Prospect Info: 1st Round Kings Pick #29 Center/LW Adrian Kempe

[damacles1156]

If you aim for a player thinking that they have potential to be a top six player, but they end up being a bottom six guy instead like Trevor Lewis then you at least get something there, if barely. If you aim for a bottom line player, however, and they slip slide in expectations then what do you have to show for it?

My thinking is that you look for guys that you think have the potential to be the best available at the time of selection. If he pans out then awesome you get what you intended and while it would suck to miss the payoff is much higher.



Perhaps it's a mistake on the part of Christian Ruutu, but he really shouldn't have said anything so concrete then.

There's nothing wrong in throwing out some canned ham response like: "We're not sure what role he's going to ultimately fulfill at the NHL level, but we believe he's a very talented player with a promising future and are looking forward to seeing what he can do as a member of our organization."



You're focused on the top six position, but best player available is the best at whatever position it happens to be, right?

Just to throw a name out a name out there as an example, but if Thatcher Demko happened to have the potential to be a legitimate #1 starter then regardless of how set we are in net could he net a better return than a 3rd line player?

I'm probably just going to drop the pursuit of this line of thought, but it just *really* feels wrong to not aspire for top talent in the 1st round of the draft and settling for what might be considered a safe pick. Especially late in the 1st round when it's almost a 2nd round pick, as you mentioned before.

Sure which is why I was shocked the Kings passed on Roland Mckeown(my best player at 29 pick).

But it's why Futa/Lombardi make the big bucks.

 

[Peter James Bond]

It's way too early to say that Kempe will be a 3rd liner. And it is also not a sure thing that he will become a 2nd line forward.

But I think from the last few years, you can put some trust in the Kings scouting staff
and some of the gems Futa, Yannetti anf staff have drafted...and then the development
team in O'Connell, Emerson, G. Murray and staff have been able to do with them in
development...along with further development in Manchester.

The facts are: Kempe is 17 and player 40+ games with MODO. Not too many 17 year
olds play in the SEL. Kempe played a limited role and had 5 goals and 6 assists.
Nothing wrong with that. When he played in tournaments against his draft peers
and in European tournaments, he was a point a game player. So that is a better barometer of his offensive abilities.

When you read that he was an alternate captain on the U20 MODO Team, that
is amazing. If you were the coach, you would consider ALL of your 19 year olds
for the leadership positions...and then if you could not choose 3, you would consider
18 year olds. You probably would not consider a 17 year old as one of the leaders.
He would have to be a pretty special player and person...one that the older players respected. It seems that the young players with high skill that turned out to
be 'busts' were not ones marked with character and leadership. 17 year olds with
top skills and leadership qualities more often than not, turn out to be good players.

I read Yannetti and Futa comments tonight. They say he plays big, battles in corners,
wins battles, does not take any shifts off and plays a 'heavy game'. And that's in the SEL at 17! A higher and superior league to that of Major Junior. How would have a Michael Dal Colle done on MODO this year? One cannot know. He may have not had more than 11 points in MODO. If you read reports on Dal Colle, he aparently lacks a physical game and 2 way play and may not be all that. There are no guarantees,
except for the Stamkos' and very elite.

Yannetti said he looks immature and young...not even has to shave. And that this is good, because he is already 6'2.5" 187 lbs and plays physical in the SEL. He said
in 2 - 3 years, he will be big and should be able to be that much better at the physical game.

Kopitar went to the SEL, after he was drafted. He turned 18 that August.
These were his totals:

2005-06 Sodertalje SK SEL 47 8 12 20 pts 28 -12

These are Kempe's totals at 17 years of age in the SEL:

2013-14 Modo Hockey Ornskoldsvik SweHL 45 5 6 11 pts 12 5

It is entirely possible Kopitar's numbers may have been like Kempes if Kopitar played the year before his draft, at age 17. AND it's entirely possible Kempe will score
20 points this coming season in the SEL, as he turns 18 in Sept, as Kopitar
did when he was 18. By the way, Kopitar played 5 games at 17 in the SEL and
didn;t score a point.

