Taylor Returns to Face Same Headache He Left

Dave Taylor, the Kings’ senior vice president and general manager, returned to town Monday, after watching 18-year-olds play hockey in Russia, and if that offered a respite from what he left just after Christmas, that respite is over.

Defenseman Rob Blake is still unsigned and untraded.

The sides have not met since Christmas week, when they exchanged generalities about a contract that would bind Blake to the Kings and have him forgo unrestricted free agency.

At that time, Taylor was told Blake was among the top defensemen in the league and expected to be paid as such. The market was set when Chris Pronger re-signed with the St. Louis Blues for a salary averaging $9-10 million a season.

Blake was told the Kings could not pay him that much, but were thinking about upping their $7.5-million-a-season deal--proffered as a “take-it-or-leave-it” offer that Blake left in September--to $8 million or so.

The length of the deal was also subject to negotiation, with Blake apparently liking the idea of five years, the Kings somewhat less.

No meeting has been held since that exchange and none was scheduled as of Monday afternoon.

“There’s no need for any meeting,” Blake said. “We agreed to disagree.”

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The Kings went through a hard workout Monday after taking Sunday off. It’s part of a plan to make the best use of the five days between Saturday night’s 5-0 victory over the Calgary Flames and Thursday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres.

Today, there will be practice for selected Kings, among them winger Ziggy Palffy. In his case, the idea is to reinforce his conditioning after a two-week layoff because of a strained hamstring.

“I’m probably the first coach to say he needs extra practice,” Coach Andy Murray said, laughing.

Palffy has a goal and three assists since his eight-game hiatus.

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Winger Nelson Emerson also returned after sitting out two games because of a concussion.