ANDY MURRAY MIGHT BE GONE FROM L.A., BUT... HERE COMES THE SON BRADY MURRAY READY TO MAKE HIS OWN IMPRINT IN KINGS ORGANIZATION.

Byline: RICH HAMMOND Staff Writer

EL SEGUNDO - It's been a good week for Kings prospect Brady Murray, who has performed well at the team's development camp and impressed management with his improved strength and skill.

But something -- or someone -- has been missing for Murray this week: his father.

Murray is the 21-year-old son of Andy Murray, who was fired as Kings coach in March, near the end of his sixth season. As Brady spent this week trying to impress new coach Marc Crawford, the man who replaced his dad, Andy sat in a Toronto hotel room, eagerly awaiting updates on Brady's progress.

Brady, and his two younger siblings, often spent school vacations with Andy in Los Angeles, to the point where the teenager became nearly as recognizable as any Kings player. Now, Brady is going at it alone.

``It's different for Brady, but I don't think it's altogether bad,'' Ruth Murray, Brady's mother and Andy's wife, said from the family's home in Faribault, Minn. ``It's tough to have your dad in the background.

``I think maybe he always had something in the back of his mind. `Am I here because of who I am or because I'm the coach's son?' Now, there's no questions about his dad getting him places.''

This is a fairly crucial year for Brady's development. A fifth-round draft pick by the Kings in 2003, he expects to return to Switzerland for his second pro season, although the ultimate goal is to earn a contract with the Kings. So it's important for Brady to make a good first impression with the new management.

In past years, Andy would be there, to prod his son and provide advice. But Andy spent this week at a coaching conference and a clinic and said he had no thoughts about coming here to watch the camp.

``I didn't really give him any advice and I haven't called him,'' Andy Murray said on Tuesday. ``He knows what he has to do. He was always (known as) the coach's son, but he's there because he can play.

``I'd like Brady to do well, but he has to make a statement by himself. Under the old regime, he would have been given a contract, but now it's up to the new guys to see what they think of him.''

Brady seems to be taking things in stride. A soft-spoken but confident young man, with eerie similarities to his father in looks and personality, Brady seemed determined to take all emotion out of the week.

``It's just the way it is,'' Brady Murray said. ``I understand that it's just a part of the game. It's a little different but (Andy) didn't leave on bad terms at all, so being here hasn't been awkward.

``He was here for seven years, and that's a pretty good run for a coach.''

By nature, the Murray family has been big on hockey. When the Kings hired Andy Murray, the family decided that Ruth and the kids would stay in Minnesota, and Andy spent his entire six-plus years in Los Angeles living in a hotel near the team's training facility in El Segundo.

Andy Murray remained a dedicated father, traveling to his kids' games whenever possible, even during brief breaks in the NHL season, and the kids often traveled West to visit.

Brady Murray's high school years included significant time on the ice with Kings players and assistant coaches. He played two years at the University of North Dakota and totaled 66 points in 62 games. Last year he signed with Rapperswil-Jona of the Swiss League, but his rights remained with the Kings.

``As soon as he was drafted, people said, `Oh, he's going to play for his dad one day,''' Ruth Murray said. ``I never thought it would happen. I just had a feeling, knowing how things are (in the NHL).''

Ruth Murray would be proved correct, when Andy was fired with 12 games remaining in the regular season. Because of the time difference, their son heard the news from teammates in Switzerland.

Injuries and illness limited Brady Murray's effectiveness last season, and also prevented him from attending the Kings' prospect camp last summer, but Andy said Brady required little advice before this year's camp.

``He's on his own out there,'' Andy Murray said. ``I just said, `Go out there and play your game.' There's a not a lot to it. He's a coach's son and he's been around (the NHL game), so he knows what to do.''

Brady performed well at the camp. Team officials were impressed by his improved strength and overall game, to the point where they made him a starter for the traditional end-of-camp scrimmage.

``He impressed everyone with his tenaciousness and speed,'' said Kings director of amateur scouting Al Murray (no relation). ``He's definitely a NHL prospect.

``This was different for him, after what happened with Andy, but he handled it professionally. He never brought it up, and he was just one of the guys.''

The situation seems much tougher on Andy than on Brady. Crawford is one of Andy Murray's closest friends in the NHL coaching ranks, and he has maintained relationships with several team employees, but Ruth Murray said her husband has missed being at the camp he helped run in recent years.

``I think he does feel a little bit at a loss not being there,'' Ruth Murray said. ``He likes to be in the know, to work in the background on a lot of things, but he still has some people he can call and talk to.''

Including his son. Andy and Brady Murray enjoyed the time they got to spend together, but now only the son is left in the Kings organization. From Brady's perspective, that might be for better, and for worse.

``There are obviously advantages to being the coach's son,'' Brady Murray said. ``I was able to come out here when I was really young. But it can also be a burden, because maybe people look at me and say, `Oh, he's just here because of his father.' That part of it was there, but not now.''

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Brady Murray, left, entered Kings' development camp without a familiar face nearby -- Andy Murray, right, who was fired as the team's head coach in March.

(2) Brady Murray, pictured, is ``definitely a NHL prospect.'' according to Kings director of amateur scouting Al Murray, who is no relation.

Photo courtesy of Shelly Castellano