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NHL Notebook: Adrian Kempe signs eight-year contract extension with Kings
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Photo credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
Tyler Kuehl
Nov 17, 2025, 15:00 ESTUpdated: Nov 17, 2025, 15:45 EST
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Another one of the big-name potential unrestricted free agents was taken off the board.
On Sunday, the Los Angeles Kings signed forward Adrian Kempe to an eight-year contract extension. The deal, worth a total of $85 million, will carry an AAV of $10.625 million through the 2033-34 season.
At one point, Kempe was considered a hot ticket for the coming summer. However, the Kings realized that it made sense to get the deal on a player who can lead the franchise long after Anze Kopitar hangs up his skates.
The 29-year-old is on the final year of his current deal, which carries a cap hit of $4.5 million. His value to the Kings has been astronomical over the past few seasons. Along with scoring a career-high 41 goals in 2022-23, Kempe has reached at least 60 points over the past three years. Last spring, he gave the Edmonton Oilers a run for their money in the first round, potting 10 points in the six-game series.
The Swedish winger is off to another great start this season, notching six goals and 13 assists for 19 points in 19 games. In 649 career regular-season games, Kempe has scored 200 goals and 220 assists for 420 points. He’s also posted 29 points in 28 postseason affairs.

Other news and notes…

  • Everyone’s second-favorite team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, has some injury woes to deal with. The team placed defenceman Brandon Carlo on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. The 28-year-old missed this past Saturday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks and is eligible to return to the lineup this coming Saturday. Also, forward Nic Roy is out with an upper-body injury, with no timeline for his return. In response, the Leafs called up forward Jacob Quillan from their American Hockey League affiliate, the Toronto Marlies.
  • The Dallas Stars have put a couple of key players on long-term injured reserve, as forwards Matt Duchene and Adam Erne were put on LTIR on Monday. Duchene’s placement is retroactive to Oct. 18, which was the last time he played. The veteran has been working the get back from an upper-body injury. Erne, suffering from a lower-body injury, has been out since Nov. 11.
  • The last notable star to be put on the shelf is Kings’ defenceman Drew Doughty. He is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury. The Conn Smythe Trophy winner was injured this past Saturday against the Ottawa Senators after blocking a shot. The team confirmed the injury isn’t related to the ankle injury that kept him out for a good chunk of the 2024-25 season.

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