Taylor Extension Is Almost Ready

After meeting with King President Tim Leiweke on Thursday, Dave Taylor, the team’s senior vice president and general manager, said a contract extension is “very close.”

Close, as in it could be announced as early as today.

The deal would add three years, plus an option, to a contract that has only a one-year option remaining after this season.

“Our policy is that if someone is doing a good job, we don’t want to let it get to an option year,” Leiweke said.

The two said negotiations have been amicable and have gone on since last season only because of time demands in getting Staples Center up and running.

“I’ve been a King since they drafted me in 1975, and I don’t want to go anywhere else,” said Taylor, who played a franchise-record 1,111 games with the team, getting 431 goals and 1,069 assists.

He became the team’s general manager on April 22, 1997.

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The Kings have talked with the Carolina Hurricanes about acquiring unsigned Group II free agent center Keith Primeau, but those talks are not close to trade stage.

Primeau had 30 goals and 32 assists last season and reportedly wants to double his near-$2 million annual contract.

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Goalie Stephane Fiset, sidelined since being hit on the stick hand by a puck while warming up to play against Edmonton on Nov. 9, faced shots for the first time since then during a morning workout with goalie consultant Don Edwards.

He is expected to be out another week or so.