Was he even on my list of players that the Kings were going to pick? Nope.
If it's such a homerun then why not?
Because I had absolutely no faith that he would fall to the Kings at 29. However, here we are, and Adrian Kempe is Los Angeles King property.
So first let's get a little of the pertinent information out of the way.
And before we go any further let's put it this way: I'm not putting him in the NHL yet, but in terms of a strong pick? I like this one.
So who is Adrian Kempe?
He's a 17-year old Swedish right winger currently playing for Modo in the Swedish Hockey League. He was one of the youngest draft eligible players, but also one of the bigger guys in many of the mock draft top 30's. He already has an adult sized frame at 6'2" and around 190. Here are a look at his career stats.
Don't be too concerned about that point total. Kempe has been playing in the SHL with grown man. At age 17 he was the youngest player on Modo's senior squad. A player who did something similar? Anze Kopitar. When you also look at Kempe when he plays against players in his age group, he has done quite well for himself.
Check out his stats from the 2014 U18 World Junior Championships.
Here are a few scouting reports on the big Swede.
First, from Future Considerations
"Kempe is a strong, bullish forward that has size, strength and a work ethic to match. He can be tenacious on the forecheck and never misses finishing a check. He has a heavy shot and isn't shy to drive towards the net"
Here is Dobber Prospects take:
Kempe has an excellent frame that moves extremely well chasing down loose pucks with an aggressive pursuit often initiating contact and engaging in puck battles with great success. His north-south style of game combines well with his strong skating stride as this power forward puts defenders on their heels with his unrelenting attack. Kempe drives the net hard and shows good puck handling ability, especially in the dirty areas of the rink.
Profile from: Brendan Ross of Dobber Prospects - Feb. 21st
North-south style. Center or Wing. Excellent skater. Engages in contact. Engages in puck battles. Finishes checks. Drives the net.
How badly does this scream Kings hockey?
There are a few holes to his game though, let's not act as if he is the next coming of Christ. There is a limited offensive upside to Kempe, and he may only pan out to be 2nd or 3rd line winger. He also has a lack of vision already playing in Europe, where games can be more spread out. When it comes to congested play of North America he may struggle a bit more.
All that considered though he is a bull in a china shop, and extremely hard-working and hard-nosed player. Most mocks that I saw had him in the late teens or early 20's. I didn't expect a player with his desirable skillset to fall that far. In the CSS Midterm rankings for European Skaters, Kempe was at No.3. In the Final rankings he was in at No. 6. That's right, he was ahead of both Jakub Vrana and David Pastrnak at the midterms. Vrana was selected at 13 overall by the Caps, and Pastrnak by the Bruins at 25.
By all accounts this is a homerun selection in my book. There were a couple players apparently on the Kings radar that they may have been trying to move up to select, however it played out where they were satisfied standing pat at going with Kempe.
He's only going to get bigger, stronger, and faster as he matures, and the Kings have plenty of years to let him develop. The Kings have a large enough window right now that having Kempe ready to step into the NHL in the next 2-3 year is not necessary. You look at that in comparison to a guy like Draisaitl who is likely going to be pushed in sooner rather than later with Edmonton.
Looking down the Kings pipeline depth chart at right wing now, you have Zykov, Mersch, Brodzinski, and Kempe. Four very difficult players to play against, each with a unique skillset to bring to the table. It's a great addition overall to the forward pipeline as well.
Usually Lombardi and Co. sparkle in late round selection, and maybe it was chance that Kempe fell this far, but they have made a fantastic pick up here.
He isn't from North America, he isn't from the CCHA, the WHL, or the OHL. None of these are normal things for the Kings. But when you look at the make up of Kempe he is definitely a Kings style player. That much is for certain. There is still a long road for him to go to prove everything. But overall this was a very solid pick by the Kings. You want to talk about a good fit, this guy is a pretty solid one.
He met up and talked with Daryl Evans after getting selected. Check it out.
The Kings have a ton of picks left in the 2014 NHL Entry draft, and rounds 2-7 will take place tomorrow. I'll try to keep updated as much as possible but more than likely will have a posting at the beginning of next week highlighting all of our selections. Unless there is some groundbreaking trade or something of course.
For now though, bask in the glory of your newest King.
Tomorrow's picks:
2nd Round (60th)
3rd Round (90th)
4th Round (120th)
5th Round (150th)
Car 6th Round (157th)
6th Round (180th)
NYR 7th Round (209th)
7th Round (210th)
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