Kings Make Right Decision on Adrian Kempe

“We are thrilled to have Adrian signed for the next eight seasons,” Kings general manager Ken Holland said in a press release following the announcement. “He is an elite competitor who’s developed into one of the league’s most dynamic two-way forwards, and his growth since joining the Kings organization has been tremendous. Adrian’s presence both as a player and a leader is incredibly valuable to the team.”

Holland went on to add that both sides were committed to finding a deal that “reflects Adrian’s importance to us while keeping our long-term goals of building a team capable of contending every season in mind.”

Was It the Right Move?

Extending Kempe was unquestionably the correct decision for the Kings. Without his first-line production, Los Angeles loses a major scoring threat who’s also able to punch above his weight defensively.

Through 19 games this season, Kempe has already put up six goals and notched a team-high 19 points. Where he’s been especially lethal — and where the Kings desperately need his abilities — is on the power play. Five of his points have come with the man advantage, which further indicates how big of a linchpin he can be.

The Kings are currently in first place in the Pacific Division with 24 points, narrowly leading the Anaheim Ducks by one. There’s no doubt in anybody’s mind that the team wouldn’t be in that position were it not for Kempe, which is a major reason why Holland and the rest of the Los Angeles front office decided it was in their best interest to seek out a deal now rather than wait until the offseason.

Kempe Wants to Win in Los Angeles

On the Kempe side of things, it could be argued that he should’ve become a free agent and tested the open market. After all, a player like him could probably command an annual salary well above the $10.625 million he just signed with the Kings. But sometimes there are things more important than money, and all indications point toward Kempe wanting to stay in Los Angeles for the rest of his career.

It’s a noble stance that leads one to believe that his career aspiration is not to make as much money as possible, but to win a Stanley Cup in Los Angeles. The good news is that it’s an attainable task, because if the Kings keep playing like they are now, they’ll not only make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fifth consecutive season, but they might also actually win it all this time around. 

Of course, with all major transactions like this, time will tell if Kempe’s loyalty pays off, or whether he should’ve bolted elsewhere when he had the chance. For now, there’s no need to think about what could go wrong, because the Kings and Kempe have renewed their wedding vows, and it’s time to kick off the celebration. Both sides hope that the party ultimately concludes in a summer parade through the hills of Hollywood.