No Ceremony for Robitaille

Though they will salute him with a pregame video tribute on the scoreboard, the Kings plan no ceremony for Luc Robitaille if the former King scores his 600th goal Saturday night in Staples Center.

“We’ll just have the announcement,” General Manager Dave Taylor said.

Robitaille, an unrestricted free agent, signed a two-year, $9-million contract with the Detroit Red Wings in July after rejecting a one-year, $2.5-million offer from the Kings. The King proposal was for a $1-million pay cut from last season, when Robitaille scored 37 goals and was the team’s No. 2 scorer with 88 points.

A five-time NHL first-team all-star, Robitaille has scored 599 goals in 15-plus NHL seasons, 520 of them in 12 seasons with the Kings, as the Red Wings prepare to play the Mighty Ducks tonight in the Arrowhead Pond.

He has nine goals this season, among them a second-period deflection that was the winner in a 3-2 victory over the Kings on Oct. 20 at Detroit.

The popular left wing will be only the 13th player in NHL history to score 600 goals, joining Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Marcel Dionne, Phil Esposito, Mike Gartner, Mark Messier, Brett Hull, Mario Lemieux, Steve Yzerman, Bobby Hull, Dino Ciccarelli and Jari Kurri.

“Obviously, if Luc achieved that [Saturday night], he’d get a great ovation here,” Taylor said. “But if there’s recognition [beyond an announcement over the public address system], it’s usually back in the player’s home building.”

The NHL does not interrupt games even to recognize benchmarks such as 400 goals, 600 assists, 1,000 points and 1,000 games played, Taylor said, and does not give awards for achievements beyond those predetermined milestones.

But the Kings might not have a choice, Robitaille’s agent said.

“The Kings might not stop and give him anything,” Pat Brisson said, “but I can see the fans provoking a moment of recognition. I have a feeling that if Luc scores his 600th goal, they’ll know and they’ll say, ‘Wait a minute. Don’t drop the puck. I want to stop and clap my hands for a guy who scored [520] in a Kings uniform.”’

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Ian Laperriere stopped a shot by Bryan Smolinski with his face, opening a nasty cut near the bridge of his nose and another above his right eye during Thursday’s morning skate, which was held in Staples Center instead of at the Kings’ El Segundo practice facility after the Kings stood for the team photo at center ice.

“You expect to get those in games,” said Laperriere, who took 15 stitches to close the wounds. “But in practice? I’ll pass.”

Laughing, he said: “Thank God it was after the picture.”