Murray Is Kings’ Rein Man

There are reasons King Coach Andy Murray has been wound tighter than the tape on Ziggy Palffy’s stick.

“I stepped it up this season because of being personally afraid what happened to us last year will happen again,” he said, referring to a second-half fade and non-playoff finish. “The other point is, because of what’s happened to us this year with personnel, we just have to drive hard every day. Other people in our group have mentioned it to me, that I seem even more driven, and they’re right.”

Murray has done far more with far less available raw talent than probably any other coach. In pushing the Kings atop the Pacific Division he has kept them from resorting to self-pity while players were felled by injuries, feats that have won him mentions for coach-of-the-year honors.

The Pacific isn’t what it once was. The Dallas Stars, last season’s West point leaders, are a messy, whiny last in the division. The defending West champion Mighty Ducks are flailing. But San Jose, a bottom feeder last season, has surged and even the low-budget Phoenix Coyotes are competitive. Someone has to be first, and the Kings earned it.

To be sure they’ll stay there, they must improve their special-teams play and protect leads better. And it’s baffling how Roman Cechmanek can be brilliant one moment and softer than the Pillsbury Doughboy the next. But each line contributes and helps defensively, minimizing opponents’ shots and the danger of those shots. Murray gets good mileage out of grinders Jon Sim, Brad Chartrand and Sean Avery, and has maximized Palffy’s many skills. Michael Cammalleri and Alexander Frolov, products of an improved scouting and development system, are thriving.

“We have a reason why we want to win every game, whether it’s because of where we are in the standings, something that happened the last game, or the crowd,” Murray said. “We always have a plan how to win. I feel that if I don’t, I’m letting down the fans, management, my friends and people back in my hometown. Everyone in my hometown would love to have my job. You have to always remember that and not let them down.

“The other thing is, I’m a mentor for all hockey coaches in Manitoba, and if I don’t win, I’m letting them down. It’s a burden, maybe, but it’s a nice burden.”

Murray and General Manager Dave Taylor can be faulted for saying that Adam Deadmarsh and Jason Allison would be ready to start the season, but Murray said their optimism sprang from the players’ comments after skating over the summer. Murray has stopped hinting at their return and edited them out of game films, as he does all injured players.

“I tell Adam all the time, ‘You take all the time you need. Life is your priority, not hockey,’ ” Murray said. “With Jason, it’s the same way. Before players care how much you know, you have to let them know how much you care. You don’t want to seem insensitive toward the injured players, but it’s like you’ve got time only for the healthy guys. If the injured players aren’t around, you don’t get the other players thinking subconsciously that they can wait until the injured players return.”

Dealing with injuries, he said, “almost seems like the norm. I’m getting used to it,” but few coaches have done it as well. He appreciates the coach-of-the-year talk but isn’t obsessing over it. “You’d have to be flattered,” he said, “but I’m just so afraid of whether we’re going to win our next game, I don’t put a lot of thought into it.”

Heatley, Thrashers Coping

Relatives of Dan Snyder, who was killed in a preseason car crash with Atlanta teammate Dany Heatley at the wheel, are carrying on with rare class and courage.

Snyder’s family visited Atlanta last week and stayed with Heatley, who suffered a knee injury in the accident. Heatley is recovering so quickly from knee surgery that he might skate before the end of the month, well ahead of schedule.

“They continue to amaze me,” Thrasher General Manager Don Waddell said of Snyder’s parents and siblings. “The whole story has been incredible, how the Snyder family handled it. I don’t know too many people who could deal with it the way they’ve dealt with it.

“The guys were not only teammates but roommates and good friends. The family realizes it was an accident. It was 10:30 at night and alcohol wasn’t a factor. Kids make mistakes. It happens every day on our highways. Obviously it was a costly mistake, and Dany’s got to live with it, but the Snyder family is very forgiving.”

A report detailing the police investigation into the accident is due next month, Waddell said.

The Thrashers shield Heatley from interviews but include him in team meetings. Trainers put his gear and Snyder’s in their lockers at home and road games.

“Emotionally, it’s taking its toll, still,” Waddell said of Heatley. “He’s a good kid. It’s not going away that easily. I think being around the team every day helps him, and the Snyder family has been tremendous support.”

Even without Heatley, a budding superstar, the Thrashers have been vying for first in the Southeast. Solid goaltending from Pasi Nurminen solved a chronic problem, and Coach Bob Hartley has tightened the defense and honed the penalty killing to where it’s fifth in the NHL at 86.4%. Attendance had slipped last season, the team’s fourth, but is up to an average of 14,332.

“People are looking for something to rally around, and with all the obstacles that hit our team this year, they’ve rallied around us,” Waddell said. “This is a tough sports market, but I think we’re on the verge of capturing it, and if we can continue to win some home games and the team can improve the second half of the year and challenge for a playoff spot, I think our crowds would get tremendous.”

Slap Shots

The Stars held a 20-minute, players-only meeting Sunday after a 4-0 defeat by the Ducks, Dallas’ 10th loss in 16 games. Three days earlier, Coach Dave Tippett had said his “high-end skill players” weren’t making a difference, which Mike Modano took personally.

“I’ve always been a point-a-game guy, so are we asking for three or four now?” he was quoted in the Dallas Morning News.

Modano has struggled, unhappy that owner Tom Hicks didn’t re-sign defenseman Derian Hatcher and admittedly distracted by bad business deals that reportedly cost him $7 million. Tippett needs Modano’s support because owners usually favor superstars with big contracts over coaches, who are easier to replace.

Washington Coach Bruce Cassidy alienated players last week by telling them concern for pregnant wives or sick children was no excuse for their poor play. He apologized two days later, but players thought he had gotten too personal. He’d previously had confrontations with Brendan Witt and Jaromir Jagr.

The NHL’s board of governors ends two-day meetings today in Palm Beach, Fla. They’ll probably have a new euphemism for “salary cap,” but it would be more constructive if they emerged with a proposal that reopens talks with the players’ union.

The Detroit Red Wings will try to negotiate a settlement with Curtis Joseph, who cleared waivers and was assigned to minor league Grand Rapids (Mich.) on Friday.

“We’re prepared to do something with the money,” GM Ken Holland said.

But he feels no urgency to make a deal, thanks to Steve Yzerman’s strong return from knee surgery and the emergence of Pavel Datsyuk.

“We’re finding ways to score goals,” Holland said. “I like our team. Right now, I don’t see us really having a need to do anything.”

The Vancouver Canucks and Coach Marc Crawford are near agreement on a three-year extension.... The Boston Bruins had divided playing time almost evenly between goalies Andrew Raycroft and Felix Potvin but will lean on Raycroft now, after Potvin gave up 18 goals in his last four starts.

The imminent dissolution of YankeeNets, the holding company that owns the New York Yankees, New Jersey Nets and New Jersey Devils, means the Devils are likely to renew efforts to get a new arena in Newark. But if they’re the sole tenant they’ll have a tough time making it a reality.

New York Islander fans are chanting “Mike must go!” in hopes of chasing GM Mike Milbury out of town. He blundered when he tried to cut costs by waiving forward Jason Wiemer, which may cost Milbury his job.

Chris Madsen, former Duck TV announcer, has written a book about his friendship with a young cerebral palsy victim and how the youngster, Joshua Souder, emerged from a coma after hearing Madsen’s voice doing play-by-play. “Joshua Shoots! He Scores: The Greatest Call I Ever Made,” is an inspirational story that fits the spirit of the holiday season. It’s available through www.joshuashoots.com.