Melrose Decides to Keep Raeder With the Kings : Hockey: New coach says he needs only one assistant. Wilson’s job remains in limbo.

Ever since the Kings lost to Edmonton in the playoffs last spring, assistant coaches Cap Raeder and Rick Wilson have been uncertain about their futures.

Raeder’s uncertainty ended Monday when General Manager Nick Beverley and Coach Barry Melrose told him that they want him to stay. Wilson’s future remains in limbo, but he will not be returning in the same capacity.

He may wind up coaching the Kings’ minor league team at Phoenix, replacing Ralph Backstrom, who resigned in June. But that’s not a foregone conclusion because a contract to coach in the minors is different from one for an NHL assistant coach. Both Wilson and Raeder signed one-year extensions when Tom Webster received his extension last season.

“My situation hasn’t changed,” said Raeder, who joined the Kings in 1988 during the Robbie Ftorek regime. “I feel bad for Rick. We worked hard together and went through a lot together.”

Wilson declined comment on the situation. He joined the team in 1989 after Webster replaced Ftorek.

During Webster’s tenure, Wilson and Raeder had weighty responsibilities, running virtually all of the practices. They also were interim co-coaches when Webster missed 15 games because of an inner-ear problem during the 1989-90 season.

Last season, Wilson and Raeder were behind the bench again when Webster was suspended for a stick-throwing incident.

Melrose, however, plans to use only one assistant.

“I do a lot of things myself,” he said.

It is unusual for an NHL team to have one associate or assistant coach but not unprecedented. Last season, Washington was the only club with one assistant. Several teams have three assistants.

But Melrose said there simply isn’t enough work for three coaches.

“He’s got direction,” said Raeder, who met with Melrose two weeks ago. “Barry takes charge and knows what he wants to do. He’s going to lead and that’s what we need. He tackled a lot of difficult subjects, and I like his directness.”

Raeder, 38, has had job stability in an often turbulent organization. Beverley is his second general manager and Melrose his third head coach.

Apparently, widespread player support was a factor in retaining Raeder, just as it was when Webster replaced Ftorek.

“Someone said to me, ‘Cap, you’re still with the Kings. How do you keep surviving?’ ” Raeder said. “I don’t know. I just enjoy coaching. Management here has been great with me. I’ve been honest with them, and they’ve been upfront with me.”