THE NHL / HELENE ELLIOTT : Kings Not Putting Blame on Melrose for Their Decline

When differences arise between the coach and management of a winning team, it’s called a healthy exchange of ideas. When a team is losing and similar differences exist, it’s strife.

The Kings’ intramural squabbling falls somewhere in between.

The chief disagreement centers on Jimmy Carson, whom management likes more than Coach Barry Melrose does. There are other conflicts, notably the handling of the defense, but Melrose is holding the upper hand. Rumors to the contrary, the Kings’ disappointing start hasn’t put him on shaky ground.

Blaming Melrose “is crazy,” Wayne Gretzky said Saturday. “He has been encouraging with each and every guy. He’s handled it very well and he has been the backbone of this team.”

Said owner Bruce McNall: “I don’t see how you can take a coach that took us further than any coach in the history of the franchise and fire him. I’ve had no thought of that whatsoever. He’s the best coach this franchise has had.”

Does he endorse team President Roy Mlakar and General Manager Nick Beverley as warmly?

“I do, basically,” he said. “Coaches always want the best players they can get and general managers have to be aware of fiscal responsibility. I think it works out very well, actually. It isn’t like there’s a bunch of yes-men on all sides. There’s good rapport. I’m happy with everybody--so far.”

Mlakar said responsibility “is all of ours collectively. We have to look to ways to better ourselves without making moves that are panicked. . . . None of us is finger-pointing.”

Let’s point a few. The Kings clearly miss Marty McSorley’s physical presence and his 20-25 minutes a game. Those shifts are going to youngsters Alexei Zhitnik and Darryl Sydor and others who aren’t ready.

Mlakar, however, downplays McSorley’s absence.

“I don’t think that loss can mean why we are where we are now,” he said. “It’s everyone’s responsibility to pick it up in areas we’re deficient.”

Second point: Mlakar and Beverley haven’t provided much in the way of reinforcements.

Then again, many players have been less than stellar. If they like Melrose so much, they’ve got to start playing for him. Now. And Beverley and Mlakar should be less concerned with off-ice power plays than with winning.

PEACE IN OUR TIME?

Referees and linesmen, back at work less than two weeks after a 17-day walkout, are unhappy with the implementation of their new agreement. They are angry about the calculation of back pay, and an order that they fly coach instead of business class. A wildcat strike has been suggested.

“It’s (Commissioner Gary Bettman’s) way of slapping our hands for going out on strike,” an unnamed official told the Toronto Sun. “This SOB is two-bitting us to death. It’s win-win with this guy and he doesn’t care who he has to slap to get the job done.”

League spokesman Arthur Pincus said the settlement has no provision for retroactive pay, only an increase in the playoff pool, “which approximates retroactive pay but will not equal it.”

He also said the game officials never mentioned travel privileges after having the opportunity to do so.

Jeff Pash, NHL counsel, and Don Meehan, head of the NHL Officials Assn., will talk this week. This could be a bumpy ride.

ONE FOR THE COMMISH

Bettman’s businesslike manner at last week’s board of governors meetings won approval among club officials.

“There isn’t as many cliques in the room as there used to be,” General Manager Neil Smith of the New York Rangers said. “There isn’t the lobbying and back-room politicking there used to be. It’s now much more definitive on the issues than it used to be.”

CALIFORNIA DREAMING

The Tampa Bay Lightning is no patsy for the Kings, Ducks and San Jose Sharks. The Lightning is 7-0 against California teams over two seasons, having won at the Cow Palace and at the new San Jose Arena, the Forum and Anaheim Arena.

“We like the time change, I guess,” Tampa General Manager Phil Esposito said. “Maybe we’ll have to start our home games at 11 p.m. We’re a bunch of vampires.”

The Florida Panthers, by contrast, thrive in cold weather, having won the last four games they played in Canada.

FORWARD THINKER

After goalies Manon Rheaume and Erin Whitten broke hockey’s gender barrier, it crossed Cammi Granato’s mind that she might try to follow. But Granato, sister of King winger Tony and a three-time player of the year in women’s college hockey at Providence, has decided against an NHL tryout.

“I’m a forward and that’s a position where you have to worry about strength,” she said, adding that she will attend graduate school at Montreal’s Concordia University so she can continue playing through the 1998 Olympics and vie for a medal. It’s a different game when you’re a forward. The better players in women’s hockey may be just as smart as the guys, but they’re just not physically as strong.”

SLAP SHOTS

Eric Lindros, out since Nov. 11 because of a partially torn right knee ligament, plans to return Thursday. The Philadelphia Flyers are 5-8-1 without him. . . . The Winnipeg Jets rescinded a four-year, $7-million offer to struggling goalie Bob Essensa. . . . Pavel Bure rejected a five-year, $15-million offer from the Vancouver Canucks.

Edmonton owner Peter Pocklington on General Manager Glen Sather’s return to coaching: “I wouldn’t doubt that Glen will make the playoffs this year.” The Oilers are 3-3-2 under Sather, but last in the Western Conference.

After compiling a 6-1 record against a touring Russian team, Team USA on Wednesday begins a stiff test in the Izvestia tournament in Moscow. . . . The Pittsburgh Penguins might be willing to trade winger Rick Tocchet. . . . Coach Pierre Page and center Joe Sakic of the Quebec Nordiques recently had a shouting match during a game. Sakic wants out.

New York Ranger goalie Glenn Healy credits his face cage for sparing him from grievous harm after he was hit by teammate Mike Hudson’s practice shot last week. “The cage saved me, really,” he said. “If the cage had broken, this (locker) stall would be closed. It would be a coffin. I’d be backing up (the late) Turk Broda or Terry Sawchuk.”