Kings Reportedly Discuss Comeback With Ex-Soviet Goaltender Tretiak
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TORONTO — The Kings have been in contact with Vladislav Tretiak, the former star goaltender of the Soviet national team, to discuss a comeback, the Toronto Star reported Wednesday.
The newspaper said that King center Wayne Gretzky called Tretiak, who is teaching at a hockey school in Montreal, to determine his interest.
The Kings will also seek to switch divisions with the Toronto Maple Leafs when the National Hockey League’s board of governors meets next week.
The Kings want to move to the Norris Division to join the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues and Minnesota North Stars. Toronto would take the Kings’ place in the Smythe Division and join the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets and Vancouver Canucks.
Last year, the Kings put the same proposal to the board, and it was narrowly rejected.
With Gretzky in the lineup, the Kings are confident they can maneuver the switch beginning in the 1989-90 season.
The Kings want the change to reduce travel costs and to bring more U.S. teams to Los Angeles. Moving the Maple Leafs to the Smythe Division would give the NHL an all-Canadian division.
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