Demitra Out Another Week

The Kings will be without leading scorer Pavol Demitra for at least another week after learning from a team doctor Monday that the blood behind his right eye has not dissipated.

Demitra, who was hit by a puck while playing for Slovakia during the Olympics, said he probably would not rejoin the Kings until after a four-game trip that begins tonight against the Minnesota Wild.

Demitra said he would be reexamined again on Thursday and that although his vision has improved, he still was not seeing clearly out of his right eye.

“You have to have normal vision to play this game,” Demitra said. “The game is so fast, you can’t play it with one eye. Even if they clear me to play Thursday, I don’t feel good about getting hit in the head close to my eye. The bleeding could start again.”

Demitra, who also suffered a broken nose when he was struck, leads the Kings with 22 goals and is tied for the team lead with 57 points. The Kings, fighting to stay in a playoff spot, had moved Demitra’s doctor’s appointment up by a day, hoping he would be able to go on the trip.

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The Kings locked up defenseman Mattias Norstrom for two more seasons, signing their team captain to a deal that will pay him $4.25 million per season.

Norstrom, 34, would have been an unrestricted free agent after the season. He is making $2.66 million this season.

Norstrom has been a fixture on defense for the Kings the last eight-plus seasons. Always solid on the defensive end, he has a career-high three goals this season and has tied his career-high with 22 points.

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King scout Shawn Dineen attended the Washington Capitals’ game Monday night. The Kings are among the teams trying to swing a deal for Washington defenseman Brendan Witt.

TONIGHT

at Minnesota, 5

Site -- Xcel Energy Center.

Radio -- 710.

Records -- Kings 34-23-5, Wild 30-28-5.

Record vs. Wild -- 2-1.

Update -- The Wild has lost three of four games since the Olympic break. King goaltender Mathieu Garon, who struggled in January, has looked sharp in the team’s first two games since the break, giving up four goals. “Like everyone on the team, I was a little tired going into the break.”