Hull Isn’t Smiling About the Thought of Playing for Keenan

Much of St. Louis is delirious over the arrival of Mike Keenan--as if the Stanley Cup will inevitably follow after he serves a 60-day NHL suspension for jumping from the New York Rangers to the Blues.

But one prominent citizen isn’t sure the relationship is going to work: Brett Hull.

Hull said diplomatically Tuesday that hiring Keenan as coach and general manager is “great for the organization,” but admitted that he has misgivings about how he will get along with Keenan, who brought the Rangers their first Stanley Cup in 54 years.

“The way I play the game is totally different from the way he would like his players to play the game,” said Hull, in Anaheim for a youth hockey camp. “Like, I can’t play without smiling out there. I can imagine when he sees me smiling out there in Chicago Stadium or Maple Leaf Gardens, he’d absolutely have a conniption fit.

“He’s a great coach, a great hockey man. But I play the game with a lot of fun and high spirits. And the more serious you try to make the game, the worse I’m going to be. So, to me, I find it hard to believe that my personality and his are going to get along too well. Although he’s a great man away from the game, from what I understand about his coaching style, I just can’t imagine him enjoying the way I play.”

Hull, a five-time All-Star right winger who has led the NHL in goals three times but is thought by many observers to be a one-dimensional player, has become emblematic of hockey in St. Louis. However, he has become increasingly disgruntled in recent years because of the trades of linemate Adam Oates in 1992 and close friend Garth Butcher last season. This year, there has been speculation that he, too, might be traded before completing the final two years of his contract.

If he were to have any say in it, such a trade would be to the Kings, to play with close friend Wayne Gretzky.

“That’s my dream,” Hull said. “For a goal-scorer to be able to play with the greatest there ever was, or is . . . in L.A. I’d like to play with Wayne.

“It’s always tough to say, but I think I’ve traveled my course in St. Louis and it’s time for me to move on. . . . I love St. Louis and I’ll always love it. Right now, at this point in my career, I think I need a spark, something to make the game fun again.”

One trade rumor before the June draft had the Kings offering defenseman Darryl Sydor, forward Mike Donnelly and the No. 7 choice to St. Louis for Hull. But the Blues are said to have wanted defenseman Rob Blake instead. Both teams denied to agent Michael Barnett, who represents Hull and Gretzky, that they discussed a deal. And Barnett said the Blues have never told him that they’ve considered trading Hull.

Still, that hasn’t kept Hull and Gretzky from entertaining the idea of playing together.

“I think we’re such good friends, there’s always that dream of one day having the opportunity to play together,” said Gretzky, who was at The Pond of Anaheim along with Hull for the Coca-Cola/Wayne Gretzky Hockey Camp. “Obviously, he’s probably the most natural goal-scorer the game has seen in a long time, other than maybe Mike Bossy. Yeah, I think obviously any team would love to have Brett Hull.

“But a player of that caliber becomes a problem because it becomes somewhat of a dream. Teams find it difficult to trade players of that caliber, but anything is possible in this sport and anything can happen. Sometimes dreams become a reality.”

As for any interest on the Kings’ part, Gretzky said: “When you miss the playoffs and there is a possibility of getting a player of that caliber, I don’t think there’s any discussions that need to take place.”

Observers have been quick to wonder what kind of fit Hull and Keenan will be, but until now, both had downplayed the issue.

“I have a lot of respect for him, and I believe he respects me,” Keenan told reporters. “At this point in his career, Brett will get the opportunity to develop his leadership skills and to raise his game to the next level. This is his chance to become a total team player. He’s going to thrive here.”

Hull praised Keenan, but with reservations, saying: “It’s great for the organization because he knows what he wants. He’s in charge and he’ll make all the decisions, and he’s proved over the years that where he goes, he brings winners.”