BOND HEAD, Ont. (CP) - The Los Angeles Kings and leading scorer Mike Cammalleri appear headed for a showdown in salary arbitration next week.
''The Kings have yet to make me an offer,'' Cammalleri said Wednesday during the NHL Players' Association annual charity golf tournament. ''There hasn't been all that much communication. For me, I guess I can only take that as an indication of where I stand right now.''
Kings GM Dean Lombardi confirmed he wasn't any close to re-signing the restricted free agent.
''To be honest, we're pretty far apart,'' Lombardi told The Canadian Press from his Los Angeles office. ''But as ridiculous as it sounds, it's still early in the process.''
The arbitration hearing is scheduled for Aug. 2 in Toronto. Many deals are consummated at the very last minute, such as Ray Emery and the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday.
Cammalleri, 25, led the Kings with 80 points last season thanks to a career-high 34 goals and 46 assists. He's in for a raise over the US$1.7 million he made last season.