Islanders End Ties With Kings in AHL

A Thursday phone message from New York Islander General Manager Mike Milbury severed their relationship with the Kings and the AHL’s Lowell, Mass., franchise after the Islanders moved four prospects from the team.

Milbury claimed the Kings’ prospects were shown favoritism.

“The only thing that matters to me is the development of our young players that need to play, and that’s why we’ve made this decision,” Milbury told the Associated Press. “Our agreement with Los Angeles and Lowell was that our players would play based on merit. That wasn’t happening.

“Our kids were taken out of the lineup for Los Angeles prospects when Lowell management knew L.A. scouts would be in the building. That just wasn’t fair.”

Dave Taylor, Milbury’s counterpart with the Kings, said the two had exchanged messages but not talked. Taylor denied favoritism.

“We think their players have been treated fairly,” he said.

The two have shared the franchise for two seasons, with the Kings providing about 75% of the roster and Coach Bruce Boudreau. Both teams will go in different directions next season, the Kings to Manchester, N.H., and Islanders to Bridgeport, Conn.

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Taylor said Thursday that he still had not made contact with Carl Lindros, the agent for son Eric Lindros, a restricted free agent who has been cleared to play by doctors after having suffered six concussions over the past two seasons.

Any team seeking Lindros will have to deal with the Philadelphia Flyers, who have the right to match any offer.

“I’m like everybody else with the feeling that he’s going to go to Toronto,” Taylor said.

Lindros has said that he would prefer to play with the Maple Leafs, his hometown team.