Gretzky Avoids Media : Kings: He talks with coaching staff and teammates, then departs before he can be asked about retirement.

After the Kings held their final meetings on Friday, it became clearer than ever that Wayne Gretzky’s suggestion of possible retirement was not merely an emotional statement after losing in the Stanley Cup finals.

Gretzky met with the coaching staff and his teammates and then departed before the media arrived at the Forum.

“I tried to remind him of how much joy he has playing and how much joy we have being around him,” Marty McSorley said. “I tried to remind him of how much he missed hockey and wanted to play when he was injured.”

Said Tony Granato: “I’m scared at the thought some day I’ll be in the dressing room and I’ll never see him again in here.”

Coach Barry Melrose was surprised at the hints of retirement but received no indication from Gretzky what would happen.

“If you read his book, he said he wants to finish on a high,” Melrose said. “I don’t think he can play much better than he did.

“But I think Wayne Gretzky can only be happy doing one thing, and I don’t think he wants to play any other place. In a week, Wayne will sit down with Bruce (McNall). He wants some things changed.

“I don’t want this group to be broken up. . . . I’m very selfish. I want to keep Marty, (Warren) Rychel, (Pat) Conacher and (Gary) Shuchuk. Those guys are very valuable to how my teams play.”

All will be free agents with no compensation. With McSorley, the Kings have the right to match any offer.

The Detroit Red Wings intend to make serious offers for McSorley and Rychel, according to a story in Friday’s Detroit Free Press.

Neither player had a comment on the story.

Rychel’s first preference is to stay in Los Angeles. One of his fears was allayed when he learned he would not need knee surgery this summer.

“I think Barry is a big factor,” Rychel said. “I know he doesn’t do the contracts, but I’m sure he’s pushing for me.”

After more than nine months together, some Kings can’t believe the season has ended.

“It’s like somebody screwed up your TV set,” McSorley said. “You can’t get it tuned in, and you can’t get any other channel.”