The Los Angeles Kings had a new scoring leader this season in the name of Adrian Kempe. Kempe has become the complete and best-developed player in the Kings system since Tyler Toffoli. Toffoli was traded to Vancouver in 2020 for Tim Schaller, prospect Tyler Madden, and a second-round pick in the 2020 draft. Toffoli produced his best season with the Kings in 2015-16, in 82 games: 31 goals, 27 assists for 58, for a league-leading +35.
Kempe, a dynamic and versatile player, has out produced Toffoli's best seasons in Los Angeles and has become a centerpiece for the idea that LA can actually draft and develop within a longer timeframe. His speed, agility, and scoring ability have made him a superstar on a roster that lacks game-breaking talent.
Kempe has out produced his previous point totals in the last three seasons. In 2021-22, he finally became a 30-goal scorer, ending with 54 points. Kempe became the first 40-goal scorer in franchise history since Luc Robitaille the following season, with 41 goals, ending the season with 67 points. This last season, he failed to break the 30-goal mark but became a more complete player, adding 47 assists to his 28-goal mark, good for 75 points in 77 games.
He has arrived as the King's best forward, or rather the most complete winger at a minimum. He did all this while not feeling like he did as much the prior two seasons, "I feel like I don't think I did too much differently from previous years. I got some lucky assists, but it's good for confidence too, for sure. It's something that I can still build on, I think." (Kempe exit interview 2023-24)
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Outside of the four-game sweep against Las Vegas in 2017-18, where he was held pointless, Kempe has carried the torch for the Kings in the playoffs. In 18 games against the Oilers, he has 11 goals and 8 assists for 19 points. He's the only player that has consistently been a threat in the postseason.
The issue, in the end, is the state of the franchise. With the Kings possibly looking to tread water to finish out the career of Kings lifer and captain Anze Kopitar for his final two years, will Kempe be the best player on a mediocre team? This could challenge the following stages of Kempe's career and the team's overall performance.
I am inclined to compare how the Flyers handled Claude Giroux. They wallowed in the mire while one of the game's top players played out some of the best years of his career on a poor team while their then management thought were much better and more competitive than they actually were.
Kempe can and will continue to be one of the bright spots on the LA roster. Moving forward, the roster is likely worse off than during the last two seasons, even with considerable changes to the system, such as a shift in offensive strategy (1-3-1) and slight personnel changes, including the addition of promising young players.
While it would be catastrophic to handle Kempe the same way Toffoli was handled, Kempe is in the unfortunate position of potentially spending his next few seasons playing for a regressing team in the prime of his career.
The Kings have finally developed a top-flight, top-line winger who can take over the game. Kempe should be a lock for 70-80 points, playing top-line minutes, penalty kill, and power play time. Playing him next to young Quinton Byfield would be the clear path for the Kings to regain some footing in their recent cultural breakout of disappointing seasons.
Unfortunately, the mismanagement of the current roster by Rob Blake and the company may come at the cost of Kempe's most productive years.