THE NHL / HELENE ELLIOTT : Three of Last Season’s Final Four Seem Ready to Rally

All four of last spring’s playoff semifinalists struggled during the first half of this season. But whereas the Kings, Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens appear poised to regroup after the All-Star break, the New York Islanders are sinking deeper into the depths of the Atlantic Division.

Injuries brought the Maple Leafs down to earth after their record 10-0 start. They were 11-14-7 over the next two months and only recently bounced back with a 6-0-2 streak.

“Every team is going to go through a slump, but we’ve been picking it up the last couple of weeks,” said goaltender Felix Potvin, who shook off a personal lull and led Toronto’s revival. “We know it’s a long season. Nobody was worried.”

The Kings, who defeated Toronto in last year’s Campbell Conference final, were eight games under .500 through Dec. 23. They have shown recent signs of life, but they’re still not sure of a Western Conference playoff berth.

“After a successful season, we and Montreal had two months off, and in that time you tend to forget why you were successful,” King Coach Barry Melrose said. “Other teams are hungrier, too. Chicago and Boston are more motivated after (not getting far in the playoffs) last season. But we’re playing a lot better and Montreal is playing a lot better, too.”

Injuries and disappointing performances by Pierre Turgeon and Ron Hextall have left the Islanders 12th in the Eastern Conference.

“I don’t like to say it, but we are exactly where we belong,” General Manager Don Maloney said. “Every one of the players who has put on the uniform this year should be embarrassed.”

Fatigue and a tinge of complacency were the Canadiens’ problems. They endured a 2-5-2 stretch in December and are a mediocre 14-10-2 at home.

“I can see maybe after winning the Stanley Cup, it’s tough for the players to get back on track,” Coach Jacques Demers said. “The players felt empty when the season was over because it was very long and they were tired mentally. They also had a very demanding summer. But I think we’re playing better now. We’re holding teams to 24, 25 shots a game and we’re playing the way we were playing last spring.”

Said goalie Patrick Roy: “Guys came back not in as good shape as they were last year and we struggled. . . . Jacques asked the guys to go back to what made us so successful last year, playing solid on defense, and we’re doing that.”

Demers hopes the Kings and Canadiens will rebound to stage a rematch of last year’s Stanley Cup final.

“I love Barry Melrose. He’s a good friend and I don’t want to see him suffer,” Demers said. “They’ve got Wayne Gretzky, who’s having a Gretzky year, so you can’t count them out.”

WEARING OF THE GREEN

Given a chance to enhance his team’s public image, owner Norm Green of the Dallas Stars instead chose to enhance his bank account.

The Stars recently sold a stockpile of jerseys and equipment left over from their previous incarnation as the Minnesota North Stars. It was a perfect opportunity to help local charities or youth hockey programs. Nope. Green kept the proceeds, saying the income would help recoup expenses for new equipment the Stars had to buy when they moved.

This is the man who wants the city of Dallas to build him a new arena. Let’s hope city officials remember his lack of generosity when he comes around for a handout.

LEAVING ON A JET PLANE

The dismissal of Winnipeg General Manager Mike Smith was no surprise. Although he is considered one of the NHL’s brightest executives and an authority on Russian hockey affairs, his trades largely misfired and left the Jets with a soft and plodding defense.

He acknowledged that trading Dave Ellett to Toronto for Mark Osborne and Ed Olczyk did “irreparable damage” to the Jets’ defense, and that’s true. They have no reliable, experienced backliners besides Stephane Quintal and Teppo Numminen, and since trading Phil Housley, they have no one who can move the puck up quickly.

Smith also dealt Bryan Marchment and Peter Taglianetti for next to nothing and alienated goalie Bob Essensa by withdrawing a contract offer last November.

John Paddock, Winnipeg’s coach and interim general manager, maintains that the playoffs are still within reach. That he’s right is a sad commentary on the quality of play this season.

WHEELS AND DEALS

The Detroit Red Wings are still looking for a trustworthy playoff goalie, and word is they have set their sights on Calgary’s Mike Vernon.

Every other piece has fallen into place for Scotty Bowman, who is within three victories of becoming the first NHL coach to total 1,000 regular-season and playoff victories. Sergei Fedorov continues to dazzle, Paul Coffey is in high gear, the power play ranks second in the league and the defense has improved.

But Bowman isn’t entirely comfortable with Tim Cheveldae, who was horrible last spring against Toronto. The Flames, blessed with Trevor Kidd and the promising Andrei Trefilov in goal, can afford to deal Vernon.

NUMBERS GAME

As the NHL had hoped, a close All-Star game produced decent TV ratings. Saturday’s 9-8 East Conference victory drew an overnight rating of 3.5 on NBC, up 6% over last year’s 16-6 Wales Conference rout. The ratings, which measure viewership in 29 U.S. markets, included a 3.2 in Los Angeles, a 3.6 in New York and a high of 7.3 in Philadelphia. Complete national ratings are due Thursday.

“The ratings held throughout the three hours, which means people stayed with it because it was exciting and compelling,” said Stephen Solomon, the NHL’s senior vice president and chief operating officer. “We’re happy.”

SLAP SHOTS

Gordie Howe, who followed Gretzky for several games so he could be present when the King center broke his record for points, might not be on the scene when Gretzky breaks his record of 801 goals. “He took one extra game and I couldn’t get to see the grandchildren,” Howe said. “He’ll do it on his own. His dad is feeling better (after suffering a ruptured aneurysm), so Walter (Gretzky) can follow him around.”

New York Ranger right wing Mike Gartner used the All-Star break to have bone chips removed from his right elbow in an arthroscopic procedure. He probably will sit out only four games. . . . Forget the Marty McSorley trade rumors. Mario Lemieux told the Pittsburgh Penguins he wants McSorley around to protect him when he returns from his back injury. Lemieux said he hopes to be back by early February.

Detroit’s Steve Yzerman has at least one point in each of the 12 games he has played since coming back from a neck injury. . . . Draft prospect Jason Bonsignore plays for Niagara Falls of the Ontario Hockey League and not the University of Michigan, as reported in this column last week.