KINGS NOTEBOOK: MURRAY'S RETURN DELAYED.

Byline: Rich Hammond Staff Writer

The Kings could resume their season next Tuesday without coach Andy Murray, who was readmitted to a Minnesota hospital Friday night with lingering symptoms of post-concussion syndrome.

Continued nausea and headaches sent Murray to the hospital for the second time in less than 72 hours. That prevented him from flying to Los Angeles and rejoining the team for today's practice in El Segundo as planned.

Murray, who was involved in a car accident in Wisconsin last Friday, will visit a neurologist today in Minneapolis and learn whether he will be allowed to return to the Kings when they play at Columbus on Tuesday, the first game after the 12-day Olympic break.

``We're optimistic that he will be able to be there Tuesday, even if has has to travel directly (from his home in Faribault, Minn.),'' Kings senior vice president and general manager Dave Taylor said. ``At this point, we'll wait and see what the doctors say.''

Assistant coaches Ray Bennett, Mark Hardy and Dave Tippett have run the team in Murray's absence, and Taylor said they could handle coaching duties during games if necessary.

Murray, 50, suffered a concussion, four broken ribs and a separated shoulder when his car slid off an icy road in rural Wisconsin early last Friday.

--Been there, done that: When the U.S. Olympic hockey team played Russia on Friday night in Salt Lake City for a spot in the gold-medal game, the Americans had a small alumni association pulling for them in Los Angeles.

Four Kings players - Ted Donato, Steve Heinze, Craig Johnson and Mathieu Schneider - represented the United States at previous Olympic Games, and watching the events unfold on television brought back some great memories.

``I just remember it being so much fun,'' said Heinze, a member of the 1992 U.S. team, after the Kings practiced Friday morning and as they hung out in the dressing room to watch Canada play Belarus. ``Just watching this, it doesn't seem like 10 years ago, because the memories are so fresh.

``There was no pressure for us, but I'm sure it's much different for those guys now. We weren't worried about medals, we just wanted to enjoy the Olympic experience.''

Donato and Heinze, who were linemates on the 1992 team that finished fourth in Albertville, France, and Johnson, who played in 1994, all participated in the Olympics before countries were allowed to include NHL players on their rosters.

Schneider was a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs when he competed for the U.S. in 1998, and current Kings Adam Deadmarsh and Aaron Miller are representing the United States in Salt Lake City.

Heinze stopped short of saying that including professionals has harmed Olympic hockey, but he said the Games are much more intense, which is not necessarily positive.

``It's more about winning gold now,'' Heinze said. ``I talked to (Deadmarsh and Miller) before they left and told them to try to enjoy themselves, go out and see some of the other events and have a good time.''

--On the mend: Eric Belanger, who underwent surgery last month to repair a torn tendon sheath in his left wrist, was scheduled to have his cast removed Friday afternoon but is likely at least a month away from returning to action.

Belanger had 22 points in 46 games but has not played since Jan. 15.

--Gearing up: The Kings went through tougher drills Friday in the second of four days of practice leading up to the resumption of the NHL season Tuesday, and there were no injuries reported after the long layoff.

``When they come back like this, the second or third day is when you have to watch out for things like groins and hip flexors,'' Bennett said. ``We watch them pretty closely.

``The players and coaches are kind of on opposite sides. We want them to be a little more efficient and intense in practice, and they are counting the days until they get to play a game again.''

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

ANDY MURRAY

The Kings coach was readmitted to a Minnesota hospital with lingering post-concussion problems after a car accident.