Coming up next for the LA Kings season reviews is the Los Angeles Kings’ premiere 40-goal scorer Adrian Kempe!
Season Overview
Kempe came into the 2022-2023 season fresh off of signing a four-year contract extension. Kempe was coming off a career-high in goals with 35, however, six of them were into the empty net. This put Kempe at 29 goals with a goaltender in the net, not quite cementing himself as a top-tier goal scorer in the league. Kempe still earned himself 5.5 million dollars AAV after his 2021-2022 campaign. The 2022-2023 season was a career year for Kempe, making his $5.5 million look like an absolute steal of a contract. Kempe lit the lamp 41 times this year; only three of them were with an empty net. This puts Kempe at 38 goals on the year with a goalie in the net, a 9-goal increase from his previous season for the LA Kings.
Season Stats
Kempe not only posted a career-high in goals but points as well this year for the LA Kings. He had a 13-point improvement on his 2021-2022 season. He played a career-high in ice time with 18:45. This is a 10-second increase from his previous career-high. Kempe also vastly improved on the defensive end of the ice as well this past season. He found himself on the penalty kill much more often this season as well, averaging 1:29 per game on the penalty kill.
Playoff Stats
Kempe continued to produce in the postseason for the LA Kings. He put up a playoff career-high in goals and assists. Kempe totaled five goals and three assists in six games, as his previous career high in the playoffs was 6 points, coming in 2022. Although he posted eight points in six games, Kempe was still a minus-two in the series.
Looking Ahead
Kempe is still locked up for three more years and has shown the LA Kings that he is a bonafide top-line scorer. Kempe will continue to produce on the offensive end and will keep being a top option on the power play for LA. Kings fans should be excited for the future with Kempe improving the way he has been!
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