Stumpel Talks Stall Over $3-Million Gap

There seems to be little movement in negotiations between the Kings and holdout center Jozef Stumpel, who wiles away his time in Slovakia, playing for Brataslava, rather than El Segundo, playing in the NHL.

The two sides are believed about $3 million apart over a three-year contract.

Kevin Gilmore, the Kings’ assistant general manager who handles most of the contract negotiations, said he and Stumpel’s agent, Benji Robins, had exchanged e-mails Tuesday, but that nothing substantive had developed.

“I’d rather talk than do e-mail,” Gilmore said.

Robins vowed that he would have contact, either by phone or Internet, daily with the Kings until the situation is resolved.

“I’d like to get this done yesterday,” he said.

A source knowledgeable about the situation said the Kings are offering a three-year contract at about $2.2 million a season, a hike from the $1.75 million Stumpel earned a year ago.

Robins is believed to be asking for about $1 million a season more than the Kings are offering. He also is looking for a three-year deal for his client.

He lauded the Kings for their conduct during the negotiations--”they’ve been very professional throughout this whole thing,” he said--but said there is an honest disagreement about Stumpel’s market value.

“Jozef isn’t trying to rob anybody,” Robins said. “I honestly think he’s being reasonable.”

At the heart of the problem is the Kings’ contention that Stumpel has become injury prone. He missed 25 games last season, but led the team in assists with 41 and averaged more than a point a game.

He also accomplished the point-a-game feat in 1997-98, when the Kings went to the playoffs, but faltered the next season when he had only 34 points in 64 games.

“The team did poorly that season and he played while injured,” Robins said.

Stumpel continues on a day-to-day basis in Slovakia--”he’s in great shape,” Robins said--and can do so indefinitely. But if he plays in a game after the Kings open the season on Oct. 6 in Washington, Stumpel is effectively lost to the Kings for a season.

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With Stumpel not around, Brad Chartrand has been assuming his position on a line with Ziggy Palffy and rookie Tomas Vlasak, but Eric Belanger moved into the position Tuesday, offering more speed and an offensive bent.

The Kings split into two groups, and each was on the ice for two sessions after hearing a lecture from Coach Andy Murray that there was still competition for jobs all over the ice.

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In an effort to shake up defenseman pairings, Aki Berg was linked with Jere Karalahti, Mattias Norstrom with Philippe Boucher, Michael Pudlick with Joe Corvo, Andreas Lilja with Rich Brennan and Jaroslav Modry with Lubomir Visnovsky.

Rob Blake stayed with Mathieu Schneider, a pairing that was together in Sunday’s exhibition victory over the Mighty Ducks.