Robinson Is Big News for Kings Today

The Kings will hold a news conference at the Forum today where it’s expected they will announce the hiring of Larry Robinson as head coach.

“I can’t really confirm it,” spokesman Rick Minch said Tuesday. “We’ve had good discussions with Larry and we look forward to a big announcement tomorrow.”

Robinson, 44, has been an assistant coach for the New Jersey Devils the last two seasons. He played 20 years in the NHL as a defenseman--17 with the Montreal Canadiens and three with the Kings. He was a member of six Stanley Cup championship teams in Montreal.

Robinson retired at the end of the 1991-92 season. After taking a year off from hockey, he was hired as an assistant coach by the Devils, who won their first Stanley Cup championship last month.

It’s believed Robinson will sign a four-year contract with the Kings and that the Devils will receive compensation from them in exchange for Robinson’s release.

Barry Melrose was fired by the Kings on April 21 after nearly three seasons as head coach. Team President Rogie Vachon coached the final seven games of the strike-interrupted 1994-95 season.

The Kings failed to qualify for the playoffs following each of the last two seasons after reaching the Stanley Cup finals for the first time ever in Melrose’s first year as their head coach.

Melrose’s record with the Kings was 79-101-29. The Kings went 3-2-2 after Melrose was fired.

The head coaching job will be the first for Robinson, who became the leading candidate when former Calgary Flame Coach Dave King dropped out of the running last week.

Butch Goring, a former Kings player and current coach of the Denver Grizzlies of the International Hockey League, also was reportedly considered for the job.