Adrian Kempe
Kempe with the Ontario Reign in 2015
Born (1996-09-13) 13 September 1996 (age 27)
Kramfors, Sweden
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position Right wing
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams		 Los Angeles Kings
Modo Hockey
National team  Sweden
NHL Draft 29th overall, 2014
Los Angeles Kings
Playing career 2013–present

Adrian Kempe (born 13 September 1996) is a Swedish professional ice hockey player for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Kempe was selected by the Kings in the first round (29th overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.[1]

Playing career

MODO Hockey

Kempe made his Swedish Hockey League (SHL) debut playing with Modo Hockey during the 2013–14 season.[2] At the end of the season, Kempe was selected in the first round (29th overall) by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. He returned to Modo for the 2014–15 season.

Los Angeles Kings

On 15 April 2015, the Kings signed Adrian Kempe to a three-year, entry-level contract.[3] He was then immediately assigned to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs for the postseason. The Monarchs defeated the Utica Comets in five games to win the Calder Cup.[4] In 17 games, Kempe recorded nine points.

Kempe spent the entirety of the 2015–16 season in the American League with the Kings' new affiliate, the Ontario Reign. He recorded 28 points in 55 games.

Kempe began the 2016–17 season with the Reign, but was recalled by the Kings on 15 February 2017.[5] He made his NHL debut the following day against the Arizona Coyotes.[6] He recorded his first NHL point on 21 February by assisting on Tyler Toffoli's goal against the Colorado Avalanche[7] and scored his first goal on 11 March against the Washington Capitals.[8]

Prior to Kempe's first full season with the Kings, he switched from No. 39 to No. 9.[9] He recorded his first NHL hat-trick in a 5–1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on 19 October.[10]

On 4 September 2019, the Kings re-signed Kempe to a three-year, $6 million contract extension.[11]

Entering his sixth season with the Kings, 2021–22 would be a breakout year for Kempe, who posted new career highs scoring 35 goals and 54 points. He would also participate in his first NHL All-Star Game, held in Las Vegas; he is the only player from the Kings named to the All Stars this season.[12]

On 8 July 2022, Kempe signed a four-year, $22 million extension with the Kings. Kempe would once again lead the Kings in goals scored, adding 41 goals to his total, and becoming the first Kings player since Luc Robitaille to score 40 goals in a season.

Personal life

Kempe was born in Kramfors, Sweden, where he also grew up. His older brother, Mario, is also a professional ice hockey player who played 52 NHL games with the Arizona Coyotes.[13] Kempe and Mario briefly overlapped in the Kings organization when Mario signed a one-year two-way contract with the Kings on 5 July 2019.[14] The brothers never played a game together as Kings, and after scoring 3 goals and 11 points through 16 games with the Ontario Reign, Mario was placed on unconditional waivers by the Kings in order for a mutual termination of his contract on 19 November 2019.[15]

Kempe's nickname is "Juice." The name originated during the Monarch's playoff run to the 2015 Calder Cup, in which the 18-year-old Kempe scored eight goals. His teammates and coaches described him as "having the juice" due to his impressive performance.[16][17]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2010–11 Kramfors–Alliansen J18 25 1 7 8 10 3 1 0 1 0
2011–12 Djurgårdens IF J18 18 9 7 16 8 — — — — —
2011–12 Djurgårdens IF J18 Allsv 16 1 3 4 16 4 0 2 2 0
2012–13 Modo Hockey J18 1 1 1 2 0 — — — — —
2012–13 Modo Hockey J18 Allsv 2 0 0 0 2 2 0 2 2 0
2012–13 Modo Hockey J20 39 6 7 13 36 7 1 0 1 4
2013–14 Modo Hockey J20 20 3 16 19 32 5 1 1 2 6
2013–14 Modo Hockey J18 Allsv — — — — — 4 5 3 8 6
2013–14 Modo Hockey SHL 45 5 6 11 12 2 0 1 1 0
2014–15 Modo Hockey SHL 50 5 12 17 42 — — — — —
2014–15 Modo Hockey J20 — — — — — 2 1 3 4 2
2014–15 Manchester Monarchs AHL 3 0 0 0 2 17 8 1 9 2
2015–16 Ontario Reign AHL 55 11 17 28 27 13 4 1 5 2
2016–17 Ontario Reign AHL 46 12 8 20 44 5 0 2 2 2
2016–17 Los Angeles Kings NHL 25 2 4 6 6 — — — — —
2017–18 Los Angeles Kings NHL 81 16 21 37 49 4 0 0 0 2
2018–19 Los Angeles Kings NHL 81 12 16 28 50 — — — — —
2019–20 Los Angeles Kings NHL 69 11 21 32 29 — — — — —
2020–21 Los Angeles Kings NHL 56 14 15 29 28 — — — — —
2021–22 Los Angeles Kings NHL 78 35 19 54 46 7 2 4 6 0
2022–23 Los Angeles Kings NHL 82 41 26 67 55 6 5 3 8 2
SHL totals 95 10 18 28 54 2 0 1 1 0
NHL totals 472 131 122 253 263 17 7 7 14 4
Medal record
Representing  Sweden
Ice hockey
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2018 Denmark

