FACE OF THE KINGDOM OUTGOING ROENICK BRINGS PIZAZZ TO A TOWN FULL OF STARS.

Byline: Rich Hammond  Staff Writer

To start his first official day on the job as the Kings' pied piper, the day players reported to El Segundo for physicals, Jeremy Roenick talked himself and his Porsche into an executive parking lot.

Roenick doesn't know whose spot his car occupied. One team employee said it belonged to Lakers coach Phil Jackson. Told this, Roenick debated that part of the story for a moment, but ultimately shrugged.

``That's OK. I had a heavy bag and I didn't want to carry it all the way in from the main parking lot,'' Roenick said. ``I figured, I'm a new guy, just let me use the spot for the day. It was a welcoming gift.

``I met Phil (two weeks later) and he didn't say anything, so I guess I'm OK.''

Welcome to JR's world. It's a world easily misunderstood, where the words subtle, discreet and restrained have no significance. So for the Kings, Roenick isn't just a first-line center with 475 goals and 51 more in the playoffs. He's a personality on a team desperately in need of one, the face of a franchise too often anonymous in its own city.

Roenick isn't all talk, but he's big on it. The Kings acquired him in August from Philadelphia, hoping that at age 35 and with a history of concussions, he still has something left. But arguably, Roenick's bigger role will be off the ice, in helping the Kings regain a presence after last year's lockout.

Whether he is talking about fellow players, coaches, the collective-bargaining agreement, fans or the baseball playoffs, Roenick has opinions and isn't afraid to share.

``With JR and the profile he has, it's already been very helpful to us,'' general manager Dave Taylor said. ``There's a lot of competition for the sports dollar in L.A. and he's helped raise awareness for our team.''

In his brief Kings career, he already has done television segments with Carson Daly and former Playboy playmate Jenny McCarthy, hung out with the crew on Fox's Best Damn Sports Show Period and done a segment locally with KTLA Channel 5.

That's more publicity than Kings players get in their careers. Combined. And Roenick hasn't played a game here.

``I love the guy; I think he should have been in L.A. 10 years ago,'' Luc Robitaille said. ``He's entertainment. If you think of the Lakers when they had Magic (Johnson), it was pure entertainment.''

Like say, perhaps, disco-dancing on the ice?

During the Kings' preseason game in Las Vegas, one of the plexiglass panes became dislodged. Ever impatient, Roenick skated over to offer advice to the rink crew, and during the break, music was played to keep the fans entertained.

Roenick began to groove a bit, and an astute rink employee shined a spotlight on him. Roenick began a full-out disco routine, pumping his arms as he skated back to the bench. The crowd roared and players smiled.

``Too many people in this game, they're strictly about, `Play hockey, play hockey, play hockey, don't smile, pay attention to hockey, concentrate, play hockey, play hockey, play hockey,''' Roenick said. ``This is entertainment. Yes, it's a business, but we're also in the business of entertaining.

``The lockout hurt us, and we need to find ways to entertain the fans.''

The Kings, however, lost the Disco Night game, and though it was just an exhibition, Roenick knows that some would be critical of his behavior during a loss.

``When you lose a game 2-1,'' he said, ``there are individuals around the league who would point to that. `Aw, he wasn't ready to play. He's too busy trying to entertain and fool around and bring attention to himself instead of the team.'''

``That's just a cop-out. That shouldn't be a problem.''

Roenick has had his share of management run-ins in previous stops; most recently, in Philadelphia, he was suspended for throwing a water bottle at a referee and once referred to coach Ken Hitchcock as a ``control freak'' because Roenick was unhappy about Hitchcock changing line combinations.

But Roenick also is the guy who returned, after 19 games, from a broken jaw and a concussion after being struck in the face by a puck. He is the guy who has never missed the playoffs, in 16 seasons.

``He's a really good friend and teammate, and at the end of the day that's all that matters,'' Hitchcock said. ``The people around him understand that. He just enjoys every aspect of sports and entertainment and certain people see that as attention-grabbing, but Jeremy is a very competitive person.

``We had a very good working relationship. He never detracted from the team and never cheated the team. The rest of the stuff made it interesting and kept you on your toes.''

Roenick drew the most attention of any player during the lockout when he said a segment of fans could kiss his backside. Roenick later clarified those comments, but they were a good example of what can happen anytime he's face-to-face with a microphone.

``I'm the same way at home,'' Roenick said. ``My kids look at me sometimes and they bow their heads, like, 'Oh my God, Dad.' I'll dance in the car, sing in the car. I'll be around my kids' friends and do something wild and crazy and my (11-year-old) daughter goes, 'Dad, stop it, you're embarrassing me.' I say, 'What do you have to be embarrassed about?'''

Rich Hammond, [phone]

rich.hammond(at)dailynews.com

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(color) New Kings center Jeremy Roenick has 475 career goals and 51 more in the postseason. He already is a hit with fans and despite a recent concussion, will play tonight in Dallas.

Noah Graham/Getty Images

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