The Kings, with Glen Healy and Roland Melanson in goal, have continued to explore the goaltending trade market. They hope that Mark Fitzpatrick, their No. 2 pick in 1987, will mature into an NHL star. The Kings' second line will include Krushelnyski, who has had an outstanding training camp, plus Robitaille and Bernie Nicholls. Nicholls, who has averaged 39.6 goals the last five seasons, is generally regarded as one of the more underappreciated NHL standouts. It will take a while to jell.
Carpenter says one change occurred almost overnight.
I've never seen that since I've been here,'' he says. One key for the Kings to be successful, Gretzky says, is for the players to become as close as the champion Oilers.