KINGS WORRY-FREE WITH POTVIN KEEPING GUARD.

Byline: MATT McHALE NHL 

So you are wondering why many rave about Felix Potvin when his record with the Kings is only around .500.

Sure he was great down the stretch last year. But some fans are wondering whether he has enough left to get the Kings back to the second round of the playoffs and maybe beyond.

Be grateful your team doesn't have major problems in goal like many of the 16 clubs that will qualify for the postseason. Potvin is your man. Those teams have big decisions to make before next Tuesday's trade deadline. And quit asking when Jamie Storr is going to play again.

In the West, slumping St. Louis is waiting to complete a trade for New York Rangers goaltender Mike Richter, who played so well for the U.S. in the Olympics. The Blues, who face the Kings on Thursday night at Staples Center, were a day away from acquiring Richter last year until a blown ACL in his left knee killed the deal.

The Blues dropped to sixth in the West behind the Kings, and they know they aren't going anywhere without a top goaltender. Forwards Keith Tkachuk and Doug Weight are nursing injuries and Brent Johnson and Fred Brathwaite haven't built great confidence in net.

The Rangers, however, are going to flirt the rest of the way with the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. They haven't made the postseason in four years. Now might not be the time to turn the season over to 18-year-old Dan Blackburn.

Chicago, which lost 2-1 Monday night to the Kings, is a strong team despite several injured forwards. But goaltender Jocelyn Thibault has been struggling recently. His backup is former Kings journeyman Steve Passmore.

In Dallas, Marty Turco has become the de facto No. 1 goaltender even though new coach Rick Wilson says Ed Belfour remains his starter. Belfour, whose play has been erratic, recently trashed a dressing room in Vancouver after not playing. Trade winds were blowing in Dallas, especially since Belfour is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. But Turco has never played in the postseason. Even though the Stars look like they could lose in the first round, Belfour isn't going anywhere.

But there are plenty of teams that are taking a look at Belfour. Roman Cechmanek has a bad ankle in Philadelphia. Curtis Joseph has a broken hand in Toronto.

Despite the Blues' needs in goal, it is unlikely they would be considered because they play in the same conference as the Stars.

After that, there aren't many goalies left. Montreal's Jeff Hackett is out with a dislocated shoulder. Columbus' Ron Tugnutt is off the market because Marc Denis is hurt. Calgary veteran backup Mike Vernon is in search of his 400th career victory, but he hasn't played well and still has a lot of salary left.

Boston's Byron Dafoe also is unrestricted and playing well. But the Bruins, like the Rangers and Blackhawks, haven't made the playoffs in a while. He could stay put.

Toronto's goaltending is the biggest mess.

Joseph, an unrestricted free agent this summer, was ready to sign a contract extension with the Maple Leafs until talks soured early in the year.

He played well and became the starting goaltender for Team Canada in the Olympics. After one dismal loss to Sweden, Joseph never played again. New Jersey's Martin Brodeur went the rest of the way and led Canada to a gold medal.

Joseph was livid at coach Pat Quinn, who also is the head man with the Maple Leafs. Then he got hurt.

With a shrinking goaltending market, Florida's Trevor Kidd and Carolina's Tom Barrasso are the best bets for the Maple Leafs.

Barrasso, who won a game for the U.S. at the Olympics, has become a major player in all the trade speculation. He is an unrestricted free agent, one reason the Hurricanes acquired Kevin Weekes from Tampa Bay to back up Arturs Irbe. Toronto is interested but doesn't expect to make a move until the deadline gets closer.

Potvin's mediocre record is the result of an awful start when the team was struggling. He was six games under .500 at one point. But in the second half he has found his stride.

A year ago Potvin was brilliant for the Kings in all 23 games after getting booed out of Vancouver. He hasn't been as sharp, but he still rarely allows bad goals. The Kings' bigger problem right now is balanced scoring.

As for Storr, who is 8-4 with a better goals-against average and save percentage than Potvin, has had a valuable recovery year for himself and the Kings.

Last year, he clearly showed he wasn't an everyday goaltender. He didn't display the kind of work ethic in practice that built confidence with teammates.

Storr has improved in those areas. Next year is the time to compete for the No. 1 job, either here or somewhere else.

Felix Potvin is the best the Kings have right now. And looking around the rest of the league, that is pretty good.

TV WATCH

St. Louis Blues at Kings, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Fox Sports Net.

FROM THE BLUE LINE

By Matt McHale

RED HOT

Washington's Adam Oates leads the NHL with 53 assists and has three goals and 12 assists in his last 10 games.

ICE COLD

Eleven times this season, Nashville has been within two games of .500. The Predators record in those 11 games? No victories, 10 losses and a tie.

GOOD COMPANY

Calgary's Jarome Iginla could become just the third player to win a scoring title when his team did not make the playoffs. Wayne Gretzky did it with Kings in 1994 and Mario Lemieux won it with the Penguins in 1988.

HURT AGAIN

Already without Mario Lemieux, who has an injured hip, Pittsburgh probably won't have winger Martin Straka for Saturday's game with the Kings because of a sprained ankle. Straka also has suffered a broken right tibia this year and a fractured orbital/sinus bone.

BAD SIGN

Carolina's games Thursday against Pittsburgh and Friday against Washington, the two top teams in the Southeast Division, were not on television or radio in Raleigh. After all, this is March Madness.

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FROM THE BLUE LINE (see text)