Directive to Taylor: Time to Unload Blake

King General Manager Dave Taylor was ordered to trade Rob Blake after a meeting in Minnesota last week involving Blake, Taylor and club President Tim Leiweke failed to produce an agreement that would entice the Norris Trophy-winning defenseman to sign a new contract.

No deal is set, but Taylor’s talks with fellow general managers have intensified and could result in a deal within a week. The Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues, New Jersey Devils and Colorado Avalanche, who would become Stanley Cup favorites if they added Blake, are among the most ardent suitors.

“We’ve had discussions, but I don’t want to put a time frame on it or say anything is imminent,” said Taylor, who flew to Edmonton on Tuesday. “I don’t want to speculate [how many teams are involved]. We’ve all been aware for a while this was happening.”

Blake, eligible for free agency after this season, is not likely to be part of a deal between Philadelphia and Toronto for center Eric Lindros.

Taylor was told to make the best deal possible, even if it means trading Blake within the Western Conference--which could harm the Kings’ playoff chances.

Blake is not with the Kings, although his absence is unrelated to his contract standoff. He left the team Monday because of a family illness but is expected to fly to Calgary for Thursday’s game.

Leiweke said a trade is inevitable before the March 13 deadline.

“This is an ownership decision, and I think Dave agrees,” he said. “We are left with no alternative. I believe this will work out to our benefit. We can spend less money on one individual and fill more holes, and we have some holes to fill.”

Leiweke said during all-star weekend that the Kings wouldn’t meet Blake’s price of $9.6 million a season because they can’t devote a quarter of their budget to one player. The payroll is about $37 million, including the approximately $820,000 they added by acquiring goalie Felix Potvin last week.

Chris Pronger of the Blues set a standard for elite defensemen when he signed an extension worth $29.5 million over three years, an average of more than $9.8 million a year. Pronger is 26 and Blake is 31, and Pronger last season was voted the NHL’s most valuable player. Each has won the Norris Trophy.

“We’ve had several meetings with Blake directly in the last 10 days,” said Leiweke, who joined Taylor last Thursday in St. Paul, Minn., to meet with Blake. “The intent was to find common ground. We did not. The tone of the conversations was much better, and we were happy about that.

“[Blake] has worked hard to be in the position of dictating where he wants to be. He puts high value on free agency, and it is evident to us it is his intent to test the market. We made some creative proposals, with bonuses and more. . . . We were hoping our compromise would win the day. Since it’s evident it won’t, there’s no reason to wait.”

However, Blake’s agent, Ron Salcer, characterized the offer as “not better than anything we’ve heard before.” Salcer was not at that meeting, but he said Blake told him about it, as Blake previously has done when approached directly.

“We definitely disagree, and it hasn’t changed at all,” Salcer said.

Salcer also said he had not spoken to other clubs about a new contract for Blake, who has said he won’t give up his chance to become an unrestricted free agent July 1. That declaration may depress Blake’s market value because teams are reluctant to “rent” a player if they know he will leave without compensation.

But as an impact player on offense and defense, Blake is an exception. He’s especially attractive to teams that feel they are close to winning the Cup and can afford to spend about $1 million on him this season. Blake will earn $5.267 million, but his new team will pay only a prorated portion, depending on when it assumes his contract.

Leiweke would not detail the offer presented last week.

“We’ve moved enormously since last September,” he said, referring to an offer believed to be worth $8 million a season. “I’m proud of Dave.

“Is this a great situation to be in? No. But we’re doing the right thing. I’m very confident now we’ve done everything we can. I’m comfortable with the fact that other than us agreeing to his terms, there was not a deal to be done.”

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OILERS: 5

KINGS: 0

Goalie Felix Potvin, acquired last week from the Canucks, faces 27 shots in debut but makes only 22 saves. D4