Steve Duchesne

In plain English--sweet, understandable English, the tongue that once held Steve Duchesne hostage in a hotel room in New Haven, Conn.--this is the kind of season it has been for the King defenseman: Last week, Duchesne was voted to start for the Campbell Conference in the National Hockey League's All-Star game, the first King defenseman to be picked since Terry Harper and Bob Murdoch 14 years ago.

In the never-ending competition for the entertainment dollar in Southern California, the Kings need to take a page not only from their history, but from other attractions. Why do you think Disneyland, Knott's and Universal add major new attractions costing as much as the GNP of some countries? Your last major attraction was the Great One, and that was a long time ago. In other words, you need a new ride. MICHAEL GRAY Placentia So the Kings fired Larry Robinson.

Who says you can't go home again? Garry Galley and Luc Robitaille did it last off-season and Thursday, former King Steve Duchesne returned to the franchise he began his NHL career with, agreeing to a three-year deal with a fourth-year player option worth $3.75 million a season. Duchesne, who turned 33 on Tuesday, played with St. Louis last season and helped the Blues to a first-round playoff sweep of the Kings.

The Kings got a hard lesson in economics Tuesday and Steve Duchesne was the instructor. Tuition was $4.25 million. "Free agency costs more," said Dave Taylor, the Kings' vice president, general manager and chief student, after he had settled Duchesne's contract and traded him to Philadelphia for defenseman Dave Babych, 37, and a fifth-round choice in the 2000 entry draft. "Under free agency, you spend more dollars and more years than you really believe a player is worth.

I have just renamed the Los Angeles Kings. They are now "the Old Men's Home" on Manchester Avenue. When the Kings started their trek to destruction, by trading away Steve Duchesne, I knew they were headed for the home. TAMARA DEVEREAUX Sherman Oaks

Being a Kings fan, I have a few observations: 1) The crowd at Game 6 was great, let's keep it up. 2) Bernie Nicholls is a crybaby. 3) Tony Granato and Tomas Sandstrom for Nicholls was a steal. 4) Kelly Hrudey is a phenomenal playoff goalie. 5) Wayne Gretzky at 80% is better than 90% of the players at 100%. 6) John Tonelli and Steve Kasper are vital players to the Kings. 7) Steve Duchesne is regaining last year's form. 8) Marty McSorley plays extremely hard, and he is improving. 9) If they beat the Flames, they can beat anybody.

1997-98 Record: 38-33-11. Where finished: Second in Pacific Division (swept by St. Louis in first round of playoffs). Who's new: D Steve Duchesne (signed as free agent), D Doug Bodger (trade with New Jersey), LW Josh Green (rookie). Who's gone: D Aki Berg (unsigned restricted free agent), D Doug Zmolek (traded to Chicago), G Frederic Chabot (lost in waiver draft), RW Vitali Yachmenev (traded to Nashville).

In the never-ending competition for the entertainment dollar in Southern California, the Kings need to take a page not only from their history, but from other attractions. Why do you think Disneyland, Knott's and Universal add major new attractions costing as much as the GNP of some countries? Your last major attraction was the Great One, and that was a long time ago. In other words, you need a new ride. MICHAEL GRAY Placentia So the Kings fired Larry Robinson.

Not all the Kings celebrated the news that Jari Kurri had joined them. "It was kind of a shock," said defenseman Steve Duchesne, who was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in the three-team deal. "I understand Wayne (Gretzky) wants Kurri here. I've got nothing against him. A lot of people are telling me things like Wayne made the trade. I don't believe that. Playing with him raised my level of play. "And (owner) Bruce McNall helped me on and off the ice.

The Kings got a hard lesson in economics Tuesday and Steve Duchesne was the instructor. Tuition was $4.25 million. "Free agency costs more," said Dave Taylor, the Kings' vice president, general manager and chief student, after he had settled Duchesne's contract and traded him to Philadelphia for defenseman Dave Babych, 37, and a fifth-round choice in the 2000 entry draft. "Under free agency, you spend more dollars and more years than you really believe a player is worth.

