Hrudey Offered a Spelling Lesson

After King goaltender Kelly Hrudey demanded action, intimating that he wants to be traded if his playing time doesn’t increase, what sort of message did he get?

King Coach Larry Robinson wrote There is no I in team on the blackboard before practice Friday, a day after Hrudey went public with his discontent. Then Robinson announced that Byron Dafoe, winless in his last eight starts and with a goals-against average of 4.72 in that stretch, will play today against the Sharks, even though Hrudey was impressive against Toronto on Thursday.

“I would prefer not to be in turmoil,” said Hrudey, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. “It seems to have been one constant with me here. Every year, it seems to be something new.”

King General Manager Sam McMaster issued a statement saying Hrudey had not asked for a trade.

“I have had conversations with Sam, and I’m sure we’ll speak again,” said Hrudey’s agent, Lloyd Friedland.

Said Robinson, who has been rotating the goalies on a game-to-game basis recently: “I agree with everything that was said by Kelly. The only thing I don’t agree with is that he shouldn’t go public with it. Through all my career, I never tried to get a contract through the paper.”

Does Robinson want the Kings to re-sign Hrudey, 35?

“I’m sort of caught between a rock and a hard place,” he said. “I like to have his experience, but at the same time if he’s not comfortable in a backup role, I’m sort of defeating the purpose.”

Hrudey, who has a goals-against average of 3.09, has said he will fight for his position.

“Billy Smith [Hrudey’s predecessor with the New York Islanders] never gave it to me. He scratched and fought for it for two, three years as he was slowly in decline,” Hrudey said. “He [Smith] would storm into the coaches’ office, wanting to play. I’m just following his lead.”

Hrudey has had a fiery week, shouting at assistant coach Don Edwards at practice Monday and holding two meetings with Robinson. Hrudey told Dafoe on Friday that it was nothing personal.

Dafoe understood, saying, “We’re still good friends. . . . He’s a very happy-go-lucky guy, and he hasn’t quite been himself the last few days.”