A STAR? HE'LL PASS SOFT-SPOKEN DEMITRA HAS MADE AN IMPACT WITH KINGS.

Byline: Rich Hammond Staff Writer

In one of the Kings' first training-camp sessions, Pavol Demitra stepped onto the ice wearing a gray jersey, in past years reserved mostly for defense-first forwards who lack great offensive flair.

Lubomir Visnovsky, a fellow Slovak, surveyed the scene and skated over to coach Andy Murray.

``He said, `Coach, Pavol, he's not a checker,' '' Murray recalled. ``I said, `I know he's not a checker, Lubo, we're just doing something different.' ''

Murray laughed. Visnovsky wasn't trying to be a wise guy. He just wanted to make sure Murray knew what has escaped the attention of so many hockey followers: that Demitra is a world-class player.

Because if the coach didn't already know, Demitra probably wasn't going to be the one to tell him.

``I don't like to talk that much, that's just not how I am,'' Demitra said. ``I'm not going to be a guy who puts my face in front of the camera all the time. I just play the game; that's my concern.''

Demitra joined the Kings with 519 career points and has scored at least 20 goals in seven consecutive seasons. But, because of his quiet nature, because he had spent his career in Ottawa and St. Louis and because he's never had a huge breakout year, Demitra hasn't been counted among the NHL's elite.

Until now.

Demitra returns to St. Louis tonight for the first time with 11 goals and 18 assists, both of which are team highs. His 29 points are tied for 10th in the league. Projected over 82 games, Demitra would be on track for 113 points this season, which would exceed his previous career high by 10.

``He's an unbelievable player,'' said Craig Conroy, who centers a line alongside Demitra and also played with him for four seasons in St. Louis. ``When you talk about a combination of scoring and playmaking ability, there are probably only five or six other guys in the league with his kind of ability.

``He could dominate the spotlight, but he doesn't want it. He'd rather not be on center stage. He likes to stay in the shadows. That might hurt him with (winning) awards but that doesn't matter to him.''

That's not to say Demitra is a stick in the mud. He has a booming laugh and is already beloved by teammates for his personality. Visnovsky shared a story of how Demitra mockingly suggested a revolt one morning, suggesting that the Kings would play better if they didn't practice.

``He's actually a really funny guy,'' Visnovsky said. ``He's always got a couple jokes for us.''

In public, however, Demitra is friendly and respectful but subdued.

``He's quiet around me too,'' Murray said. ``I just give him the space he wants, because he does his job in a very professional way and he takes care of himself.''

It's fitting that two days after the Kings signed Demitra to a three-year, $13.5-million contract, they traded for the media tornado known as Jeremy Roenick, which nearly turned Demitra's signing into a footnote.

Roenick's arrival meant Demitra wouldn't automatically have to feel the pressure of being a top scorer and a vocal leader and be taken out of his comfort zone.

Roenick's acquisition also disappointed Demitra a bit, because it essentially meant the Kings wouldn't retain his countryman Ziggy Palffy, who instead signed with Pittsburgh.

That aside, Demitra's numbers have been good this season, but not without a few growing pains.

When the Kings went through an early-season stretch of not putting enough shots on goal, Murray strongly hinted that Demitra needed to think about shooting the puck more than passing it.

A talented playmaker, Demitra can be deferential with the puck. With his speed, Demitra is able to create scoring chances on his own, and the Kings would like to see him finish more of them.

``As a coach, you always want your players to shoot more,'' Murray said. ``Pavol would tell you as long as (the play) ends up with a goal, that's all that matters. He knows what he needs to do. We tell him to shoot and he nods, and then he goes out and makes the pass that leads to a big goal.''

That's a common trait among many European-bred players, so the Kings have no interest in stifling the traits that have made Demitra as good as he is.

``You always have to be aware when you're playing with Pavs,'' Conroy said. ``You might not be expecting the puck, but there it is, on your stick. And if his linemates don't know what's coming, imagine how the defenders feel.''

Demitra's passing has Conroy on pace for a career year and is helping Alexander Frolov emerge as a more aggressive scorer, and Demitra is shooting and scoring, evidenced by the hat trick he recorded Saturday against Colorado.

``I've always thought it's my job to set up guys for goals,'' Demitra said. ``I enjoy it more when I set up a guy for a goal instead of score myself. Everybody likes to score goals and when I get a chance to shoot, I shoot, but I just like to pass. The first thing in my head is to always look for somebody else.''

And if Demitra keeps playing like this, people might start looking at him, and giving him the recognition he'd prefer to pass to someone else.

Rich Hammond, [phone]

rich.hammond(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

4 photos, 4 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- color) Kings forward Pavol Demitra plays against his former team, the St. Louis Blues, tonight. Demitra is among the NHL's top 10 scorers this season.

Getty Images

(2 -- color) no caption (Pavol Demitra)

(3 -- color) FROLOV

(4 -- color) CONROY

Box:

(1) KINGS at ST. LOUIS

(2) NHL: SAUVE SAVES FLAMES IN SHOOTOUT WIN

(3) PAVOL DEMITRA

(4) LINE OF FIRE