Miller Is Fit for Kings After All

Aaron Miller signed a four-year contract extension with the Kings on Monday, in what could be the first and perhaps most influential of several moves by the club in the final hours before today’s noon NHL trading deadline.

The veteran defenseman, the most prominent of four Kings eligible for unrestricted free agency this summer, signed a $14-million deal, nearly identical to the $14.5-million contract signed by teammate Mattias Norstrom in September.

Miller, 31, is being paid $1.7 million this season in the last year of a two-year, $3.3-million contract awarded in an acrimonious 2001 arbitration case.

In a brief news conference before Monday night’s 3-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings, Miller expressed no second thoughts about forgoing a chance to test his value on the open market, calling the Kings a “great team” with a strong nucleus.

That nucleus, however, might not last beyond noon today.

With Miller and Norstrom making about $7 million between them next season, the Kings might decide they can’t afford the $3.75 million due Mathieu Schneider in the last year of his contract. They are expected to strongly consider trading the high-scoring defenseman, who probably will attract several offers from contending teams hoping to bolster their lineups before the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Among those said to be interested are the Red Wings.

In addition, the agent for Bryan Smolinski, one of three Kings still eligible for unrestricted free agency this summer, said he expected the veteran forward to be traded today because the Kings have made little effort to re-sign him.

“Bryan had a good span in L.A.,” said Pat Brisson, the player’s agent. “He’s played well, he wants to stay here, he’s happy here. However, we don’t feel the Kings feel the same way. Therefore, it might be time for Bryan to move on.”

King General Manager Dave Taylor declined to comment.

The Kings, with few alternatives, are expected to retain their other potential unrestricted free agents, winger Craig Johnson and injured goaltender Felix Potvin. But they have not made commitments to either player beyond this season.

Still, retaining Miller was a rare piece of good news for the Kings in a season wrecked by injuries, among them two that have limited Miller to 38 games. Since joining the Kings in a February 2001 trade that sent Rob Blake to the Colorado Avalanche, Miller has emerged as a top-flight defenseman.

“I’m really glad that the process is over,” he said. “My wife and I are very excited. It’s been tough, especially over the last month with so many rumors going around. We’ve been working on this deal for a long time....

“I’m happy because this always was my first choice to stay here.”

Taylor called Miller “an elite defensive defenseman” who “brings a tremendous amount of leadership and stability.”

At the time of Norstrom’s signing, on the eve of training camp, Taylor said the Kings probably would sign one or two more of their potential unrestricted free agents before the start of the season.

But reaching agreement with Miller, their top priority, took longer than expected, prompting the Kings to consider trading him rather than risk losing him this summer with only a compensatory draft pick in return.

Miller would not back down on his demand for a four-year deal, and the Kings, who had been offering three years plus an option, finally relented.

“When ownership and management make this type of commitment to me, that shows me even more there’s a commitment to winning,” Miller said. “That makes it a lot easier to stay somewhere where you are comfortable instead of trying to find somewhere else and hoping that it works out there.”