Not saying Kempe will be as good as Kopitar...he most certainly probably will not.
Then again, some call Kopitar one of the 5 best players in the game today.
However, it is not fair to say that Kempe's destiny is a 3rd line player in the
NHL. He certainly has tons of upside and skill to become a top 6 forward.
They say his skating is outstanding. Kyle Woodlief said he has a quick burst.
And Kempe already plays the Kings' style and will probably be 6'3 or more likely 6'4"and 210 when he plays here.

Sounds great to me.

 

[damacles1156]

It's way too early to say that Kempe will be a 3rd liner. And it is also not a sure thing that he will become a 2nd line forward.

But I think from the last few years, you can put some trust in the Kings scouting staff
and some of the gems Futa, Yannetti anf staff have drafted...and then the development
team in O'Connell, Emerson, G. Murray and staff have been able to do with them in
development...along with further development in Manchester.

The facts are: Kempe is 17 and player 40+ games with MODO. Not too many 17 year
olds play in the SEL. Kempe played a limited role and had 5 goals and 6 assists.
Nothing wrong with that. When he played in tournaments against his draft peers
and in European tournaments, he was a point a game player. So that is a better barometer of his offensive abilities.

When you read that he was an alternate captain on the U20 MODO Team, that
is amazing. If you were the coach, you would consider ALL of your 19 year olds
for the leadership positions...and then if you could not choose 3, you would consider
18 year olds. You probably would not consider a 17 year old as one of the leaders.
He would have to be a pretty special player and person...one that the older players respected. It seems that the young players with high skill that turned out to
be 'busts' were not ones marked with character and leadership. 17 year olds with
top skills and leadership qualities more often than not, turn out to be good players.

I read Yannetti and Futa comments tonight. They say he play big, battles in corners,
wins battles, does not take any shifts off and plays a 'heavy game'. And that's in the SEL at 17! A higher and superior league to that of Major Junior. How would have a Michael Dal Colle done on MODO this year? One cannot know. He may have not had more than 11 points in MODO. If you read reports on Dal Colle, he aparently lacks a physical game and 2 way play and may not be all that. There are no guarantees,
except for the Stamkos' and very elite.

Yannetti said he looks immature and young...not even has to shave. And that this is good, because he is already 6'2.5" 187 lbs and plays physical in the SEL. He said
in 2 - 3 years, he will be big and should be able to be that much better at the physical game.

Kopitar went to the SEL, after he was drafted. He turned 18 that August.
These were his totals:

2005-06 Sodertalje SK SEL 47 8 12 20 pts 28 -12

These are Kempe's totals at 17 years of age in the SEL:

2013-14 Modo Hockey Ornskoldsvik SweHL 45 5 6 11 pts 12 5

It is entirely possible Kopitar's numbers may have been like Kempes if Kopitar played the year before his draft, at age 17. AND it's entirely possible Kempe will score
20 points this coming season in the SEL, as he turns 18 in Sept, as Kopitar
did when he was 18. By the way, Kopitar played 5 games at 17 in the SEL and
didn;t score a point.

Not saying Kempe will be as good as Kopitar...he most certainly probably will not.
Then again, some call Kopitar one of the 5 best players in the game today.
However, it is not fair to say that Kempe's destiny is a 3rd line player in the
NHL. He certainly has tons of upside and skill to become a top 6 forward.
They say his skating is outstanding. Kyle Woodlief said he has a quick burst.
And Kempe already plays the Kings' style and will probably be 6'3 or more likely 6'4"and 210 when he plays here.

Sounds great to me.

Promising kid with size , the pick is fine.

 

[tsanuri]

You're focused on the top six position, but best player available is the best at whatever position it happens to be, right?

Just to throw a name out a name out there as an example, but if Thatcher Demko happened to have the potential to be a legitimate #1 starter then regardless of how set we are in net could he net a better return than a 3rd line player?