A source close to the Kings said Sunday that there was a question as to the team's willingness to pay Steve Duchesne the $7.5 million to $8 million that might be necessary to buy out his contract. The figure represents two-thirds of the outstanding value of his deal, which is the buyout amount mandated in the collective bargaining agreement between the NHL Players Assn. and the league.

Dave Taylor, the Kings' vice president and general manager, and Pat Brisson, agent for defenseman Steve Duchesne, have had discussions about buying out the remainder of Duchesne's four-year, $15-million contract. The discussions have taken place even while Taylor is trying to trade Duchesne, who is on $100 waivers that have made him available to any team that will pay the remaining three-plus years of the deal.

King defenseman Steve Duchesne cleared 48-hour waivers Friday, then went on a different waiver list in the NHL's convoluted system of player movement. Or, in this case, lack of movement. Any team can have Duchesne for $100, if it is also willing to pick up the rest of his $15-million contract, which has two more seasons plus an option. With that unlikely, putting Duchesne on the waiver list allows the Kings to buy out his contract or make him the highest paid player in the minor leagues.

The Kings will learn at 9 a.m. today if their first option concerning Steve Duchesne is exercised. That happens if some team claims the defenseman on waivers. To do so, a team will have to believe that his four goals and 19 assists warrant investing the value of his contract, which has two seasons to run at $3.75 million per season. Duchesne also has an option on the 2001-2002 season at $3.75 million.

Acknowledging a mistake, especially when it costs more than $11 million and involves waiving a player who was a teammate of the general manager who signed him last summer, is not easy. The Kings' decision to dump defenseman Steve Duchesne was overdue, and it was an important message for a team that has improbably barged back into the Western Conference playoff scramble. Waiving Duchesne told players if they don't care about their performances, they won't play.

When he was signed to a three-year, $10.75-million free-agent contract, Steve Duchesne was envisioned as a power-play catalyst and an offensive presence among the King defensemen. He's a high-priced cheerleader now, having been a healthy scratch on Tuesday against Detroit and facing inactivity again tonight against Vancouver.

The Quebec Nordiques traded disgruntled defenseman Steve Duchesne to the St. Louis Blues Sunday for centers Bob Bassen and Ron Sutter and defenseman Garth Butcher. Duchesne, 28, was fourth in scoring among defensemen last season, but has sat out this season because of a contract dispute with the Nordiques. Duchesne had 20 goals and posted career highs with 62 assists and 82 points for the Nordiques last season, his seventh in the NHL.

After one game as a healthy scratch, defenseman Steve Duchesne was back in the lineup Wednesday night at Dallas, but whether the message sent by his benching was received is unknown. And unspoken. Coach Larry Robinson had said that Duchesne's sitting was because of a need for a harder-hitting lineup on the ice against the New Jersey Devils a week ago. Hard-hitting is something Duchesne has never been. "You can't play this game at the end of your stick," Robinson said.

After one game as a healthy scratch, defenseman Steve Duchesne was back in the lineup Wednesday night at Dallas, but whether the message sent by his benching was received is unknown. And unspoken. Coach Larry Robinson had said that Duchesne's sitting was because of a need for a harder-hitting lineup on the ice against the New Jersey Devils a week ago. Hard-hitting is something Duchesne has never been. "You can't play this game at the end of your stick," Robinson said.

The shots that weren't going into the net are now. Not his shots, those by teammates, which is why Steve Duchesne, after a slow start, has seven assists in his last eight games Duchesne, who failed to get an assist in his first 12 games, has assists on each of the Kings' last four power-play goals. "I've tried to put everything out of my mind," said Duchesne, who admitted that he had been pressing earlier in the season, when the power play wasn't working and when he was trying to justify the $3.