Storr Signs, Leaving Holdouts at One

The list of King holdouts shrank to one Thursday when backup goalie Jamie Storr signed a three-year contract that he said was worth “slightly more than $3 million.”

Storr, 22, started 14 games last season and had an 8-5-1 record and a 2.22 goals-against average. He had been offered a one-year contract with a 10% increase from the $550,000 he earned last season, with two- and three-year deals with similar increases.

“It’s been tough not being around the guys,” Storr said. “This gives me security, and more of what we felt the value of a young goalie in the National Hockey League was.”

The only unsigned King is defenseman Aki Berg, who has signed a contract with and begun playing games with TPS, a team in his native Finland.

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About noon Thursday, King Coach Larry Robinson performed a bit of sleight of foot, kicking center Donald MacLean in the derriere without taking his skate off the Forum ice.

“I don’t see him putting forth the effort,” Robinson said. “The one thing we ask everybody who puts on a pair of skates is to put forth effort, and his effort is not good enough.”

MacLean, 21, a physically gifted center who started last season with the Kings before being sent to Fredericton, languished in the American Hockey League after his demotion.

He admits he’s struggling.

“I agree with him,” MacLean said. “Last year and in camp this year, I’ve had trouble with consistency. Ever since I was ankle-high, I’ve had a consistency problem. It’s hard to solve.”

MacLean will skate tonight in an exhibition against Phoenix at the Great Western Forum, on a line with Vladimir Tsyplakov and Glen Murray in a game in which the league will experiment with eliminating the red line, except in icing situations.

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Center Jozef Stumpel, sidelined since the first day of training camp because of a sprained ankle, again skated for about 20 minutes Thursday, but will not play tonight or in Saturday’s game at Phoenix. . . . Other injuries, with players not in the lineup tonight: Ian Laperriere, strained groin; Jaroslav Modry, bruises on thigh and knee; Jason Morgan, knee tendinitis.