GRETZKY STILL A KING - FOR NOW.

Byline: Tim Trepany Daily News Staff Writer

In what some might consider an upset, Wayne Gretzky suited up for the Kings against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday.

Although separate reports out of Toronto have Gretzky all but dealt to the St. Louis Blues by the end of this month, Gretzky remains in a silver and black sweater.

How long he stays a King is a point of contention. Kings general manager Sam McMaster continues to deny the trade reports in the strongest possible language.

When asked again Friday how many teams he's discussed a trade of Gretzky with, McMaster said, "Zero, zero, zero.

"I don't lie. That's one thing about me, I may not be the smartest guy and I might be grumpy sometimes, but I never lie."

But the reports in the Toronto Daily Star and the Toronto Sun can't be dismissed so easily because the writers, Bob McKenzie and Al Strachan, have enjoyed close relationships with Gretzky and his agent, Michael Barnett, throughout the player's NHL career.

One of the reports said the Blues would pay Gretzky $9 million annually in a two-year deal; another said the Blues have offered Gretzky minority ownership.

Fueling the trade talk is a steady stream of comments from St. Louis management expressing interest in such a deal. Blues president Jack Quinn has compared a Gretzky and Brett Hull combination to Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris.

"If Wayne Gretzky is made available then the St. Louis Blues are very interested in having him," Blues coach and general manager Mike Keenan said.

Helping keep the picture cloudy is Gretzky, who becomes an unrestricted free agent after the season. He never directly addressed the possibility of him being traded, only the rumors, at the team's skate Friday morning.

"That's just the nature of the business when you have players with that kind of situation that I'm in, not being signed past June," he said. "You're going to get all those rumors flying around.

"I said back in September that we weren't going to sit down and talk to the Kings until mid-January. Until that point we were really just playing the game. What is being said and what is going on away from myself and the Kings is a little out of our control. A lot has to do with the teams involved in the stretch drive of the playoffs and maybe trying to add guys on the roster. Names start flying around and my name is one of them now."

Gretzky has said he would like to finish his career with the Kings, but he also wants to play for a legitimate Stanley Cup contender and has asked the Kings for assurances that they will try to improve. He and Barnett hope to meet with Kings management Tuesday to continue contract talks.

"My heart and my desire is still with this hockey club," he said. "We'll see what ownership thinks next week.