Record Holds Coach’s Future

Andy Murray made it clear Thursday he is not concerned about his future with the Kings beyond this season, saying, “I will be coaching next year.”

However, exactly where he will hang his whistle will be determined by how his team performs over the next seven weeks. If the Kings don’t make the playoffs, it’s believed that management will be unlikely to exercise its one-year option on Murray.

The Kings are in seventh place in the Western Conference with 21 games left. “I guess if I was a first-year coach, maybe I’d be worried about it,” Murray said.

“I haven’t even brought it up to Dave,” he said of General Manager Dave Taylor. “I have been here for seven years and it has been a good relationship. All I can do is see what happens.”

Murray’s tenure has been mixed. He holds the franchise record for victories as a coach; he also holds the record for most losses. The Kings made the playoffs his first three seasons but have suffered late-season collapses the last two.

In addition, Murray’s relationship with players has seemed strained at times.

He benched Luc Robitaille for poor play in December. Robitaille, who was coming back from a broken leg, was upset he had to learn about the move in a general team meeting. In January, Murray benched Sean Avery, saying, among other things, that he had disrespected teammates. That prompted center Craig Conroy, an assistant captain, to jump to Avery’s defense.

On Thursday, Murray likened his situation to that of his players.

“I tell every player they are an individual business,” he said. “They have to play their best to make business prosper. You still play a team game, but if you don’t do your job, your business won’t survive. You’re self-employed. That’s the way I look at these situations.”

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Murray said the team is trying to get Pavol Demitra’s medical examination moved up to Monday, the day the Kings leave for a four-game trip. Demitra had bleeding behind his right eye after being hit by a puck during the Olympics and cannot play without medical clearance....The Kings will hold their charity fundraiser Tip-A-King at the Home Depot Center on Sunday. Tickets are available at www.lakings.com and the Staples Center box office. Autographs are $1, photographs $2.