It’s time for another round of NHL rumours. The off-season continues to drag on, but there’s still plenty to talk about. Teams aren’t just thinking about the upcoming season. They’re also trying to plan ahead for at least the next few seasons. A number of big-ticket players are eligible to get themselves some massive contract extensions. General managers have to navigate the rising salary cap and likely rising contract values.
One player that’s in line for a contract extensions is a Los Angeles Kings star. This edition of NHL rumours looks at what that star player’s contract might look like.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
What Next Contract for Los Angeles Kings Star Could Look Like
Rumour: Eric Stephens of The Athletic hosted a recent edition of his mailbag where he took reader questions. The subject of what the next contract may look like for forward Adrian Kempe may look like.
Dropped a Kings mailbag this morning. Readers had questions. And concerns. And full-throated gripes. #GoKingsGohttps://t.co/XKQSWJUhrR
— Eric Stephens (@icemancometh) August 20, 2025
Analysis: Kempe is in the final year of a contract that sees him getting a very team-friendly $5.5 million salary. It’s likely the Swedish standout is going to get a hefty raise. The 28-year-old winger has become more than just a goal-scorer, as he’s worked hard to improve his defensive game. Kempe isn’t likely to get Selke Trophy votes, but is more than serviceable at his end of the ice.
Kempe is just one of a number of players that are eligible to become free agents on July 1. We could see some names like Connor McDavid, Kirill Kaprizov and Jack Eichel hit the market if they don’t sign extensions. However, it’s hard to see any of these players hit get to free agency.
There’s always a worry that a player like Kempe will explore his options and move onto a different team. However, Stephens points out that chances are low that Kempe will leave Southern California. Kings General Manager Ken Holland also said he’d love to keep Kempe.
The veteran winger loves Los Angeles according to Stephens. However, it’s likely that Kempe wants to get his well-deserved raise after that last team-friendly deal.
What It Means
Stephens then gets to work on projected what the next deal will look like. The Kings could have more room if captain Anze Kopitar does decide to retire at the end of the campaign. Kopitar has a $7 million AAV and a good chunk of that could be used for Kempe’s next deal.
The Kings do have to figure out what to do with players like Brandt Clarke and Andrei Kuzmenko. However, Kempe will be getting that well-deserved pay raise.
Stephens then projects what the next deal could look like. He uses Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart as a good comparable player. Reinhart recently signed an eight-year deal with an $8.625 million cap hit. Kempe will likely get something with a bigger cap number to account for the rising cap figures.
The Athletic’s writer suggest something along eight years and $8.84 million per season is a good starting point. Stephens adds that the number could go up to $9 million to account for the new cap. However, Stephens will delve deeper into that number unless the two sides agree to a deal before that.
Main photo by: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
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