I'm probably just going to drop the pursuit of this line of thought, but it just *really* feels wrong to not aspire for top talent in the 1st round of the draft and settling for what might be considered a safe pick. Especially late in the 1st round when it's almost a 2nd round pick, as you mentioned before.

Since you mentioned a goalie ask yourself what we were able to get for Bernier? He was a known asset and we weren't able to get a good return. We ended up turning it into a good return when you consider that one of the pieces was used to get Gaborik. But the trade itself gave us really next to nothing.
You'll almost never get a better return on a goalie.
But I have to ask myself what has the staff done to make me question them at this point? And the fact they talked about trying to trade up to get one of those on their list and finally figured they didn't need to tells me they thing very highly of this pick.

 

[Moses Doughty]

Honestly, if he stays on the 3rd line, for the Kings that's not bad at all considering how we rotate out lines. Down the road when he is say 23 or 24 we could have a team where he is a 2nd line talent but we don't have space to put him up there. Assuming he plays wing and we roll with Kopitar/Carter/Shore or Prokhorkin(if he stays at center) up the middle, we'll have Zykov, Gaborik, Pearson, Toffoli, Brown, maybe Prokhorkin could all potentially still be on the team. Not even mentioning other prospects like Vey/Andreoff/Weal or guys like Richards/Williams.

It's not line that matters, but line is comparison to team talent. LA's 3rd line is like a 2nd line, while a 3rd line in Florida or Pittsburgh(depending on health) is in shambles

 

[DocWest]

The more I read about Kempe the more I'm excited to see him become a King. Hopefully we see him take the ice in 2-3 years.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

If you aim for a player thinking that they have potential to be a top six player, but they end up being a bottom six guy instead like Trevor Lewis then you at least get something there, if barely. If you aim for a bottom line player, however, and they slip slide in expectations then what do you have to show for it?

My thinking is that you look for guys that you think have the potential to be the best available at the time of selection. If he pans out then awesome you get what you intended and while it would suck to miss the payoff is much higher.

You verbalized it better than I ever could; that's my biggest pet peeve with drafting 'defensive' d-men and 'two-way' forwards early in the draft.

I think this kid seems to have a much higher ceiling than that, though; it seems like his floor is a faster, more physical Dwight King type, one that drives the net hard...and he's got potentially a ton of growing to do being so young (physically, but mentally as well). Fast, physical, big? Sounds like a perfect King. I too wanted a guy with massive upside rather than a 'safe' pick, but this guy is more than your average 'safe' pick. He's got a high floor but also pretty massive, untapped upside. The whole SEL is a pretty defensive league AND he's playing for a pretty defensive club; coming to NA and actually loosening up will blow his mind

Keep in mind that I'm also saying this as a guy who hasn't actually seen him play, everything I know is just on research today But I see a guy who lights it up when he's playing with his peers, and I think that translates well to a guy when he grows into his body at the next level.

 

[damacles1156]

The more I read about Kempe the more I'm excited to see him become a King. Hopefully we see him take the ice in 2-3 years.

Would only be 20 in three years, probably won't see him for more like Four to Five. He doesn't have hands like Toffoli, so he won't be shredding Manchester. Doesn't mean his hands can't get better, just that he doesn't have that scorers touch.

Toffoli has that scorers touch, you can't explain it really. Guys either have it or they don't. Also you can't measure it, or teach it.

Kind of like Face-off skill, Stoll and Shore seemed to have been born beasts of the draw.

 

[hangons]

Some important facts that nobody is taking about.

Kempe played on the same team in Sweeden this season with Robin Regehr's brother (Richie)... I wonder if they spoken to Richie about him??

I'm not sure if he played in the game when Richie almost killed that poor guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWIeQUK5hss (at 2:41 of video you can see our boy #36 sitting on the boards)

Also, on that team was former Kings first rounder, Jeff Tambellini.



Actually, these facts aren't really important but I just wanted to chime in with something.

