Early Returns Will Give Team Full Complement of Players

The Kings will all be together at Staples Center tonight to play against Florida.

Ziggy Palffy, tied for the NHL lead in goals and one behind in points when he suffered a strained hamstring Dec. 16, will be back ahead of schedule.

“It’s only been two weeks,” he said. “This usually takes three or four weeks.”

That reunites him with Jozef Stumpel and Bryan Smolinski for the first time in nine games.

Glen Murray, recovered from a knee injury, got in ahead of the rush, rejoining the Kings for Tuesday night’s 6-2 loss at Colorado, so his line--which includes Steve Reinprecht and Luc Robitaille--will be intact for the first time since Nov. 18.

The third line, which includes Kelly Buchberger and Bob Corkum, gets Nelson Emerson back from the Stumpel line, though that combination could be altered tonight. Emerson suffered a concussion when he was boarded by Colorado’s Chris Dingman on Tuesday night, and the Kings re-signed winger Marko Tuomainen for the rest of the season.

Defenseman Aki Berg returns to the lineup after sitting out two games because he was hit on the ankle by a shot in Dallas.

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Jason Blake, signed as a center two years ago and converted to a winger late last season, was sent to the New York Islanders for a conditional draft choice. Blake, who had been scratched for the last five games and for 11 of the Kings’ last 16--with one game in Lowell--never quite meshed with the team. His play always was energetic, but he was more familiar with a college style in which he could dominate the puck and opposition.

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Defenseman Jere Karalahti, sent home after an incident in which he missed a morning meeting in Detroit, will rejoin the Kings today after meeting with members of the NHL Counseling Service. Whether he plays tonight will be determined after today’s pregame skate.

TONIGHT

vs. Florida, 7:30

* Site--Staples Center.

* Radio--KSPN (1110).

* Records--Kings 17-15-7-1, Panthers 7-19-7-6.

* Record vs. Panthers (1999-2000)--1-1.

* Update--Florida is 1-1 under new Coach Duane Sutter. He has inherited a sickly crew that has lost 175 man-games in 39 starts because of various injuries, compared to only 158 all last season.

* Tickets--(888) 546-4752.