Taylor’s Plan Works Well

There’s no gloating, no “I told you so.”

“I’m just hoping it lasts,” said Dave Taylor, the Kings’ vice president and general manager, of the success he predicted, with the team he put together, back when things looked darkest.

“I know better than to shoot my mouth off.”

Taylor drew more than a bit of criticism for the Kings’ 2-10-1 November, and the critics’ invective was fueled by Taylor’s statements that he liked the team he had, thank you, and that there was no need for a trade to improve it.

Not that he would look away from one, mind you, but he would not sell the future.

He’s still looking, “especially with Ray [Ferraro] and Glen [Murray] out,” Taylor said Thursday.

Both players will miss extended periods because of knee injuries.

But he’s still not selling.

“Some teams still want to deal, but sometimes the price is too high,” he said.

One of those teams is Vancouver, which still has Pavel Bure available, but which still wants more than the Kings are willing to pay.

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Winger Russ Courtnall and defenseman Doug Bodger, both on injured reserve, skated with the rest of the Kings on Thursday, largely because ice was not available for an early workout alone.

“It felt good just to get involved again,” Courtnall said.