Bure Is Making Slow Progress

There is seemingly little chance that King forward Valeri Bure will return to the lineup anytime soon. The treatment he is undergoing for his back injury hit a snag last week, when he had a reaction to an epidural shot.

Bure was given shots back-to-back in consecutive weeks, part of a three-week treatment for what the Kings have said is a protruding disk in his back, but skipped last week.

“I had a side effect,” Bure said. “I was sweating a lot at night so we stopped the shots.”

Bure has not played since being injured in an exhibition game Sept. 29. He hasn’t been able to practice with the team but said the shots worked to an extent.

“Before, I couldn’t bend my back with out pain, now I can some,” Bure said. “The pain is definitely still there, but it is better.”

Bure, who is now considering acupuncture to relieve the pain, said surgery is not an option.

“The doctors said there are no symptoms where they would consider surgery,” Bure said. “This is just inflammation in my back.”

Still, there is no timetable for his return. It probably will be weeks before Bure can practice.

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The Kings are becoming thin on forwards, especially their high-end variety.

Bure is out indefinitely and Luc Robitaille is on injured reserve at least another three weeks because of a broken right leg. Derek Armstrong is out with a strained groin but is expected to be in the lineup Wednesday when the Kings play Detroit, according to Coach Andy Murray.

To make matters worse, Craig Conroy suffered an “upper body injury” against Phoenix on Thursday and was examined by doctors Friday. Murray said Conroy looked “promising” for today’s game against Nashville. Jeremy Roenick has been playing with a few nagging health problems.

That group accounts for five of what the Kings projected as their top nine forwards when training camp began.

TODAY

vs. Nashville, 1 p.m., FSNW

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 710.

Records -- Kings 9-5-0-0, Predators 8-2-2-0

Record vs. Predators (2003-04) -- 1-3-0-0.

Update -- Jason LaBarbera, who was pulled after two periods in a 4-0 loss to Phoenix on Thursday, will start in goal for the Kings. Defenseman Tim Gleason, who suffered an “upper body injury” in the Phoenix game, will play.

Tickets -- (888) 546-4752.