Kings’ Adrian Kempe is chasing glory with Sweden once again
This article originally appeared on hockeysverige.se and has been translated from Swedish to English.
Tonight, it all kicks off.
The puck will drop for the 4 Nations Face-Off tonight for Canada vs. Sweden. For the first time in eight and a half years, international hockey will be played with the best players in the world.
One player who is excited for the tournament is Los Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe.
“It’s going to be so much fun,” Kempe said. “It’s something I’ve been looking forward to, and of course, I’m really happy to be part of it. It’s been a dream to be included in the best team that Sweden can offer. Especially with the Olympics next year and everything like that, I think this is a great tournament to showcase yourself and also to come together as a team.
“It might not be the exact same team now as for the Olympics, but many of us will be in both, and I think it will be good for us to build chemistry ahead of that as well. I’m really looking forward to it, it’s going to be so much fun.”
Kempe has been a loyal player for Tre Kronor and has often made himself available to play in the World Championship. He has played in four World Championships – 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2024. Most notably, he won gold back in 2018.
However, last year’s tournament wasn’t a highlight for the 28-year-old forward. Kempe was brought in as the final piece of the puzzle for Tre Kronor and was expected to lead the offense with his scoring ability. But instead, he struggled to find the back of the net throughout the tournament. Even though he won a bronze medal, Kempe finished the tournament without scoring a goal in 10 games.
“Redemption or not… Of course, you want to score as many goals as possible when playing for Sweden,” Kempe said about trying to one-up his play in Czechia. “Things will be different now with everything on the smaller rink instead of the bigger one. It feels like my game suits the smaller rink better, with tighter spaces and being closer to the net.”
“Hopefully, I will be able to utilize my shot and my speed more than on the big rink, where you often face teams that just pack in and wait for you to make a move. Now, it will be more offensive hockey, especially since we’re playing against such strong teams. Hopefully, I can use my speed and my shot to Sweden’s advantage here on the smaller rink.”
The Kings are in a good spot to make the playoffs in the Pacific Division, but they’ll be underrepresented in Montreal and Boston over the next week. Kempe and Canada’s Drew Doughty will be the only two players heading over from California.
Sweden will be missing William Karlsson in the tournament due to injury, with Rickard Rakell being called up to the team instead. One center out, one winger in. This has led to speculation that Kempe might step in as a center. Even though he plays as a winger in LA alongside Anze Kopitar, Kempe has played center earlier in his career and is capable of handling both positions.
However, Kempe expects to play on the wing for Sweden.
“I’ve played wing for the last four to five years, and that’s where I feel most comfortable. I haven’t played center much in recent years, but I know I can still play there if needed.” “It feels like we have pretty strong centers in the team already. I’m fairly certain I’ll be playing as a winger. Can I play both positions? Yes, absolutely. But the wing is where I feel most comfortable, and that’s also where I’ve played my best hockey in recent years. I think that’s where I’ll be playing.”
The star does not have any preference regarding linemates, though.
“I have played with William (Nylander) when we were younger, before we were drafted. But otherwise, I could play with anyone,” Kempe said. “There are so many incredibly skilled players, like (Jesper) Bratt and ‘Nyllet.’ It would be fun to play with them and see what kind of chemistry we can build during the tournament.”
This summer, Kempe is eligible to sign an extension with the Kings, with his current deal expiring in 2026.
“We haven’t talked about it at all. I haven’t really thought about it either, considering I have another season after this one. Usually, you start thinking about it during your contract year,” Kempe said. “I’m not thinking about it now. I’m just trying to go out and play my game and do the best I can. Hopefully, I can get the best contract possible, whether it’s this summer or the next. We’ll see. It’s not something I’m focusing on now. But we haven’t started any discussions yet.”
Does he hope to stick around in Los Angeles?
“Yes, I really enjoy it here,” Kempe said. “I’ve been here for so long now that this has become my home. Hopefully, the team will continue in the right direction and remain a playoff team because then I’ll be very happy here and will always want to play here. Of course, it’s not only up to me, so we’ll see what happens next year. But I really like it in L.A. and have ever since I got here, so I have no need to move right now.”
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