Prospect Watch: Adrian Kempe
Jun 27, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Adrian Kempe puts on a team cap after being selected as the number twenty-nine overall pick to the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
RinkRoyalty will be reviewing the progress of Los Angeles Kings prospects every Wednesday as the season continues into full swing.
This week’s edition of Prospect Watch takes a look at a forward who happens to be the Kings 2014 first round draft pick: Adrian Kempe.
With the 29th overall pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft the Kings selected a 6’2, 187 pound Swedish center. The 18-year-old Kempe is currently embarking on his second year with MODO Hockey.
MODO Hockey is a professional team in Sweden’s premier Swedish Hockey League (formerly Elitserien). The team’s home is Ornskoldsvik, Sweden, which is 53 miles from Kempe’s home town of Kramfors.
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Kempe is a big-bodied, physical forward who can play center or left wing. Kempe shoots the puck left, meaning his bottom hand when holding a hockey stick is his left. Kempe fits the typical mold that Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi looks for: aggressive, big-strong players with a never quit persona, that can fill multiple roles and positions on the roster. Finding these rare players give the Kings lineup flexibility, and makes it difficult for other teams to generate competitive match ups.
In 2013-2014 Kempe split time between MODO’s J20 team in the SuperElite league; Sweden’s equivalent of a junior league, similar to Canada’s Ontario Hockey League or the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. After 20 games, in which Kempe put up 3 goals, 16 assists and 19 points Kempe was called up to MODO’s professional team. In 45 games in the SHL Kempe scored 5 goals, and 6 assists for 11 points.
16 games into the 2014-2015 season Kempe has 2 goals, 5 assists and 7 points. It doesn’t look like Kempe will be splitting time between teams this season. We’ll continue to keep an eye out on the Kings young prospect as the season continues.
For Kempe it’s not so much about his numbers and production as it is how he plays the game. Kempe is very young, at his age the numbers and stats will come, it’s more about how he performs against more experienced, more talented, bigger, stronger players.
Here’s a taste of what the youngster brings to the table:
Please forgive the large advertisements taking up the circles on the ice. It’s something that has become standard in European hockey, and if we’re not devout and outspoken as fans, something that may become the norm in the NHL.
That aside, Kempe’s got some pretty sweet hands eh? Kempe’s wearing #51 for MODO, but if you sub out the 5 for another 1, he may look like someone familiar . . .
In fact a player with a similar skill set played his pre-NHL hockey in Sweden. Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) played pro hockey for Sodertalje SK in the Hockey Allsvenskan league, Sweden’s second highest league.
Kempe is clearly a skilled player, who adds size and speed to his repertoire of assets. Kempe has a reputation for being a strong, fast skater who isn’t afraid to drive to the net hard. Kempe doesn’t shy away from contact or hard work along the boards either. The aggressive drive and hungry work ethic is the exact attitude that the Kings look for, because it’s the attitude they personify in the extremely competitive Western Conference.
Kempe attended this year’s Kings rookie training camp, where he got a chance to skate with a few Kings regulars like Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson, who have shown this season that they are budding stars in their own right. Of the experience Kempe said, “They play real fast hockey, a real physical game,” Kempe said. “That’s what I’m going to do too. That play fits me pretty good.”
The Kings are all set at forward this year, which works in Kempe’s favor. Kempe can continue to refine his game in the SHL. In fact Kempe has one year left on his contract with MODO hockey. Kempe can take his time to grow more, and continue to get comfortable with his size. In a year or two Kempe will show up at Kings training camp, and not only will he be ready to make the team, he’ll be ready to step into the NHL and make a difference.