Kings Sign Kempe to 8-Year, $85 Million Extension

The Los Angeles Kings secured a cornerstone of their franchise on Sunday by agreeing to an eight-year contract extension with forward Adrian Kempe worth $85 million. The deal, which carries an average annual value of $10.625 million and begins next season, keeps the 29-year-old Swedish star with the team through the 2033-34 campaign.

Kempe, selected 29th overall in the 2014 NHL draft, has spent his entire 10-year career with the Kings. He is currently in the final year of a four-year, $22 million contract signed in 2022 that paid him $5.5 million annually. This new pact nearly doubles his salary and makes him the highest-paid forward in Kings history, second only to defenseman Drew Doughty's $11 million cap hit.

Reports of the agreement came from NHL insiders Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet and Emily Kaplan of ESPN. The extension ends months of speculation about Kempe's future, especially as he approached unrestricted free agency in 2026. Kings president Luc Robitaille emphasized the player's importance during recent comments, stating, "Kempe is a very, very special player, special to our team." He noted that general manager Ken Holland and Kempe's agent, J.P. Barry, have been in...