GOAL IS TO REMAIN HEALTHY KINGS' PLAYOFF HOPES HINGE ON OFT-INJURED NETMINDERS.

Byline: MATT McHALE NHL 

When Kings goaltender Stephane Fiset tweaked his left knee in a collision with former teammate Dan Bylsma during an exhibition game with the Mighty Ducks, it didn't seem like that big a deal. There were two weeks before opening night.

It's a big deal now that Fiset, always a slow healer, isn't getting much better. Early optimism made his return at one week into the season. Now it could be a month. Or longer.

Fiset's loss has a trickle-down effect that could impact the Kings on many fronts, from getting on the same early roll that helped the club reach the playoffs last year to the negotiations on a contract extension for captain Rob Blake.

If the Kings are just muddling through the season by December, the money people who are reluctant to give Blake the $8 million a year he wants will be saying, ``We could be this bad without him.'' The feeling right now is a deal will get done, but if it doesn't, they will trade Blake rather than lose him for nothing.

Certainly the Kings' Saturday-night meltdown in Buffalo could be written off as a bad night for a good team. And posting warning signs two days before they even play their home opener against St. Louis might seems premature.

It isn't. With the Blake situation out there, the Kings can't afford to slip into the playoffs on the final weekend the way San Jose did last year.

Jamie Storr's erratic play on Saturday caused concern in the dressing room as to whether he can carry this team while everyone waits for Fiset to return from yet another injury. The effort was dreadful against the Sabres. But the team also knows they will only go as far this season as their goaltending takes them.

In a division where making the playoffs can hinge on one or two points, the Kings aren't good enough to have too many off nights. Luc Robitaille wondered aloud if those missed two points will come back to haunt the team.

Two years ago, the Kings also were coming off a postseason appearance and things looked very promising. Then, in an Oct. 18 game against Colorado, Fiset and backup Storr both went down with injuries. The season was lost.

Fiset missed 12 games with a strained left groin and 11 with a strained right groin. Storr missed 16 games with groin problems and eight more with a sprained ankle. The trouble is the Kings can't blend the qualities of both men into the goaltender they need for the long haul. Fiset has the heart of a lion but can't stay healthy. Storr has superior talent and is six years younger. But Storr never has shown the fire to take over the job. He appears content to split the job with Fiset. Ask Colorado's Patrick Roy if he likes sharing the spotlight. Ask him if he knows he knows his backup's name.

The Kings have a quality backup in Steve Passmore, who played well last year for a bad team in Chicago. The problem there is that when Fiset returns, Passmore goes down and might not come back. He would have to clear waivers and in a goalie-poor league, and that isn't going to happen.

Against Buffalo, the team's collapse overshadowed Storr's poor showing, but players noticed his lack of concentration.

On the first goal, the puck sailed into the Kings end on an obvious icing call. Instead of letting it go and getting a whistle to stop action, Storr kept it in play. It wasn't his fault the Kings turned it over and the Sabres scored, but he had made a poor decision.

On Buffalo's third goal, Storr lost track of the puck when players piled up in front of the net.

And on the eventual game winner, Storr appeared disoriented when Dave Andreychuck got the puck behind the Kings net and scored a wraparound shot.

Bad goals or bad goaltending? The Kings don't have a lot of time to find out.

--News on Blake: There isn't any movement between the Kings and Blake's agent Ron Salcer, but that doesn't mean other teams aren't picturing the All-Star defenseman in their lineups.

After missing the playoffs two consecutive years, Florida was back in last season and thinks it can make a move on division champ Washington. The Panthers think they might get Blake, an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, to agree to less than the $8 million per season he is seeking, because Florida has no state income tax.

Several Panthers already are campaigning for Blake, who was named the league's top defenseman three years ago. Captain Scott Mellanby says he will defer salary from his own contract if it means getting Blake.

``He would make you a Stanley Cup favorite,'' Mellanby said of Blake. ``When I say favorite, I mean a top-three team immediately. I think anyone in here who wants to win a Cup would consider anything if it would help the team get Rob Blake.''

--One more time: Former King Ray Ferraro had an offer to join ESPN's broadcasting team full-time this season, but he decided to return to the Atlanta Thrashers. Ferraro has a contract for $1 million plus incentives after leading the Thrashers with 81 games played and scoring 19 goals. He played just 105 games the previous two seasons.

Viewed as a ``me-first'' player by many of his former Kings teammates, Ferraro, 36, plays on a line with Tomi Kallio, 23, and Brad Tapper, 22. To them, he's not selfish, just old.

``I'm going to really try not to think about (retirement) during the season, Ferraro said. ``You don't need any better example than (Buffalo goalie Dominik) Hasek. Last season he said it was his last year and he stunk. His mind was not where it needed to be. . . . When the season ends, I want to make sure I have nothing left in the tank.''

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Photo: Colorado's Patrick Roy, with a 1.38 goals against average and a .929 save percentage in the first two games of the season, is hoping he is also close to a contract extension with the Avs.

Associated Press

Box: NHL BLUE LINES