Ziggy Palffy

I am the hottest player on hockey's hottest team. I am its highest paid player. I am its leading goal scorer. I am engaged to a fitness model named Zora. I have a poodle named Aida. Who am I? Don't know? Good. Ziggy Palffy shrugged. "I like it when people don't recognize you," he said. "That way, you can do what you want." Sneak around the net, for instance, and score two goals Saturday in the Kings' 3-0 shutout of the San Jose Sharks. Score 30 points in the last 29 games to lead the Kings into first place, for another thing.

To measure one of the many odd and endearing heartbeats that pulse through our new city of Kings, fly 2,500 miles to a place where a frozen pond is a cocktail and the only skates have wheels. Drive about 30 minutes southeast from the Honolulu Airport, through lush valleys and tropical gardens, up a winding hillside road to a modest home overlooking Maunalua Bay. Walk through a frontyard bathed in pineapple plants and plumeria trees, open the front door, and step inside to a … Anze Kopitar souvenir blanket?

It's a large house, 4,700 square feet, and modern, with white walls broken by ground-to-roof segments of glass brick. It's built for entertaining the friends Ziggy Palffy has accumulated in six years in New York. There's a large deck by a pool and a clay tennis court alongside. Inside, a long semicircular marble bar surrounds the kitchen, and the living room is split by a fireplace. But it's situated for solitude, on 2 1/2 lush acres bordered by trees.

One team on the ice at Staples Center on Saturday looked old, slow and fumble-fingered — and it wasn't the Detroit Red Wings. The Kings spent too much time watching the Red Wings work their magic with the puck and demonstrate that their rumored demise is merely opponents' wishful thinking. Detroit was sharp and sure in a 4-1 victory that ended the Kings' three-game winning streak and delighted a crowd dominated by jerseys featuring the famed winged wheel. "Tonight it wasn't good," said Kings center Anze Kopitar, whose penalty-shot attempt died in Jimmy Howard's glove at 11:06 of the second period while the Kings trailed, 2-1. "We didn't make any plays.

Memo to the Kings' PR department: Good to see the ad for Ziggy Palffy recently. But Ziggy shoots left, not right. KEN BERKMAN Los Angeles

A few weeks ago, Tim Leiweke promised fans that King management would take a different approach with the new salary cap. Yet today we find that the team has signed a concussion-prone center (Jeremy Roenick) to replace their departed concussion-prone center (Jason Allison) and a Slovakian goal scorer (Pavol Demitra) to replace their departed Slovakian goal scorer (Ziggy Palffy). Same old Kings. NICK ROSE Newport Coast

I know it has been lost among all the Laker news, but I just wanted to thank King GM Dave Taylor for all his moves over the summer to bolster the offense. OK, so he low-balled top scorer Ziggy Palffy and lost him. And he chose not to re-sign Adam Deadmarsh and Jason Allison and pocketed their $11 million in salaries instead. Forget about the scorers he let go, what about his trades for ... um ... ? Well, who cares about trades, let's talk about the offensive free agents he has signed, starting with ... um ... Do Taylor and AEG mouthpiece Tim Leiweke honestly believe that when a new contract is signed over the summer, goals will no longer be needed to win games?

This edition of the Kings' hockey team is a disgrace. Praise is constantly heaped on General Manager Dave Taylor, but the coach is stuck with five or six reasonably skilled players and a bunch of hustling unskilled individuals with no scoring ability. Right now only Ziggy Palffy can be considered skillful. During the off-season, Taylor and the Kings' management did nothing to make this team a genuine contender. Alan Laythorpe Lakeside Re: T.J. Simers' Nov. 5 comment about King Coach Andy Murray: Simers, do all the sports fans in L.A. a long-deserved service and take some of your own advice.

Ziggy Palffy broke a months-long silence on his contract negotiations, indicating in brief comments to a Slovakian television station that he probably would not return to the Kings. Palffy, who became an unrestricted free agent Thursday, rejected numerous contract offers from the Kings, including a three-year, $19.5-million deal. The high-scoring right wing made $7 million last season. "I am pretty sure I will not go back," Palffy told TV Markiza.

Ziggy Palffy has broached the subject of a long-term contract extension with the Kings and, his agent said, has been reasonably assured by management that the club will retain the prolific winger despite persistent trade rumors. Paul Kraus was summoned by Palffy from his office in Edmonton, Canada, to clarify the situation and sat down over the last few days with owner Philip Anschutz, President Tim Leiweke and General Manager Dave Taylor.

