Is Sale of Kings in Store? : Hockey: McNall says he would be willing to give up majority interest in the team to facilitate building of new arena.

King owner Bruce McNall said Thursday that he would be willing to give up majority ownership of his team to facilitate the construction of a new arena.

But McNall, who became sole owner of the team in March, 1988, added he would not be willing to relinquish managing control of the Kings.

Sony, specifically its movie unit, has been mentioned most often as a possible partner, but McNall would not confirm the speculation about Sony or any other other potential partner.

“To me, (equity control) really isn’t as much the issue as a combination of things,” he said at the NHL’s Board of Governors’ meeting in Laguna Niguel. “I have to look at what is in the pot. The more important thing in some ways is the building, from my standpoint.”

The Kings play their home games at the Forum, which they share with the Lakers.

“I’d be happy to keep 100%, if it could be done that way, and I’d be happy to sell the greater majority,” McNall said. “What I am not interested in is giving up control of the team. I like the idea of owning and running the team. If somebody said to me, ‘You trade me a big chunk of the team for a big chunk of the building.’ That would be intriguing.

“Equity control is different than operating control.”

The negotiating process has been long and complex. There were reports last week that a deal was imminent, but one Sony source said they were premature.

Previously, McNall has said he hoped to have an announcement by Dec. 15.

“Hopefully, something will come up in the next month,” he said Thursday.

Financial World assessed the worth of the Kings at $71 million, based on data from the 1991-92 season. Peter Guber, chairman of Sony Pictures, is a longtime friend of McNall’s and an avid King fan. Adding credence to the rumors, Guber showed up in Montreal at a Kings’ game on Nov. 27 and spoke briefly to Coach Barry Melrose.

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The governors’ meetings adjourned a day sooner than planned, with few issues resolved. “No mountains came down,” said Edmonton owner Peter Pocklington, who had no news on his attempt to move the Oilers to Minneapolis.

The governors agreed to form a committee to study the possibility of a shootout to settle ties and made no decision on whether to institute an NBA-style draft lottery.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman didn’t state his support for the lottery, but acknowledged the issue needs serious consideration.

“We had discussions of the various ways you can determine selection,” he said. “Everything from a weighted lottery, unweighted, coin flip, to leaving it where it is.”

Sentiment appears to favor retaining the current system, in which teams pick in reverse order of their regular-season finish.

“I think the bulk of GMs are probably against (the lottery),” Ranger General Manager Neil Smith said.

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Pocklington is awaiting a ruling by the Alberta provincial court on his challenge to an injunction preventing him from signing an agreement with representatives of the Target Center. He said he would be willing to sell the team for $95 million Canadian, “but I wonder why someone would want to pay a lot of money to lose money.”

Richard Gordon, Hartford’s managing general partner, briefed the governors on his team’s woes. The Whalers have filed a notice of intent to move, but McNall said they prefer to work out new terms with the Hartford Civic Center.

“Franchise relocation is something you do as a last resort,” Bettman said. “I’m committed to making all our franchises work where they are, particularly the small market cities in Canada.”

Hockey Notes

The final stage of Wayne Gretzky’s contract--more than three months in the making--should be completed either today or Saturday. Gretzky is expected to finally sign his new three-year, $25.5-million contract. King owner Bruce McNall said that he signed the deal on Wednesday and sent it to Gretzky. It was agreed to in principle on Sept. 21 during the Kings’ exhibition season and will make Gretzky the NHL’s highest-paid player. . . . The shootout has McNall’s support. “I’m a marketer in my mind, so I like things of that nature,” he said. However, the NHL’s conservative elements oppose it. “It’s not part of hockey. It’s a good skills competition,” Ranger General Manager Neil Smith said. “To put the outcome of a game on skills competition is not good.”

Commissioner Gary Bettman updated the governors on collective bargaining talks with the NHL Players Assn., which will resume next Thursday. “We have a lot of work to do,” he said. He also said the league has no expansion plans, but added, “based on the competitiveness of the two newest teams, maybe the timetable will be moved up.”

So, what did McNall feel as he watched his team lose to the expansion Florida Panthers on Wednesday night? “Disgust,” he said, shaking his head. “I don’t see the same enthusiasm we had in the latter part of last season. We weren’t hitting and finishing our checks. I know (Coach) Barry (Melrose) has pounded that system in their heads.” McNall apparently is starting to feel that a trade needs to be made. “You always try to be patient,” he said. “You don’t want to make a move out of panic. But I’m getting pretty fed up, personally. . . . We’ve been talking the last few days. We better start thinking about doing something.”