Resigned Berg Close to Deal With Kings

Defenseman Aki Berg is close to re-signing with the Kings, mostly because he’s resigned to his NHL fate.

Veterans Glen Murray and Mattias Norstrom have similar fates, but so far there is no resignation.

The three are still in negotiations with the Kings, and all are expected to sign, with Berg probably set for training camp Sunday.

The negotiations for Murray and Norstrom might take longer.

And when they all return to the ice, there will be someone new to talk about them.

The Kings are expected to announce today that Cammi Granato, who handled radio commentary last season in the first of a three-year contract, will be replaced by Daryl Evans, a former King, on the network.

Granato will remain with the Kings, working in community affairs between games and training camps with the U.S. Olympic hockey team, which she captained to a gold medal in the Nagano Olympics. She is trying to make the team for the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City, and after losing in the World Championships last season, USA Hockey is stepping up the demand on its players’ time.

“I was really thinking about coming back for another season, but my coach told me, ‘It would be sad if you fell off the page,’ ” Granato said. “He also told me, ‘You might not get back on.’ ”

Berg had seemingly fallen off the page after turning down a $650,000 offer to play with the Kings last season and opting to play in Finland.

Now only bonus money and ill will separate the two. Parties close to the negotiations said the Kings had offered slightly more than $750,000. Berg has been seeking about $900,000.

“There’s no contract yet,” said Larry Kelly, Berg’s agent. “Berg is disappointed.”

The two sides are trying to account for an almost $140,000 difference with incentive bonuses, largely based on playing time. Berg is penciled in as the fourth or fifth King defenseman. Under the collective bargaining agreement, the Kings own his NHL rights for nine more seasons.

He reportedly is 14 pounds heavier than the 203 he carried for three seasons with the Kings, but with lower body fat.

The gap was much larger between the Kings and Murray, who is seeking about $1.8 million a season, with the Kings offering about $1.1 million. Murray’s agent, Anton Thun, sent the Kings another proposal--his second--on Tuesday.

“Hopefully, it serves to bridge the gap,” Thun said.

A proposal went the other way Tuesday, from the Kings to agent Don Meehan, who is negotiating for Norstrom and is seeking a substantial increase over the $950,000 Norstrom earned a year ago.

Talk is of a three-year contract worth more than $4 million, but a source close to negotiations said the sides remain far apart.