Kings’ Adrian Kempe reportedly agrees to $85 million max extension
The “Juice” will flow for another eight years as the Kings and Adrian Kempe have agreed to an $85 million, maximum-term contract extension.
The pact was first reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
Kempe, 29, is on track to lead the club in points for a third straight season. His 145 goals since his breakout campaign of 2021-22 place him 21st in the NHL during that span.
He has also proven extremely versatile, playing not only all situations but all positions. He broke into the league as a center but has flourished on Anže Kopitar’s wing and also filled in on defense intermittently.
Kempe represents Sweden internationally and will do so for the first time at the Olympics come February, when the NHL will send its best and brightest to Milan. He was part of the initial group of six players named to the Tre Kronor selection this past summer.
Kempe’s signing ended months of speculation, fueled in no small part by the Kings’ inability to retain Matt Roy and Vladislav Gavrikov in consecutive offseasons. In all three cases, the Kings expressed high interest and varying levels of certainty that the players would re-sign.
Kempe joined Jack Eichel, Kyle Connor, Martin Necas, Kirill Kaprizov and Connor McDavid among the high-profile forwards to avert free agency with a recent extension. His new annual average value is nearly double his previous per annum of $5.5 million.
The deal is the richest in franchise history for a forward and second only to defenseman Drew Doughty’s eight-year, $88 million contract set to expire after next season.