Kings forward Adrian Kempe is now eligible for a contract extension and is currently slated to be one of the better options in a 2026 UFA pool. In an appearance on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio earlier this week (Twitter link), GM Ken Holland acknowledged that he’d like to get a deal done with Kempe and intends to ramp up discussions on that front soon.
The 28-year-old was a first-round pick by Los Angeles in 2014, going 29th overall. At the time, he was playing a regular role in the SHL which is impressive in itself for a draft-eligible player but Kempe wasn’t producing much offensively. Accordingly, one of the bigger questions at the time was around his potential to become a legitimate threat offensively, complementing his strong defensive game.
It has taken a while but Kempe has done just that. After having limited offensive production in the minors soon after being drafted with AHL Manchester and his first few seasons with Los Angeles, Kempe had a breakout year in 2021-22, notching 35 goals and making his first (and only) All-Star appearance. Considering his sluggish production beforehand, it was fair to question whether this was a blip or a sign of things to come so the two sides negotiated a four-year, $22MM contract that summer, one that bought the Kings two years of extra club control.
Kempe has certainly outperformed that contract in the first three seasons of it. He has notched at least 67 points in each one and is coming off a 35-goal, 73-point campaign in 2024-25, one that saw him edge past 19 minutes per night of playing time, a career best. Kempe has also been quite productive in the playoffs over that stretch, potting 13 goals and 10 assists in 17 postseason games, all against Edmonton. Suffice it to say, he’s looking at a substantial raise next time out.
Earlier this offseason, AFP Analytics projected a seven-year, $64.225MM deal for Kempe, one that would carry a $9.175MM AAV. When this contract kicks in for the 2026-27 campaign, the salary cap is expected to be $104MM at that time, a jump of $8.5MM. This year, the biggest contract for a winger was Nikolaj Ehlers’ six-year, $51MM deal with Carolina (a cap hit of $8.5MM) so it would make sense that Kempe’s number should check in a bit above that, at least based on the way the market has operated this summer.
A contract in that price range would make Kempe their highest-paid forward and second-highest-paid player behind defenseman Drew Doughty. With Kempe being among several contracts set to expire next summer, the Kings have nearly $38MM in room for that season, per PuckPedia, so Holland will have plenty of flexibility to work with to get a deal done for his top scorer from 2024-25.
8×9 and consider that a discount! Juice is money and still getting better.
82 million over 8yrs would be a great deal. 10.25 per.
Money getting silly. 8 figures for 41 goal and 73 point career highs?
Ehlers? Never scored 30. 64 point best season. Almost Crosby money.
Guys like McDavid should make more and guys like Ehlers less. Really good player, but no one besides his family has ever paid to see him play.
Kempe would be getting 50G / 100 points playing in Edmonton.
8 figures would be an overpay. He’s coming off a career year but if your career year is 73 points you’re not worth 10+. He is a great goal scorer I’ll give him that but if I was a kings fan I imagine his extension is gonna be hard to stomach.
So you are going to let your 2nd best player just walk away? Damn I am glad you aren’t the Kings GM.
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Kempe is our best player! 8 years @ $9 – 9.5 million.