Options on Waived Duchesne Vary

The Kings will learn at 9 a.m. today if their first option concerning Steve Duchesne is exercised. That happens if some team claims the defenseman on waivers.

To do so, a team will have to believe that his four goals and 19 assists warrant investing the value of his contract, which has two seasons to run at $3.75 million per season. Duchesne also has an option on the 2001-2002 season at $3.75 million.

It is the longest kind of shot, but it’s why Dave Taylor, the Kings’ vice president and general manager, elected to put his highest-priced free agent on 48-hour waivers. It’s the first time it has happened to Duchesne, a 13-year veteran.

“This has been my decision,” Taylor said, “and it’s a difficult one. What the resolution to all of this is going to be we’ll know a little bit more about tomorrow. We’ll take a look at what options there are then.”

That’s because the chances he will be claimed are nil, which leaves as other options:

* Trading Duchesne for whatever the market will bear. That would have to be done by noon on Tuesday, after which rosters are frozen. It is the reason for the timing on the waivers, and Taylor said paying part of his contract as a trade incentive has been discussed with several teams, including Philadelphia, Carolina and Florida.

* Doing nothing. “We only have seven defensemen and if somebody gets hurt tonight, he would be in there on Saturday,” Taylor said before the Kings played the Mighty Ducks on Thursday.

* Sending him to the minor leagues. That will not happen.

* Buying out his contract. The Kings could either pay out the contract or negotiate a buyout and release Duchesne. It is absolutely the final straw.

The defenseman was shocked at the news.

“The biggest disappointment is that they’re giving up on me after only seven months,” Duchesne said. “This is not from a lack of effort.”

It’s more from a lack of results. Duchesne was one of the league’s most prominent free-agent signings last summer, largely--though not completely--to quarterback the power play. It ranked 24th in the NHL going into Thursday’s game.