavailable for comment from his family’s home in Waltham, Mass.

For the Kings, matching the offer from St. Louis and keeping McSorley would have upset their delicate salary structure. So King management, often at odds with McSorley through his tenure as the team’s player representative, had an ideal excuse--the club’s economy.

The Kings denied they are helping the Penguins pick up any part of McSorley’s salary. McEachern will make $250,000 in base salary this season and will receive a $20,000 bonus if he plays 21 games.

The acquisition of the 6-foot-1, 195-pound McEachern, who scored 28 goals and had 61 points last season as a rookie, more than helped salvage the situation, according to Melrose. The King coach first noticed McEachern when he played for the U.S. Olympic team in 1992.

“This kid was the guy we wanted from all the offers we got,” Melrose said. “We never thought we’d get him. That’s what sold me. I had to sit back and take off my coach’s hat and put on my organizational hat. He’s got great speed.”

The Kings and the Blues spoke twice on Thursday about a deal and twice more on Friday, but Melrose said their offers were “terrible.” Pittsburgh General Manager Craig Patrick first mentioned McEachern’s name on Tuesday but would not allow a one-for-one deal. All the Kings’ men--owner Bruce McNall, Melrose, President Roy Mlakar and General Manager Nick Beverley--were in McNall’s conference room at the Forum, faced with a 4 p.m. deadline.

“It was pretty low in there about 2 p.m.,” Melrose said. “The Rangers and Detroit pulled out. And Pittsburgh kept saying no way. They called at 3 and agreed--then things really picked up.”

Melrose said McNall spoke to Wayne Gretzky on Friday and he talked to Gretzky twice himself. “He knows what’s going on,” Melrose said. “Wayne’s losing a close friend, but he’ll be OK once he sees McEachern play.”

McSorley’s excellent season had something to do with Melrose’s faith in him, and the coach said it had been a difficult day, but he offered a positive spin.

“Craig (Patrick) feels he is the piece to winning the Stanley Cup,” Melrose said. “Pittsburgh’s defense really struggled in the playoffs. Realistically, Marty would be the No. 4 defenseman here. In Pittsburgh, he’ll be No. 2.”

Wasn’t this the same guy who spoke about McSorley’s greatness a little more than two months ago?

“At what he does, he’s the best,” Melrose said.

The departure of McSorley leaves the Kings with Warren Rychel as the only enforcer with any significant offensive skills and the team a bit thin at defense. Additionally, McEachern will probably take away a large chunk of center Jimmy Carson’s ice time.

Melrose plans to have McEachern center the line of Tony Granato and Mike Donnelly. Already, Melrose’s hyperbolic nature was starting to kick in. “It’s great we could get a guy who is only 24,” he said. “He has the potential to score something like 40 goals.”