Audette Acquired from Buffalo

He’s not Pavel Bure, or for that matter, Theo Fleury or Ziggy Palffy, all considered trade quarry in the Kings’ quest for a scorer. But Donald Audette does know the way to the net.

Audette, a diminutive 29-year-old right winger who had 24 goals for Buffalo last season and has had 24 or more in four of the last five years, was traded to the Kings on Friday for a second-round choice in the entry draft.

The Kings signed him to a two-year, $3.6-million contract, something the Sabres had been unable to do in a series of negotiations that, at one time, had Buffalo offering Audette $1.4 million a year and him asking $1.2 million. The lower figure would have allowed him to be an unrestricted free agent after the season.

They had agreed on three years for $5.7 million but could not agree on option terms.

“I’ve been skating every day,” said Audette, who is expected to be in the lineup tonight at St. Louis. “I have pushed myself. I don’t know about being in game-shape, but I’ll play with a lot of heart.”

And, the Kings hope, a lot of offense. Audette has been particularly strong on the power play, something the Kings need. They have only 11 power play goals all season.

“If you guys want to consider me a power-play specialist, that’s up to you,” he said. “But I consider myself an all-around player.”

One of the keys to the deal was the Kings did not have to give up a prospect.

“We have a number of good prospects,” said Dave Taylor, the King general manager and vice president who wants to keep every one of them.

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The Kings also shuffled forwards with Long Beach, sending out center Nathan LaFayette and bringing back Dan Bylsma in an exchange of penalty-killing specialists.

Bylsma, a winger, had three goals and seven points for the Ice Dogs and had been recalled last month. He played in one game and sat out two games as a healthy scratch before being sent back to Long Beach.

LaFayette had a goal and two assists in a 5-0 win over Chicago on Nov. 21. He cleared waivers on Friday.

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Goalie Stephane Fiset, who re-injured his right groin in practice on Wednesday, was put back on injured reserve and did not make the trip to St. Louis. He has sat out 15 games because of groin injuries.

TONIGHT at St. Louis, 5 PST

Fox Sports West

* Site--Kiel Center.

* Radio--KRLA (1110).

* Records--Kings 8-19-3, Blues 10-10-7.

* Record vs. Blues--0-1.

* Update--St. Louis finds out today if it will have Chris Pronger, who drew a match penalty in a 3-2 win over Phoenix on Thursday for a high stick to Jeremy Roenick’s head with intent to injure. That requires a review by the league and possible suspension. The win broke an 0-for-December run by the Blues (0-4-2), who are struggling with injuries, including a broken hand suffered by Pierre Turgeon on Monday night that was caused either by a slash or an angry punch at the gate to the bench.