Allison

BOSTON -- Jason Allison came to Boston in 1997 when the Bruins wanted to rid themselves of some high-priced, disgruntled veterans.

Now he's leaving for the same reason.

The No. 4 scorer in the NHL last season, but a contract holdout who hasn't played this year, Allison was traded to the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday along with Mikko Eloranta for forwards Glen Murray and Jozef Stumpel _ both of whom started their careers with the Bruins.

The Kings signed Allison to a three-year deal worth $20 million, ESPN hockey contributor Bob McKenzie reports. Allison will earn $5.5 million this season, $6.5 million next season and $8 million in the final year of the contract.

Allison initially asked the Bruins for a three-year deal worth $8 million, $8.5 million, and $9 million per season. The Bruins countered with $5.5 million, $6 million, and $6.5 million.

"We had a great group of guys there. I thought we had a pretty good team," Allison said after practicing with the Kings in Tampa Bay. "It was an unfortunate situation, but sometimes the best thing is to move on. I think I landed in a great spot. I'm pumped up, and happy to be part of this team."

Eloranta, who had 12 goals and 11 assists in 62 games for Boston last season, was expected to arrive in Tampa Bay Wednesday night and play in Thursday's game against the Lightning. Stumpel and Murray, who was leading the Kings in scoring with 11 points, were expected to attend a game-day skate at the FleetCenter on Thursday.

"They're both excited about coming back," said Bruins general manager Mike O'Connell, who coached Stumpel and Murray in the minor leagues. "Both know the area. I knew them both when they were rookies. But a lot has happened between then and now."

The Bruins acquired Allison on March 2, 1997, along with Anson Carter and Jim Carrey from Washington for Adam Oates, Rick Tocchet and Bill Ranford. All three of the players sent to Washington had complained about management's tightfisted spending habits before the deal; Oates had been stripped of his alternate captaincy days before the deal.

Carrey, who won the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender in 1996, never matched that performance. Carter held out for a better contract last year and was traded to Edmonton for Bill Guerin, who went on to win the All-Star game MVP.

By giving up Allison, Boston was content to land two forwards who can play on the top two lines, a move that bolsters the team's depth and saves money, but sacrifices star power in exchange. Murray and Stumpel make about $4.6 million combined, and Eloranta about $600,000.

"We think Jason's a great player. We felt he could help us," O'Connell said. "But we felt that with the money he was looking for, he was ahead of himself."

O'Connell said the team was offering Allison a contract in line with what Martin Straka and Alexei Kovalev were given in arbitration, $7.2 million and $8.8 million, respectively, for two years. Both players had 95 points last season, as did Allison.

But the Kings were willing to meet Allison's price in order to meet their need for a front-line center.

"What was appealing about Jason, and why he was probably he was our first choice, is his combination of size, skill and ability as well as the fact he is only 26 years in age," Kings GM Dave Taylor said.

"We've been talking to the Bruins really since the summer. ... In the last week and a half they heated up and we got into a position where we were prepared to put two of our six top forwards in the deal. And to a point where the Bruins, I think, were resigned to the fact that they couldn't get Jason signed and they were prepared to move him."

Allison led the Bruins with 36 goals last season. After contract negotiations dragged through the summer and into training camp, he broke off talks and said he'd never play for Boston again. He gives the Kings the scoring punch they lacked in the early part of this season, scoring just 20 goals in their first eight games before Tuesday's 7-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Murray was the 18th selection in the 1991 draft. He played parts of four seasons with the Bruins and was dealt to Pittsburgh after the 1995-1996 season; his best year came with the Kings in 1999-00, when he had 29 goals and 33 assists.

Stumpel began his career with Boston, and had a team-high 76 points during the 1996-1997 season before the Bruins traded him to the Kings. He had 16 goals and 39 assists for Los Angeles last season.