Robitaille Tosses Crutches

King winger Luc Robitaille has ditched his crutches and said Thursday that he has another MRI exam scheduled for Monday to monitor progress of a broken bone in his left foot.

He added that he was hoping to skate on Monday, but said “that’s me, not the doctors, talking.”

Robitaille was injured when hit by a shot from Ziggy Palffy near the net in a game against Pittsburgh on Oct. 28. Robitaille played games at Chicago, Pittsburgh and Detroit before an MRI found the broken bone and he was given crutches and a “boot,” which is sort of a portable cast.

Doctors said then that he would be out from two to six weeks, with Robitaille--who calls himself a “fast healer”--pushing for the two weeks.

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After two months of diplomatic haggling on two continents, Jere Karalahti is close to becoming a King.

Karalahti was to have his final meeting with Immigration and Naturalization Service officials in Helsinki today, and it is believed that a working visa is awaiting him, according to the Finnish news agency, STT.

Karalahti, called the best defenseman playing in Europe last year, was signed by the Kings in the off-season, but there has been a holdup in getting him into the United States because of his history of drug abuse.

Apparently thinking ahead, rather than the usual signing bonus, Karalahti’s contract included a reporting bonus.

He was arrested more than two years ago for drug possession and went through several months of rehabilitation. Since then, he has been tested often while playing for Finland’s national team, as he is this weekend in a tournament in Helsinki.

Dave Taylor, the Kings’ senior vice president and general manager, said that there have been as many as 10 communications between the team and government agencies.

Karalahti has continued to play with his club team in Helsinki since September and plans are to send him to Long Beach upon his arrival in the United States, perhaps as early as Tuesday.