NHL Los Angeles Kings

Los Angeles Kings Prospect Adrian Kempe Off to Great Start at World Junior Championships

Fresh Videos

By @powerplaywithcj

Adrian Kempe

Bill Steicher- USA Today Sports

When the Los Angeles Kings drafted Adrian Kempe in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft, they envisioned a power winger that was a force to be reckoned with offensively. The Kings have won two Stanley Cups by using a combination of skill and grit and view Kempe as a perfect fit in their lineup. So far, the pick is looking brilliant as Kempe is having a phenomenal year with Modo in the Swedish league as well as with Sweden’s World Junior Championship team.

With Modo, Kempe has recorded 15 points in 30 games, which is impressive as he’s playing against men as an 18-year-old. Kempe is seeing more ice time than he did last year and has truly become an integral part of Modo’s attack. Personally, I think the larger ice sheets in Europe are perfect for the development of a player like Kempe who has a “north-south” game to work on his skating while maintaining the overall simplicity of his approach to the game.

As a member of Team Sweden, Kempe scored two goals in their tournament opening win over the Czech Republic playing alongside Modo teammate and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect William Nylander. As much as I like seeing Kempe on the bigger ice, his game is tailored for the North American sized ice sheets the Swedes are playing on as he can wreak havoc on the forecheck and create scoring chances more easily for himself and his teammates. The Swedes will need more of the same from him as the tournament goes on if they’re looking to win their second gold medal in four years.

While the Kings still have one of the deepest teams in hockey and Kempe has to refine his game for a few years before he’s an NHL regular, there is reason to be excited. Expect Kempe to finish this year with Modo and likely play there next season before making the jump to North America. The Kings can afford to be patient with such a skilled player as he highlights the next wave of talent that will keep the Kings among the league’s elite going forward.

Share Tweet
Trending Now on