Thanks to a strong start to the year and several free agents having been taken off the board already, Adrian Kempe of the Los Angeles Kings is arguably the best pending unrestricted free agent forward for next summer. Up to this point, the last meaningful update to extension negotiations between the two sides came a little over a week ago, when David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported that the two sides remained far apart.
Much of the gap between the Kings and Kempe is influenced by salary, with Martin Nečas ’s new extension reportedly prompting Kempe to ask for $11.5MM or more on his next deal. Before Nečas’s extension, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman had speculated that Kempe would earn $10MM or more on his next deal.
After Pagnotta’s report on October 30, there was growing concern that the Kings might have a more difficult time than initially expected in making Kempe the next centerpiece of their roster. Fortunately, a new report from Pagnotta today indicates that the two sides have re-engaged on a new contract, and Kempe is confirmed to be asking for a contract similar to Nečas’.
Still, Pagnotta cautioned that nothing was close to coming out of the weekend, though Los Angeles has upped their salary offer from where they initially started. Regardless, Kempe has proved that he’s worthy of becoming Los Angeles’s highest-paid forward.
Since the start of the 2021-22 campaign, Kempe has scored 145 goals and 286 points in 334 games with a +56 rating, averaging 18:54 of ice time per game. In comparison, Nečas has scored 102 goals and 266 points in 332 games, with a +16 rating while averaging 17:55 of ice time per game. Further, in the postseason, Kempe has registered 15 goals and 29 points in 24 games while Nečas has recorded nine goals and 26 points in 47 contests.
If you’re only comparing Kempe to his most recent comparable, there’s no question he’s earned a similar contract from the Kings. As of right now, Los Angeles has approximately $33MM in cap space for next season, with Andrei Kuzmenko, Corey Perry, and Brandt Clarke being the only worthwhile free agents needing new contracts.
Had one of the best value contracts the last 4 years! He wants to get paid and 8 years x $11 million should work!
If GM Ken Holland doesn’t get this deal done before the new year, Adrian Kempe will be hitting the open market next summer. The pressure is on LA management in getting this done because Kempe will get his market value on the open market.
Let’s be honest why would he stay there? Kings are going nowhere.
Sorry , Adrian Kempe is not worth even close to $11.5 m per. He is a soft one way winger and not a center. 5 years at $8.5m per is the highest I would go with Kempe. If not close then you have a pretty damn good trade piece since the Kings may be just a fringe/wild card playoff team at best.
Kings may look a lot different next season but with plenty of cap space without Kopitar and Kempe. Perhaps Connor McDavid?
Conor McDavid isn’t going to be a UFA next summer. If you don’t know, he signed an extension that runs til 2028.
I mean everything stated in this article comparing Kempe to Necas would indicate he’s worth a similar salary with the cap going up exponentially. Additionally, watching Kempe play consistently, he has an edge to his game that many other skilled forwards lack and he’s good defensively as well. He’ll get around 11 million easy and the Kings would be foolish not to sign him long term
Hope the Kings make that mistake. They are a spiraling downward organization and an 8-yr 11mil contract will hasten that downward spiral.
I don’t like the direction of the organization as much as the next fan with them being stuck in the past. He scores and is effective in spite of the type of game they play. They may spiral downward as you put it but Kempe signing that contract won’t be a primary reason why
You had better do some reason son. McDavid is not coming to the Kings anytime soon. BTW Kempe is going to get what he wants and he will be the face of the Kings for the next few years. You really don’t know anything about the Kings.
He’ll GET max term and $11 MM from someone, sure, but he’ll be 30 when the next contract starts, and it’ll just be Yet Another Max Term Deal that winds up aging badly.