Kings Mulling Stevens-for-Robitaille Trade

King General Manager Dave Taylor said Wednesday the team has talked to the New York Rangers about trading Kevin Stevens for former King Luc Robitaille, but it is far from a done deal despite a recent report by the New York Daily News.

“We’ve had discussions about a [Stevens-for-Robitaille] trade going back for a while,” said Taylor, who played with Robitaille with the Kings from 1986-94. “But I wouldn’t say it’s close. We haven’t talked over the last few weeks.”

According to sources, the same deal was nearly consummated earlier this year but then-King general manager Sam McMaster called off the trade. Since Taylor took over from McMaster after last season, there have been more discussions between the teams but nothing serious, according to Pat Brisson, agent for both Stevens and Robitaille.

“The trade could happen, but [to me] there hasn’t been anything to positively indicate that the deal is going to happen,” Brisson said. “I haven’t heard anything from [Ranger General Manager] Neil Smith or Dave Taylor that would make me feel otherwise.”

Financially, neither team would really gain with the trade. Stevens has three years worth a reported $9.4 million remaining on the five-year, $15.3-million deal he signed with Boston in 1995. Robitaille has four years and $13.6 million left on the six-year deal he signed with New York in 1995.

“We’re not sitting still, we’re talking to a lot of teams but nothing is real close,” Taylor said. “We’re looking to add some scoring and we’ll continue to do that.”

Offensively, Stevens--acquired in a trade with Boston for Rick Tocchet in 1996--has been a disappointment with the Kings. With 17 goals in 89 games, Stevens, 32, has struggled to regain the scoring touch he had with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the early ‘90s, when he had back-to-back 50-goal seasons.

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The Philadelphia Flyers finally got their man, Tampa Bay Lightning center Chris Gratton, but had to trade two players--right wing Mikael Renberg and defenseman Karl Dykhuis.

The Lightning said it would not match the Flyers’ five-year, $16.5-million offer to Gratton, a move that under NHL rules gave Tampa Bay the Flyers’ next four first-round draft picks. Tampa Bay then traded the picks back to Philadelphia for Renberg and Dykhuis.

Gratton led the Lightning in scoring last season with 30 goals, 32 assists and 62 points.

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After three months of searching and speculation, Toronto Maple Leaf President Ken Dryden named himself as general manager. . . . The NHL and the Officials’ Assn. agreed on the central terms of a new collective-bargaining agreement that will run through the 2000-2001 season.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.