A WING MAN AFTER A DIFFICULT SPLIT WITH KINGS, ROBITAILLE HAS NEW LIFE IN DETROIT.

Byline: MATT McHALE

DETROIT - Luc Robitaille was sitting across the table from Pat Brisson in a trendy West Side restaurant and his breakfast was getting cold.

With four days before the start of training camp, this was more than a meeting between a client and his agent. The two met as teen-agers more than 20 years ago playing junior hockey in their native Quebec.

Brisson remembered Robitaille's body language that day last September more than anything. There was an uneasiness that rarely accompanied one of the NHL's most popular stars.

``He said a few times, `Now you're going to come see me in Detroit,' '' Brisson said. ``There was kind of an emptiness and insecurity you don't see in Luc Robitaille.

``He was excited about going to the Red Wings and the chance of finally getting a Stanley Cup and playing with all those future Hall of Famers. But I think that was the first day he really realized he wasn't with the Kings anymore.''

Tonight at Joe Louis Arena, the Kings will see Robitaille for the first time since he helped lead them to within a game of the Western Conference finals. The Kings are struggling, winning for the first time at home Thursday with a couple of crash-the-net type goals that were a Robitaille trademark for 15 seasons.

Robitaille is hurt, but he is resilient. And maybe he might win that Stanley Cup after all.

Technically, Robitaille had been a member of the Red Wings for more than two months that morning he met with Brisson. On July 1, the first day unrestricted free agents could sign with another club, he agreed to a two-year, $9 million contract that had a third season at the team's option for another $4 million.

Detroit's offer dwarfed the Kings' proposal for one year at $2.5 million, $1 million less than he made last season. The Kings didn't want to go long-term with a player who turns 36 in February even if he had 36 and 37 goals the past two seasons.

There are many who think Kings coach Andy Murray didn't want him, that Robitaille's skating and defensive deficiencies were a burden for a team on the rise.

``The bottom line was he left us,'' Murray said. ``Whatever I said about Luc, I always said he was a great scorer, a great member of the community and truly one of the greatest Kings. We met after this all happened and I told him that.''

Fast forward to Thursday night. Robitaille scored his fifth goal of the season, leaving him just five short of 600 for his career. And he was on the ice when Brett Hull scored the game-winner in the final seconds of regulation in a riveting comeback victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.

Detroit, the team that Robitaille helped bounce from the playoffs last April, has the best record in the Western Conference. Of his five goals, three tied the score and two were game-winners.

Despite the addition of Robitaille, Hull and goaltender Dominik Hasek to a cast that includes captain Steve Yzerman, the NHL's leading scorer Brendan Shanahan, Norris Trophy defenseman Niklas Lidstrom and U.S. Olympic captain Chris Chelios, hockey's Sunshine Boys will have trouble keeping the pace.

For Robitaille, the former 171st overall draft choice, there is no greater challenge than telling him something is beyond his reach.

He saw Ray Bourque finally get the Cup last season in Colorado after toiling more than 20 years in Boston. No one asked Bourque how he got there. There were no apologies for winning it all.

``I watched Ray Bourque win it,'' Robitaille said recently. ``I watched the game all by myself and I selfishly thought, `I wish that was me.' I was very happy for him. I want to feel the same way - lifting the Cup over my head before I retire.''

Some of Murray's criticism has been picked up by Robitaille's new coach, the legendary Scotty Bowman.

Defense and skating are critical to Bowman, who has won eight Stanley Cups. He stuck Robitaille with kids during training camp and Luc did not record a point in the exhibition season. His playing time was down to 11 minutes. It looked like a mistake.

When he was traded to Pittsburgh and later to the New York Rangers in the mid-'90s, Robitaille bombed. His family was still back in Beverly Hills. His wife Stacia has made three trips to Detroit and his sons will visit when school is out at Christmas.

But as always Robitaille has rebounded. He moved to a line with Hull and Yzerman and is playing 18 minutes a night.

``People should know better than to count out Luc Robitaille,'' said former teammate Rob Blake, now with Colorado. ``We still talked after I left and he said he probably would be next. He didn't want to leave, but they didn't act like they wanted him. But he still has so much to offer.''

KINGS at DETROIT

Today, 4:30 p.m.

FSN2, 1110-AM

KINGS vs. DETROIT

Time: 4:30 p.m., at Joe Louis Arena.

TV/Radio: Fox Sports Net 2; 1110-AM.

Matchup: This is the first meeting between the two teams since the Kings came from two games down to beat the Red Wings in the first round of last season's playoffs. It also marks the first time the Kings will see former teammate Luc Robitaille, who signed with Detroit last summer. It also opens a six-game, 12-day trip that also includes games with Columbus, Tampa Bay, Florida, Carolina and Chicago. The Red Wings' Brendan Shanahan leads the NHL with eight goals.

- Matt McHale

IS EIGHT ENOUGH?

In an attempt to get back to the Stanley Cup Finals, the Detroit Red Wings have added three potential Hall of Famers - Luc Robitaille, Brett Hull and Dominik Hasek - to their list of stars. Here are the Red Wings' future Hall of Famers.:

Player Position

Steve Yzerman C 648 goals and the heart and soul of the team.

Sergei Fedorov C Red Army to Red Wings, he fought alone vs. Kings

Brendan Shanahan LW Out of Scotty's dog house to lead NHL in goals.

Niklas Lidstrom D Finally won top defenseman after runner-up twice

Chris Chelios D Will be U.S. captain at Winter Olympics.

Dominik Hasek G Step slower in net, but still the ''Dominator''

Brett Hull RW No one wanted him, but still has scoring touch

Luc Robitaille LW He'll be missed in L.A.

CAPTION(S):

photo, 3 boxes

Photo:

(color) no caption (Luc Robitaille)

Box:

(1) KINGS at DETROIT (see text)

(2) KINGS vs. DETROIT (see text)

(3) IS EIGHT ENOUGH? (see text)