International

Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
2013 Sweden WHC17 1st place, gold medalist(s) 5 5 0 5 2
2013 Sweden IH18 7th 4 2 1 3 12
2014 Sweden WJC18 4th 7 1 6 7 16
2015 Sweden WJC 4th 6 4 4 8 2
2016 Sweden WJC 4th 7 3 5 8 8
2018 Sweden WC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 10 2 6 8 8
2019 Sweden WC 5th 8 3 3 6 2
2021 Sweden WC 9th 7 1 4 5 2
Junior totals 29 15 16 31 40
Senior totals 25 6 13 19 12

Awards and honours

Award Year
NHL
All-Star Game 2022 [18]

References

  1. ^ "Los Angeles Kings 2014 NHL and lives with his wife in Manhattan beach Draftee's". sportsmedia101.com. 28 June 2014. Archived from the original on 6 July 2014. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
  2. ^ "Kempe brothers to play together as Adrian makes debut" (in Swedish). Modo Hockey. 21 September 2013. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  3. ^ "2014 first-round pick Adrian Kempe signed to contract". Los Angeles Kings. 15 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  4. ^ Brindley, Michael (15 June 2015). "Manchester Monarchs Win First (And Last) Calder Cup Title". New Hampshire Public Radio. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  5. ^ "Adrian Kempe, Paul Ladue Recalled from Ontario (AHL)". NHL.com. 15 February 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  6. ^ Lee, Forrest (16 February 2017). "Preview: Coyotes at Kings". NHL.com. Retrieved 13 December 2018. Forward Adrian Kempe, 20, will make his NHL debut.
  7. ^ Pannone, Louis (14 November 2017). "Adrian & Mario Kempe Shining as Rookies". thehockeywriters.com. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  8. ^ "Kempe's first NHL goal propels Kings past slumping Capitals". sportsnet.ca. 12 March 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  9. ^ "2017 Opening Night Roster; LA Kings Recall LaDue from AHL, Martinez to IR". NHL.com. 5 October 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  10. ^ "Adrian Kempe's hat trick hands Canadiens sixth straight loss". sportsnet.ca. 19 October 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  11. ^ "LA Kings Sign Adrian Kempe to Three-Year Contract Extension". Los Angeles Kings. 4 September 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  12. ^ "Kings' Adrian Kempe makes 1st All-Star team; Doughty, Kopitar snubbed". www.ocregister.com. 14 January 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  13. ^ Vest, Dave (3 December 2018). "'Yotes Notes: Kempe Hoping to Play vs. Younger Brother for First Time". NHL.com. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  14. ^ "LA Kings Sign Mario Kempe to One-Year Two-Way Contract | Los Angeles Kings". www.nhl.com. 5 July 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  15. ^ "Kings put Kempe on unconditional waivers". The Sports Network. 19 November 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  16. ^ "NHL Power Rankings: A fun fact about every All-Star". ESPN. 2 February 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  17. ^ "LA Kings LW Prospect Adrian Kempe "Has Some Juice To His Game"". Frozen Royalty. 26 September 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  18. ^ "2022 NHL All-Star Game rosters, captains announced". .nhl.com. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.

External links

Awards and achievements Preceded byTanner Pearson Los Angeles Kings first round draft pick 2014 Succeeded byGabriel Vilardi
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