NHL Rumors: LA Kings 'more concerned' about locking in 29-year-old star winger for 8 years amid shrinking market

The Los Angeles Kings are focused on keeping Adrian Kempe long-term as his contract nears its end. The 29-year-old winger’s four-year, $22 million deal will expire after the 2025–26 season, making him an unrestricted free agent. Talks between the two sides are ongoing, and reports suggest the Kings are cautious about a possible eight-year extension.

On Friday's episode of the "32 Thoughts" podcast, Elliotte Friedman shared details about the discussions.

“I heard they're around nine,” Friedman said. [21:01 onwards] “I've had other people saying to me they got into the eight figures, you know, so they're at least 10, but there was still a gap.” “Kempe is 29, you know, if you're the Kings, you're probably slightly more concerned about giving him eight years. You’re going to have to go there, like you’re just going to have to go there. And maybe at the end of the day, Kempe shaves a little bit to make it work for the Kings, because he wants to be there.”

Kempe has been one of Los Angeles’s most reliable players since being drafted in the first round in 2014. This season, he has five goals and ten assists for fifteen points in twelve games. He plays almost twenty minutes a night and contributes on both ends of the ice.

Friedman also mentioned that the player market is shrinking, with several top names already signing new deals.

“All of a sudden, you know, like Kyle, the pool is shrinking,” he said. “I still think... Kempe will come off the board.”

This makes the Kings’ decision more important as they try to secure one of their top players before free agency. Kempe has expressed his desire to remain in Los Angeles. In September, he said,

“I love LA. My family likes it. So that’s the place I want to be. But it has to be fair for me and it has to be fair for the team to come to an agreement. That’s what we’re working on right now.”

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Eric Stephens calls Adrian Kempe’s contract delay with the LA Kings a surprise amid a strong start

On Saturday, Eric Stephens of The Athletic commented on Adrian Kempe’s contract situation with the Los Angeles. He said it was surprising that the team had not signed Kempe long-term.

“The fact that Kempe hasn’t been locked in long-term is a bit of a shocker,” Stephens wrote.

Stephens noted that both sides have shown interest in a new deal. Stephens added that Kempe’s price “is only going up” because of his strong start this season. He believes Los Angeles should act soon to keep their top winger in place.

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Edited by nagpaltusharn25