RONNING TO THE END AGELESS NEW KING ADDS PLAYMAKING AND EXPERIENCE IN THE POSTSEASON.

Byline: Rich Hammond  Staff Writer

Cliff Ronning wants to find out how far his little old legs will carry him this spring.

Ronning, age 36 and listed generously at 5-foot-8, became the smallest and oldest King one week ago when the team acquired him from Nashville, but his level of play with the Predators this season suggests Ronning still has something to give to his new team.

``To be his size and to play that long, you have to be doing something right,'' Kings forward Ian Laperriere said. ``He's very intense, he loves the game and he's going to bring that passion to the team.''

Ronning totaled 62 points in each of the past two seasons in Nashville and led the Predators with 49 points upon the trade, and now Ronning is being counted on to provide a scoring spark and steady defensive play as the Kings gear up for the playoffs.

More important for Ronning, the trade allowed him to play for a contender. Ronning had the rare distinction of making his NHL debut in the playoffs - for the St. Louis Blues in a first-round series against the Minnesota North Stars in 1986.

Ronning's St. Louis, Vancouver Canucks and Phoenix Coyotes teams made the playoffs in 10 out of his first 12 NHL seasons, but a trade to Nashville early in the 1998-99 season left him on an expansion team that hasn't come close to the playoffs.

``It was an adjustment,'' Ronning said, ``but my role there was to help the younger players develop, and playing on a team like that gave me a chance to play a lot of hockey and get some prime time on the ice, so I think that helped my game quite a bit. I had to keep the right attitude and play my best at all times, and that's really all you can do.

``At first (the trade to the Kings) hit me a little, but then I was able to look at the big picture. This gives me an opportunity to play on a great team and have a chance for great success and make the playoffs again.''

Ronning brings to the Kings the experience of having made a run to the Stanley Cup Finals with the Canucks in 1993-94. With a deep playoff run now a surprisingly reasonable goal for the Kings, Ronning's postseason experience will be valued.

Among the current Kings, only Ronning, Kelly Buchberger, Adam Deadmarsh, Aaron Miller and Felix Potvin have played in a Stanley Cup Finals series.

``If you watch those guys day in and day out,'' Kings assistant coach Mark Hardy said, ``they bring everything they have, whether it's on the ice or off the ice. To get all the way there, you need that special chemistry, and he's going to be a part of that chemistry.''

In three games with the Kings, Ronning has yet to score a point but has impressed coach Andy Murray enough to earn a spot on the team's top scoring line, along with Jason Allison and Ziggy Palffy.

Murray appreciates Ronning's versatility, and the fact he can give the team an offensive boost without slacking on defensive responsibilities. Murray hasn't been shy about shuffling his lines, but Ronning on the first line gives the Kings two playmakers and a strong finisher in Allison, a tough matchup for any opposing team.

``He's shifty, and he looks like Ziggy sometimes with his moves and his lateral play,'' Laperriere said. ``To have two guys like that, it's just great. He's going to be good for our power play as well, and he fits into the system well because of his transition game and his speed.''

It's difficult for a player acquired late in the season to immediately take on a leadership role, so even though he was an alternate captain in Nashville, Ronning will remain quiet and try to lead by example.

``That will take some time, but the one thing about this dressing room is that there's a lot of guys with experience. We don't need one or two guys to show the way or be leaders, because there's a lot of guys who have been in this situation before. Hopefully that will pay off.''

Ronning is in the final year of his contract, and the Kings will have an option to pay him $1.85 million for next season. That decision won't be made for a while, but Ronning said it's his goal to play ``a couple more years at a high level.''

``He takes care of himself, that's the bottom line,'' Laperriere said. ``He's probably the shortest guy I've ever played with, but for him to play 15 years, and he's not done yet, he competes and he takes care of himself. And he's got skills too, so that never hurts.''

RONNING FILE

Name: Cliff Ronning

Age: 36

Position: Forward

Height/weight: 5-foot-8, 165 pounds

Career notes: This season Ronning totaled his 750th career point (Oct. 30 vs. Minnesota), his 500th career assist (Dec. 12 vs. New York Rangers) and played in his 1,000th NHL game (March 9 vs. Florida). Before last week's trade, Ronning had scored 61 points in 62 games against the Kings, his highest career total against any team. He set career highs with 29 goals and 56 assists for Vancouver in 1993-94.

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photo, box

Photo:

The Kings' Cliff Ronning forechecks San Jose's Shawn Heins in the third period.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News

Box:

RONNING FILE (see text)