Kings Select Kempe in Round One of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft
Published on June 27, 2014 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manchester Monarchs News Release
LOS ANGELES, CA - The 2014 Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings, the parent club of the Manchester Monarchs, selected forward Adrian Kempe in the first round (29th overall) on day one of the 2014 NHL Draft, held at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
Kempe, a 6-foot-1, 178-pound prospect who will turn 18 on September 13, posted 19 points (3-1619) in 20 games and was an assistant captain with MODO's under-20 team before joining the club's senior team in the Swedish Hockey League where he posted 11 points (5-611) in 45 contests. The newest member of the Kings organization was born in Kramfors, Sweden and now calls Ornskoldsvik, Sweden his home.
Director of European Scouting, Goran Stubb, on Kempe:
"He's a big, strong, bullish forward who can play center or wing. He likes to drive hard for the net, using his strength and skating to his advantage. He plays the body and is aggressive when forechecking. He has a good defensive game for a player with his offensive skills; mobile, solid and strong. He's a power forward, strong along the boards with smooth hands and is a very speedy skater. He's a solid two-way forward."
Kempe, joins his older brother Mario as members of the family who have been drafted by the NHL. Mario Kempe was selected in the fifth round (122nd overall) of the 2007 NHL Draft by Philadelphia. Mario has spent the past five seasons playing in Sweden, most recently alongside Adrian with MODO in Sweden's top league.
On the International stage, Kempe was a member of Sweden's gold-medal winning team at the 2013 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, where he averaged a goal per game (5-05) including a second-period tally in the team's 7-5 win over Russia in the final. At the 2014 Under-18 World Championship, Kempe finished third on the team with seven points (1-67) in seven games as Sweden placed fourth, falling 3-1 to Canada in the bronze-medal game. He also tallied three points (2-13) in four games at the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Memorial.
Kempe, who plays for the same MODO hockey program that's produced NHL stars like newly elected Hockey Hall of Famer Peter Forsberg, was ranked sixth among European skaters entering the draft.
The 17-year-old Kempe played with both MODO Jr. (39 GP, 6-713, 36 PIM; Sweden Jr.) and MODO Under-18 (3 GP, 1-12, 2 PIM; Sweden Jr. U18) during the 2012-13 season.
The Kings are scheduled to make up to eight more selections at day two of the draft (rounds two through seven), which takes place tomorrow, starting at 10 a.m. (EST). NHL Network and NHL.com will be providing round-by-round coverage.
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