 

[apadilla]

I don't know if you guys watched the Christian Ruutu interview posted by KingsVision, but when asked about Kempe he said the team views him as a F7 -- a third line forward that can play some minutes on the penalty kill and power play units.

For a 1st round pick I was hoping they would see him as having a bit higher upside than that. It really makes me worried that the team just took another Trevor Lewis going by the description given by Ruutu.

don't worry, be happy, the cup is ours,

 

[Telos]

He sounds like a center version of Dustin Brown. Pretty happy with the pick. Can't wait to see him in camp.

 

[Primakov!]

Since you mentioned a goalie ask yourself what we were able to get for Bernier? He was a known asset and we weren't able to get a good return. We ended up turning it into a good return when you consider that one of the pieces was used to get Gaborik. But the trade itself gave us really next to nothing.
You'll almost never get a better return on a goalie.
But I have to ask myself what has the staff done to make me question them at this point? And the fact they talked about trying to trade up to get one of those on their list and finally figured they didn't need to tells me they thing very highly of this pick.

Let's take the other part of the quote as well then.

We tried. We actively tried to move up. In terms of how close we were, we did. We tried to move up. It’s a little bit of a blue, but we made four or five inquiries to move up when one player was sliding. We didn’t get any traction. Didn’t get off the ground. Although we tried, it was never even close. It wasn’t a hang up, but there was no interest and not even any room to negotiate. We actively tried to move up, and it was a dead in the water issue.

The Kings tried moving up first and couldn't do it after five attempts so let's not make it seem like standing pat all along was their first choice. They had contingency plans to move up, move down, and staying put in play.

Link

And seriously, the goalie was just a hypothetical choice since I was too lazy to look up someone else. It could be a player from any other position, like Roland McKeown like damacles1156 mentioned.

So if I eliminate the specific goalie scenario and it's a young defenseman then what's the going rate on that instead of a (for the sake of argument) third liner? Of course I'm speculating here, but even in comparison to a goalie I have some doubts that they could net a 2nd round pick, NHL roster player, and a prospect.

I could be wrong, I'll grant.

The more I read about Kempe the more I'm excited to see him become a King. Hopefully we see him take the ice in 2-3 years.

Kempe is apparently in a weird situation where he was taken by a CHL team (Barrie Colts) in the 2013 Import Draft before the Kings drafted him so he's subject to the NHL-CHL agreement. Short answer is that until he's 20 years old he can't be assigned to the AHL so his only options are going to be Modo, Los Angeles, or Barrie until he reaches the appropriate age.

Voynov and Loktionov fell under a different category in that they were not taken by a CHL team until *after* they were drafted by the Kings.

You can read about the different categories here.

Link

 

[Primakov!]

don't worry, be happy, the cup is ours,

Never. You can keep your contentment to yourself.

Complacency breeds death.

 

[hangons]

Yahoo.. We got an A

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...14-round-1-report-card-for-every-team/page/15

 

[go4hockey]

Once again in Dean I Trust!!!! Dean & Co made a steal here. Very impressive to be playing where he is at his age and a perfect build for our kings. Size and speed keep them coming.

 

[KingsKnight]

Some important facts that nobody is taking about.

Kempe played on the same team in Sweeden this season with Robin Regehr's brother (Richie)... I wonder if they spoken to Richie about him??

I'm not sure if he played in the game when Richie almost killed that poor guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWIeQUK5hss (at 2:41 of video you can see our boy #36 sitting on the boards)

Also, on that team was former Kings first rounder, Jeff Tambellini.



Actually, these facts aren't really important but I just wanted to chime in with something.

Someone posted this highlight video in the other thread and I thought I heard "Regehr" the first time I watched it. Didn't think much of it til I read your post. He scores the first goal in this video:

 

[Frolov 6'3]

I know nothing about him but the pick looks good to me (size, age and description).

