ANALYSIS : Kings Might Turn Wayne’s World Upside Down Again in Off-Season

How does a hockey team with Wayne Gretzky miss the playoffs two years in a row?

And with Gretzky turning 35 in January, where does that team go from here?

When looking at the Kings’ future, no one has to reach for a pair of sunglasses. If there were a movie about them, it might be called “Grim and Grimmer.”

With the Kings finishing ninth in the NHL’s Western Conference and 20th overall at 16-23-9, Rogie Vachon, team president and interim coach, is promising sweeping changes. Which is exactly what happened in the summer of 1994, after the Kings had followed their visit to the Stanley Cup finals in 1993 by finishing 22nd overall and out of the playoffs.

There were new owners, Jeffrey Sudikoff and Joseph Cohen, as well as a new general manager, Sam McMaster, who was essentially hand-picked by Gretzky. Fifteen new players were brought in through free agency, the entry draft, trades and promotions from the minor league team in Phoenix.

What happened? Not much, and another tumultuous off-season is in the offing.

Gretzky has answered questions about his future, saying after Wednesday’s finale in Chicago that he wants to return for another season. Gretzky, however, may return to new ownership, a new general manager and a new coach.

There was an attempt by Cohen to hire a new general manager and coach--former Bruin executive and coach (and current ESPN analyst) Mike Milbury--in March when the team was struggling. Another run at Milbury is possible.

Former King defenseman and New Jersey assistant Larry Robinson remains popular in Los Angeles, and two other executives with Gretzky connections have surfaced: Toronto’s Pat Burns and Buffalo’s John Muckler.

An early playoff exit this year by either won’t inspire great confidence, however. And regardless of how they do in the playoffs, perhaps it would help the Kings--and Gretzky--if they steered clear of someone with a link to Gretzky.

When Barry Melrose was fired as coach in April, Vachon indicated that Phoenix Coach Rob Laird would be considered. But barring a major change in philosophy, it appears the Kings will go the high-profile route.

Which, of course, will be costly for the cash-starved Kings.

Money isn’t the only problem, though. One candidate has said he doesn’t want to get involved unless there is an ownership change or a stabilized situation in Los Angeles. Another said he isn’t sure the Kings even know what they want to do.

Sudikoff and Cohen, who were telecommunications executives with IDB before it was sold, have been beset by money problems almost from the moment they met former majority King owner Bruce McNall. Their $60-million purchase from McNall of a 72% stake in the team was completed about a year ago but they were paying the Kings’ bills and meeting the payroll even before the deal closed.

Laker and Forum owner Jerry Buss helped them then by providing Senate Seat money in advance, according to Cohen. And since then, he has made “adjustments” in the lease. All parties have denied, however, that Buss is making good on the King payroll.

There are continuing legal woes. Last October, the U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles issued grand jury subpoenas related to the resignation of IDB’s auditors, Deloitte & Touche, and Sudikoff was linked to that investigation. There is a separate probe by the Securities and Exchange Commission as well.

In April, First Los Angeles Bank filed suit in Superior Court against LAK Acquisition Corp., the Kings’ ownership group, alleging, among other things, that the Kings are liable for previous fraudulent activities by McNall and others. At issue is whether the new Kings will assume the debts, duties and obligations of the old Kings.

Those close to the situation believe there will be an ownership change before next season.

One expert, Michael S. Megna of Megna Valuations, believes, however, that the Kings, or any hockey franchise, cannot remain competitive without control of their own building.

“If you are not in control, you can’t afford to compete in the marketplace and attract the players,” he said.

“In a major market like L.A. you have to be a competitor. And when you don’t make the playoffs in hockey, you are really bad.”

Even with Gretzky, the Kings have missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time in more than a decade. Traditionally, the quick fix has been a new batch of high-priced free agents, since there isn’t a wealth of up-and-coming talent in the organization.

Gretzky doesn’t have the kind of talent he had around him two years ago, or even last year, and there might not be the dollars to make the necessary deals.

“He was fine,” injured linemate Tony Granato said of Gretzky. “How Wayne’s supporting cast looks is not so fine. It was hard. We didn’t have a lot of finishers.”

With Granato and Rick Tocchet sidelined at the end of the season because of major injuries, it was clear that Gretzky had a stronger supporting cast in his first season in Los Angeles, 1988-89, with Bernie Nicholls, Luc Robitaille, Steve Duchesne, John Tonelli, Dave Taylor and Mike Krushelnyski. Nicholls scored 70 goals, Robitaille 46, and each of the others had more than 25 goals.

That club reached the playoffs. But of course, that was back in those days when King teams continued to play after the regular season ended.