THE INSIDE TRACK : Finland’s Berg Happy to Return to Kings

After a yearlong, self-imposed exile in his home country, defenseman Aki Berg will return to the NHL today when he agrees to a contract with the Kings.

Berg will be paid $762,500 on his one-year deal, with bonuses based on performance bringing the package closer to the $900,000 he sought.

The figure is $112,500 more than one he spurned a year ago, when he opted to play for TPS Turku in Finland, for which he scored eight goals and had seven assists in 48 games.

“I’m happy to be coming back,” said Berg, who awaits only a work visa to return to Southern California and is expected in training camp this weekend.

“I had a good year in Finland, but I’m happy to be back with the Kings.”

Berg, 22, had only two goals and 21 assists in 164 games over three seasons with the Kings.

Several factors helped facilitate his return to the NHL. Among them were the signing of Finns Marko Tuomainen and Jere Karalahti and new Coach Andy Murray’s words of admonition to Berg during a visit to Finland.

“I told him, ‘I want you to come back right now,’ ” Murray said, “ ‘but if you don’t I hope you have a hard time coming back next year because I hope we have success and I’m going to be loyal to those who bring that success.’ ”