 

[10 ft. pole]

Columbus is taking our 2nd round pick this year. Does that mean we retain the Tor and our own 2nd round picks next year?

http://www.tsn.ca/draftcentre/feature/?id=120382

 

[lumbergh]

Can't forget the forward situation on the team now. Looking 3 years down the line, when a late 1st rounder might arrive, the Kings are mostly set on the top six. A prospect would have to supplant one of Brown, Kopitar, Gaborik, Carter, or Toffoli or hope to take Pearson's spot. They already have a guys like Zykov and Prokhorkin that might develop well plus a couple of centers that can play wing in Vey or Weal.

This is a pick that takes into account the amount of depth on the team. Be happy the Kings have the riches to be in this position. A top 9, two-way forward with skating ability and hitting? Perfect fit for a future 2nd/3rd line in 3-4 years.

 

[Dosing]

He reallys lives up to his name; Kempe= person fighting; (historical term) warrior

Always liked him, hoping he does well in la! (especially now that the wings aren't in the west anymore:p)

 

[KopitarFAN]

Columbus is taking our 2nd round pick this year. Does that mean we retain the Tor and our own 2nd round picks next year?

http://www.tsn.ca/draftcentre/feature/?id=120382

No, CBJ will get the leafs pick next year too.

 

[FrozenRoyalty]

My story on the Kings' first round pick...

2014 First Round Draft Pick Adrian Kempe Fits LA Kings Like A Glove

 

[Peter James Bond]

I think the age factor should be a huge bonus. Kempe is the youngest, highly ranked
player this draft. Let's say he was born 1 week later. And then this coming season
he puts up 25 pts in MODO (which is a lot in their 55 game season; their leader had 28 pts this year) and he fills out to 6'3" 200 lbs. And he palys great U20 tournaments.
This is all possible. Then, you're talking a top 10 selection in the 2015 draft...even with
the talent it has. Even Yannetti said 1 year makes such a difference in growth at this age. He said Zykov was one of the younger draftees last yr and he looks like a totally
different human being, 1 yr later.

 

[Sleeping Dog]

Seems like a great pick for the Kings. And after a season or two in MoDo, hope to see him play in Ontario. Really loving the AHL move to SoCal. (Sorry Manchester fans.) Will be great to see the future Kings so close to LA.

 

[timmeh]

Let's take the other part of the quote as well then.



The Kings tried moving up first and couldn't do it after five attempts so let's not make it seem like standing pat all along was their first choice. They had contingency plans to move up, move down, and staying put in play.

Link

And seriously, the goalie was just a hypothetical choice since I was too lazy to look up someone else. It could be a player from any other position, like Roland McKeown like damacles1156 mentioned.

So if I eliminate the specific goalie scenario and it's a young defenseman then what's the going rate on that instead of a (for the sake of argument) third liner? Of course I'm speculating here, but even in comparison to a goalie I have some doubts that they could net a 2nd round pick, NHL roster player, and a prospect.

I could be wrong, I'll grant.



Kempe is apparently in a weird situation where he was taken by a CHL team (Barrie Colts) in the 2013 Import Draft before the Kings drafted him so he's subject to the NHL-CHL agreement. Short answer is that until he's 20 years old he can't be assigned to the AHL so his only options are going to be Modo, Los Angeles, or Barrie until he reaches the appropriate age.

Voynov and Loktionov fell under a different category in that they were not taken by a CHL team until *after* they were drafted by the Kings.

You can read about the different categories here.

Link

Reading the link at the bottom of your post tells me different. And more specificlly these two sentences:

However, if they're drafted as a member of a European squad, and choose post-NHL-draft to play for a CHL team, they can, in fact, report to the NHL team's minor squads before the age limit kicks in.

As far as I know, Kempe has never showed any interest in playing in the CHL before.

No CHL involvement means no age restriction. Easy enough.

Again, as far as I know, Kempe has to this point had no involvement with the CHL aside from being drafted.

English isn't my first language so I might be understanding these wrong, but I believe Kempe could indeed play in the AHL as soon as the 14-15-season.