Future Cloudy for Some Kings

Most of the Kings cleaned out their lockers Tuesday, with a few final revelations before parting ways for the off-season.

Long-ailing right wing Adam Deadmarsh said he wouldn’t play again if he didn’t feel better by September, and right wing Ziggy Palffy, an unrestricted free agent on July 1, said he would play for a pro team in Slovakia if there were an owners’ lockout.

Deadmarsh, sidelined since December 2002 because of post-concussion syndrome, called his recovery “stagnant” and said he needed to look at his injury in a big-picture context.

“I don’t know how much longer I should go with these symptoms and still return to play,” he said. “It’s kind of a fine line right now. How long do I wait?

“If I didn’t have any improvement before [September], I’d probably say that was it. That’d be a long time to go without any improvement. But if I was close then, pretty much normal, who knows? I miss the game, I love the game, and I want to get back under any circumstance, but there is a limit how long I can go with this.”

Deadmarsh, a restricted free agent on July 1, said he did not expect a qualifying offer of $3 million from the Kings. He would then become an unrestricted free agent.

Palffy is continuing to rehabilitate a dislocated right shoulder that ended his season in January. He said if there is not a resolution between NHL owners and players when the collective bargaining agreement expires in mid-September, he will play professionally in his hometown of Skalica, Slovakia.

The Kings have begun contract negotiations with Palffy. He earned $7 million this season, during which he had 16 goals and 41 points in 35 games.

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The Washington Capitals won the NHL draft lottery, jumping ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks to gain the No. 1 pick in the June draft. The top pick probably will be Russian forward Alexander Ovechkin, who has evoked comparisons to Pittsburgh star Mario Lemieux.

The Mighty Ducks have the ninth pick, and the Kings have the 11th.

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Philadelphia Flyer Donald Brashear pleaded guilty in a Waterford Township, N.J., court to charges of refusing to take a blood-alcohol test and unsafe operation of a motor vehicle. In exchange, prosecutors dropped a drunk-driving charge.

Brashear was arrested Dec. 19.

He was sentenced to 12 hours of alcohol counseling, and his license was suspended for 180 days.

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Times wire services contributed to this report.