Storr in Store for a Promotion? : Kings: Sent down after Fuhr trade last season, goalie now getting a shot at more prominent role.

A realistic pursuit of the Stanley Cup was the talk at a King practice in Dallas only hours after the team had traded defenseman Alexei Zhitnik for goaltender Grant Fuhr in February.

Wayne Gretzky stood outside the dressing room, surrounded by note pads and minicams. Zhitnik’s close friends on the team were still shocked by the move.

Meanwhile, Jamie Storr, in street clothes, stood by himself on the bench. The surprising move sent the rookie goaltender from the world of airplane travel back to the buses of the Ontario Hockey League.

He said all the right things, but the lost look on his 19-year-old face was more revealing. Now, seven months later, Storr remembered he was stunned that day, knowing his NHL season was finished after playing in five games. He had a 1-3-1 record with a 3.88 goals-against average.

“For the first couple of days, just getting over it was tough,” he said at the King training camp in North Hills. “I went back home for a couple of days. But you learn from your experiences. It was a good year. I had a lot of air miles.”

Days before the Fuhr trade, Storr talked to incumbent King goaltender Kelly Hrudey about the situation. Robb Stauber had requested a trade, eventually going to Buffalo with Zhitnik, and it appeared as if Storr could finally unpack his things in Los Angeles.

“I felt I was playing in the backup role and Staubie would be moved,” Storr said. “I thought I made the team. Then with Fuhr, you could see why they did it for playoff contention.”

The playoffs never came for the Kings, who missed advancing by one point. And Fuhr, who went 1-7-3 with a 4.04 goals-against average, signed with St. Louis as a free agent in the summer.

That, however, does not guarantee that the Kings will thrust Storr into a more prominent role.

Storr may have been the first-round pick and seventh overall in 1994, but new Coach Larry Robinson isn’t handing him a job. In addition to Hrudey and Storr, goaltenders Frederick Beaubien, Byron Dafoe and Sergei Naumov are in camp.

“I was very impressed with Frederick,” Robinson said. “I like to think all the goalies will have a chance to play. They’re going to have to win their jobs. It’s a chance to prove themselves. It’s unfair to pinpoint one particular person.”

Hrudey clearly will have an impact on how much the others play. After all these years, he considers the Kings his team and has risen to every perceived challenge--Daniel Berthiaume, Stauber, Rick Knickle and Fuhr.

Coming off his lowest goals-against average (3.13) in four seasons, Hrudey’s competitive spirit has not dulled, even though the Kings haven’t made the playoffs since 1993.

“Every year is going to be the same,” he said. “Someone is trying to take my job and I’m trying not to lose it. I’m not going to change. I’m not going to give anybody my job. They’re going to have to take it.”

That isn’t to say Hrudey is not generous with advice. Fuhr and Hrudey said they had an excellent relationship last season. Storr remembered that Hrudey once coached him on what to say to the media last season after a particularly disheartening loss.

“He’s so down to earth and easy to get along with,” Storr said. “He’s such a good guy.”

Hrudey happened to be strolling by Storr in the dressing room. “Oh just wait,” Hrudey said, laughing.

Unlike a year ago, Storr feels more relaxed in training camp. The lockout, his brief NHL experience and a second consecutive gold medal with Team Canada in the World Junior Championships have matured him.

And he handled his demotion last season without sulking, going 6-3 with one shutout for Windsor in the playoffs.

Once again, he spent the summer working with a personal trainer. Storr, who is 6 feet 1 and 190 pounds, worked more on his quickness.

“We did a lot of jumping,” he said.

Although realistic about his role, Storr, like his predecessors, is eager to drop the “goaltender of the future” label.

“I came in to fight to be No. 1,” he said. “You’ve got to always be ready. I didn’t come here to be on the bench, but, at the same time, you have to learn. You’ve got to be ready for anything. Last year was the perfect example.”

King Notes

Coach Larry Robinson’s tentative plan is to limit Wayne Gretzky to three exhibitions--Sept. 23 at Las Vegas against the New York Rangers, Sept. 26 at San Antonio against Dallas and Sept. 29 against Calgary at San Diego.