It’s Not Exactly a Happy Camp

The happy chatter of players’ greeting one another after a lockout-lengthened separation dominated the Kings’ and Mighty Ducks’ first day of training camp Monday.

However, a few notes of discord crept in, left over from the 310-day lockout and an agreement that left some players bitter over losing last season and accepting a 24% salary rollback this season.

King forward Trent Klatt, a member of the NHL Players Assn.’s negotiating committee, announced his retirement on Monday, although he said it was not related to his admittedly difficult role during the lockout but was motivated by his reluctance to subject his kids to a fourth school in four years.

His absence in El Segundo deprived outspoken teammate Sean Avery of a chance to grill him about the union’s negotiating tactics and its hiring of Ted Saskin as executive director after Bob Goodenow resigned in July.

Saskin’s immediate elevation has been criticized by many players who contend the union should have interviewed outside candidates before offering him a lucrative deal that the Toronto Star reported would peak at $2.6 million in 2011.

Late Monday, the NHLPA released a statement saying player representatives and executive officers will conduct a secret-ballot vote on his hiring.

“The whole executive committee should have been reevaluated, and first off, we should have decided if we even wanted them in place,” Avery said, “and then we should have taken an interview process like every other company in the world and seen who we wanted and running it. We might have talked to an executive from Nike or something.”

Klatt declined to comment about the offer to Saskin, saying only that “not everyone knew about it.” Speaking from his home in northern Minnesota, he said the negotiations “were very draining, very stressful. You’re trying to make decisions for 700 guys, and you’re never going to make everyone happy.”

However, he said he walked away from a contract that would have paid him $912,000 because he didn’t want to miss more key moments in the lives of his five children, who range from 3 to 11. “I made the decision a while back that I wasn’t going to play after this season,” he said.

“During the lockout I did a lot of things with my oldest that you can do in Minnesota and can’t do elsewhere. I was finally able to be a dad. I knew I couldn’t give the effort I would have needed to give on the ice, and it wouldn’t have been fair to anyone. I didn’t want to just hang around.”

Avery said he wished Klatt well. “I think he was one of the guys that stood up to everything,” Avery said. “I don’t think it worked. But I certainly think he was there and fought for us.”

Avery said he “got into an argument” with Mattias Norstrom, the Kings’ union representative and said that if he can’t be the new union rep, the post should be shared by an older player and a younger player so that the concerns of all would be met.

“I think it’s good, first of all, to take a younger guy if he wants to have it,” Norstrom said. “If [Avery] wanted to voice his own opinion, he has a lot to learn about representing 23 guys in the room. Also for Sean, it would be great if he wants that role, but he needs to learn how to listen. It’s so easy to get a quote in the paper or just speak your mind and you feel good about it but every time you do, as a rep, you’re representing your entire team.”

King center Jeremy Roenick, who missed 20 games because of concussions in 2003-04, said he contemplated retirement. Unlike Klatt, he found that his desire to play hadn’t flagged.

“My son kept asking me, ‘When are you going travel again, I want to see you on TV again,’ ” Roenick said. “I told him I was still on TV. He said, ‘That’s you talking. I want to see you play on TV.’

“Last year, I got to do a lot things with my family that I have missed for 17 years. I thought about retiring. But physically I was feeling better, and this was a move I wanted to make.”

Veteran Luc Robitaille, 39, said he took time to savor some moments during the 2003-04 season in case a long lockout ended his career. He signed a one-year, $1-million contract this summer.

“Two years ago, I wasn’t sure I would be able to do this,” Robitaille said. “But now I feel really good physically; and mentally, I’m not ready to retire. I wanted to stick around. I’m really excited about this year. I think we’re going to have a good team.”

Forward Lauri Tukonen and defenseman Denis Grebeshkov were delayed by visa problems, but Tukonen is expected to arrive today and Grebeshkov on Wednesday, said General Manager Dave Taylor, who was also given the title of president, hockey operations. Shawn Hunter was named president of sports operations.

The Ducks had a full complement report to Anaheim Ice.

Players said they enjoyed the chance to see family during the lockout but were ready to resume their careers.

“It was a long year,” said goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who played in Germany for two months and played in some charity games in Quebec. “I got to do some things that I don’t normally get a chance to do. But I’m all about playing hockey. I’ve been doing it since I was 5 years old.”

The many changes, from ownership through General Manager Brian Burke and Coach Randy Carlyle, made Monday “like going to a new team,” Giguere said. “It’s a whole new organization. ... It’s going to be interesting. We are going to be battling for ice time. We’ll have to impress [Carlyle].”

Defenseman Keith Carney said he’s hopeful that fans will return to arenas because of the many moves made not only by the Ducks, but throughout the league.

“I think the fans are going to be upbeat and positive,” Carney said. “They’ve seen a lot of changes and there’s been a lot of good changes. It’s just a good time right now.”

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Times staff writers Chris Foster and Eric Stephens contributed to this report.