No Trade, Blake Just Has Day Off

And now, for the daily Rob Blake update . . .

Not on the ice Monday, not at practice and not in El Segundo.

But still a King?

So far. The absence of satellite trucks and minicams at HealthSouth Training Center gave it away. Blake was merely given the day off, not traded away to St. Louis, Detroit, Toronto or anywhere else.

“We just gave him a break,” Coach Andy Murray said. “He’ll be here tomorrow. He’ll be here, unless you know something I don’t.”

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Monday that the Blues are the latest team making a strong move to acquire Blake. Murray met with General Manager Dave Taylor on Monday morning and came away thinking a deal was not imminent.

“It’s only a distraction if you don’t win,” said Murray, who spent the All-Star break in hockey heaven, watching 10 youth hockey games in Minnesota and putting the Blake situation in another perspective.

“This time two years ago, I was worried about some of my [high school] players being academically eligible for the national tournament,” he said. “To me, that was as big an issue as the Rob Blake situation. I had a couple of guys who were academically struggling. I had to make sure they got to class and got their work done.”

*

Murray said the organization has put together a “team incentive package” for the remaining games and segments of the season, trying to sharpen the short-term focus. He didn’t specify the monetary amount, calling it minimal.

“It’s a chance for everyone to pull together and say, ‘Let’s get it done,’ ” he said. “It’s not something anybody is going to get rich on. It’s a thing to make a point. How each game, each win means to us.”

TONIGHT

vs. Chicago, 7:30

Fox Sports Net

* Site--Staples Center.

* Radio--KSPN (1110).

* Records--Kings 23-21-7-1, Blackhawks 21-25-4-2.

* Record vs. Blackhawks (1999-2000)--3-1.

* Update--The Blackhawks crawled into the All-Star break, losing five of six games, and remain 11 points out of a playoff spot. This is the fifth of eight consecutive road games for Chicago. Right wing Steve Sullivan leads the Blackhawks with 49 points in 51 games and is said to be close to securing a contract extension from the team. Right wing Tony Amonte is next with 27 goals and 46 points. For the Kings, Jamie Storr will start in goal.