KINGS REPORT : Galley Showing Coach, Himself He’s Still Able

King Coach Andy Murray took Garry Galley aside Friday and told him he has been the best defenseman in training camp.

Paired with newcomer Frantisek Kaberle, who also has been extremely effective, “he’s been head and shoulders above everybody else,” Murray said of Galley, who is being given tonight off while many of the other Kings are in Las Vegas to play their exhibition opener against Phoenix.

“He’s been an energetic leader for us, and I think for a veteran player like that . . . to buy into the things we’re doing has been great.”

In Galley’s case, it’s a matter of trying to reverse the course of his career.

His summer involved first having a stomach tear surgically repaired, then losing five to seven pounds, regaining leg strength and overhauling the diet for his entire family.

At 36, and after spending much of the first part of last season on the bench, “I want to prove things to myself, to answer all those questions in my head,” Galley said. “I want to make sure they aren’t there any more.”

Also, he’s in the final year of his contract.

“I still enjoy being around the game, I cherish it,” Galley said. “This is my 16th year, and I’m not looking past it. . . .

“After it we’ll look ahead and see if there’s something there for Garry Galley. If I do my part of the bargain, there will be. If I don’t, there won’t be.”

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The Kings made their first cuts, sending goalie Alexey Volkov to Halifax of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, defenseman Joe Rullier to Rimouski, also of the QMJHL; goalie Cory Campbell to Belleville of the Ontario Hockey League, and right winger Brian McGrattan to Sudbury, also of the OHL.

They also released left wings Jimmy Roy and Dmitri Leonov and defenseman Reid Simonton.

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After learning that Phoenix was bringing a depleted squad to Las Vegas for tonight’s exhibition opener, saving the likes of Jeremy Roenick, Keith Tkachuk, Travis Green and Dallas Drake for its home opener on Sunday, Murray altered his own team, opting to keep the line of Donald Audette-Bryan Smolinski-Glen Murray at home and taking along one of Vladimir Tsyplakov-Len Barrie-Pavel Rosa.

Center Jason Blake’s knee was determined to be “sprained” after he twisted it in a Thursday scrimmage. He is listed as day to day.