Green Has Slight Edge Over Jokinen

An exhibition tonight against San Jose at Salt Lake City offers Olli Jokinen his final chance at impressing the boss.

An exhibition Sunday against Vancouver at Bakersfield gives Josh Green one more chance at doing the same thing.

The Kings’ rookie forward sweepstakes enters its final weekend, with the first prize a seat on the plane to Edmonton for the season opener. The second prize is a ticket to Springfield, Mass., where the American Hockey League Falcons hang out.

“So far, I’ve kind of given the edge to Josh,” Coach Larry Robinson said. “I like the way he’s played. I like the idea of seeing a little bit more of a second effort in different situations, and I haven’t seen that second effort from Olli.”

Both are big players: Green is 6 feet 3 and 200 pounds; Jokinen 6-2 and 210. Both, for now, are forecast as left wings, although Jokinen, 19, is a center of the future.

Both eventually will be Kings, barring the unforeseen. The question is which will be first, because--unless something unexpected happens in Monday’s waiver draft--there is room for only one for now.

An advantage for Green, 20, also comes from having played last season in the AHL, in which the style of play is closer to that of the NHL. Jokinen, a more passive player, spent most of last season playing in his native Finland.

The Kings had Thursday off, which might help Jokinen, who has said he was tired after a regimen of practices and games that lasted more than two weeks without a break. Tonight will be his seventh exhibition, more than any other King. He has a goal and two assists in six games.

Green has two goals in five games, including one Wednesday at San Jose.

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Count Robinson a fan of the two-referee system, which is being experimented with during exhibitions and in 20 games during the season. “I think it’s been wonderful,” he said, singling it out among other changes that include moving the goals out two feet, shrinking neutral-zone ice and changing the markings on the goalie crease. “I think because there’s four guys [two referees, two linesmen] on the ice at a time, it’s actually created more room because the referees can position themselves so they don’t get in the way.”