Adrian Kempe hopes to lead charge for Los Angeles Kings’ stretch-run turnaround

Adrian Kempe just returned from a week-long vacation in Mexico, hoping to recharge his batteries for a few crucial months for the Los Angeles Kings.

After starting the season strong, the team ended up in a deep slump towards the end of 2023. The slump lasted all the way to the NHL All-Star break, where the Kings’ crisis resulted in 14 losses over the last 17 games before the league paused.

For Kings coach Todd McLellan, it also marked the beginning of the end of his coaching tenure with the club.

“It’s always sad when someone has to leave the organization, whether it’s a player or a leader,” Kempe said. “I know most of the team liked him, and they have had him for a long time. He has helped me go from the player I was to being the player I am today. I have a lot to thank him for.”

McLellan took over as head coach of the Los Angeles Kings ahead of the 2019/20 season and had taken the team to two consecutive third-place finishes in the Pacific Division before this season.

The team’s interim coach is former assistant coach Jim Hiller. The new coaching staff also includes Ottawa’s former head coach D.J. Smith.

“That’s something that happens in this sport and in this league. A lot can happen when things aren’t going well for the team… Now it’s all about looking forward,” Kempe said. “We shouldn’t forget what was behind us, but we need to look forward and start fresh.

“I’ve had quite a few different coaches since I came to the Kings, especially my first years, but it was a bit different then. I didn’t really know what to expect, and I never had any coach for a longer period. It was a lot of coming and going. Now, I’ve had Todd for my last five years, so he is the coach I’ve had for the longest time in my career.”

The Kings’ slump saw the team slide to fourth place in the Central Division, holding one of the two wild-card spots in the Western Conference. They’re just two points ahead of Nashville outside the playoff line.

“Right now, it’s all about winning and making it to the playoffs,” Kempe said. “I’m not thinking about much else.”

Kempe has looked good with 17 goals and 44 points – good for first in team scoring. The 27-year-old is currently on track for 73 points, a mark that would beat his previous best 67 points from last season.

“My season has been a bit like the team’s season,” Kempe said. “When the team is doing well, you usually play well yourself, and when it’s a bit tougher (for the team), it’s easy to get a bit frustrated yourself. It’s been a good season for me and, halfway through the season, my best season in terms of points so far. That’s a plus I have to take with me.”

With 33 games left during the regular season, there’s still plenty of time to repair the damage done around the turn of the year.

“With the team we have and the pressure we have, we need to win more games at home to be able to make it to the playoffs,” Kempe said. “That’s our goal.”