LA Kings Training Camp Preview: Adrian Kempe

Accumulating six goals in 19 games to begin the season, a stretch that isn’t up to Kempe’s standards, the Kings and Kempe agreed to a new eight-year contract extension with an annual average value of $10,625,000. The new deal meant keeping Kempe until his age-37 season; the Kings could get 3-4 more good years out of him before I expect his numbers to start dipping. With the salary cap and player salaries starting to rise exponentially, Kempe’s salary will be team-friendly in a few years.

Having gotten the contract signed, sealed, and delivered, the Kings’ season continued to be a shipwreck, but Kempe was one of the few bright spots, finishing the season with another 30-goal campaign (36) and a 73-point season to lead the Kings in scoring for the third straight season. He was third on the Kings in expected goals for (xGF) with 48.35, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Kempe also represented Team Sweden at the Winter Olympics in Italy.

2026-27 outlook

In his age-30 season, Kempe is expected to be one of the Kings’ best forwards and goal-scorers again. With the captaincy being vacant to start training camp, Kempe could be one of the players new head coach Peter Laviolette decides to name the 15th team captain in franchise history, but if not, he should wear at least an ‘A’ regardless.

Reports out there have indicated Kempe could play center this year, a position he once played many moons ago when drafted by the Kings, but I ultimately think that idea should have cold water poured all over it. The Kings signed Kempe to that new contract as a 30-goal-scoring winger, not a 200-foot play-driving center. I would expect him to play on the top power-play unit, the top line again with Artemi Panarin, and have Quinton Byfield center both of them at 5v5.