Pittsburgh Penguin right wing Ziggy Palffy retired Wednesday, leaving the team without its second-leading scorer. Palffy wasn't at a news conference held by General Manager Craig Patrick during the team's practice. Patrick wouldn't comment on a Slovak newspaper report that Palffy retired because of a lingering shoulder injury. "No, I'm not going to talk about our discussion," Patrick said, saying Palffy cited only "personal reasons." Palffy told Patrick of his decision Tuesday.

A few weeks ago, Tim Leiweke promised fans that King management would take a different approach with the new salary cap. Yet today we find that the team has signed a concussion-prone center (Jeremy Roenick) to replace their departed concussion-prone center (Jason Allison) and a Slovakian goal scorer (Pavol Demitra) to replace their departed Slovakian goal scorer (Ziggy Palffy). Same old Kings. NICK ROSE Newport Coast

Ziggy Palffy signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, leaving the Kings without a player who scored 150 goals for them over the last five seasons. Palffy signed a three-year deal worth $13.5 million -- the same contract the Kings gave to Pavol Demitra on Tuesday -- and will join what in recent seasons has been a disheveled franchise prime for relocation. But they've been buoyed by No. 1 draft pick Sidney Crosby and now Palffy and defenseman Sergei Gonchar.

I know it has been lost among all the Laker news, but I just wanted to thank King GM Dave Taylor for all his moves over the summer to bolster the offense. OK, so he low-balled top scorer Ziggy Palffy and lost him. And he chose not to re-sign Adam Deadmarsh and Jason Allison and pocketed their $11 million in salaries instead. Forget about the scorers he let go, what about his trades for ... um ... ? Well, who cares about trades, let's talk about the offensive free agents he has signed, starting with ... um ... Do Taylor and AEG mouthpiece Tim Leiweke honestly believe that when a new contract is signed over the summer, goals will no longer be needed to win games?

A day after saying he probably would not return to the Kings, Ziggy Palffy said Friday he would not take a pay cut to stay with the Kings and that he wanted to play for a contender. "I'm over 30 and I'd like to play for the Stanley Cup," Palffy, 32, told the Slovakian newspaper Pravda. Palffy became an unrestricted free agent Thursday and is seeking a four- or five-year deal for at least $7 million a year. The Kings' largest offer was a three-year, $19.5-million deal.

Ziggy Palffy broke a months-long silence on his contract negotiations, indicating in brief comments to a Slovakian television station that he probably would not return to the Kings. Palffy, who became an unrestricted free agent Thursday, rejected numerous contract offers from the Kings, including a three-year, $19.5-million deal. The high-scoring right wing made $7 million last season. "I am pretty sure I will not go back," Palffy told TV Markiza.

Luc Robitaille is a healthy scratch for the second consecutive game. Robitaille is the healthiest scorer the Kings have while Ziggy Palffy is injured. Andy Murray says he is happy with the lineup that played to a 2-2 tie in Minnesota. If it's not obvious to Murray whom to sit out, I will be happy to tell him. The Kings stink at killing penalties, and Sean Avery has a red neon sign attached to his suspenders that lights up when he hits the ice, and reads, "Watch me, I'm about to commit a penalty."

Ziggy Palffy will face no repercussions from the Kings despite playing for Slovakia against the team's wishes in an Olympic preliminary-round game Saturday at Salt Lake City, Coach Andy Murray said Sunday. Though he had been given permission to play only in a Sunday night game against Latvia, Palffy was in uniform and sitting on the Slovak bench Saturday when Coach Jan Filc pressed him into service midway through the second period with his team trailing Germany, 2-0.

The Kings sent their official list of unsigned free agents to the NHL on Wednesday after a final-day discussion with Ziggy Palffy's agent proved futile, making Palffy fair game for any team with enough money to accommodate the high-scoring right wing. After five seasons, the Kings and their top forward have parted ways, at best temporarily, at worst permanently.

Luc Robitaille is a healthy scratch for the second consecutive game. Robitaille is the healthiest scorer the Kings have while Ziggy Palffy is injured. Andy Murray says he is happy with the lineup that played to a 2-2 tie in Minnesota. If it's not obvious to Murray whom to sit out, I will be happy to tell him. The Kings stink at killing penalties, and Sean Avery has a red neon sign attached to his suspenders that lights up when he hits the ice, and reads, "Watch me, I'm about to commit a penalty."