“Like to have them cemented” – Kings shift focus on re-signing Andrian Kempe, Mikey Anderson after trade for Kevin Fiala
Follow Us
Andrian Kempe and Mikey Anderson
The Los Angeles Kings general manager Rob Blake said on Tuesday, that the team has made it a priority to re-sign forward Andrian Kempe, and defenceman Mikey Anderson after acquiring winger Kevin Fiala in a trade last week. There’s a possibility that the 25-year-old forward will become a restricted free agent on July 13th after completing a 3-year contract signed in 2019. Till now Kempe has 54 points including a career-high of 35 goals, in 78 games this season.
He led Los Angeles with 6 points in the Stanley Cup Playoffs where the team got eliminated in 7 games by the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference round one. Blake noted, “One of the priorities for our organization is to get Adrian Kempe signed right away here”. “Then we kind of know our situation if we have to address a couple of needs in free agency.” Meanwhile re-signing defenceman Mikey Anderson is also a top priority.
Focus shifted to Kempe and Anderson
Defenceman Mikey Anderson has 8 points with 2 goals and 6 assists in 57 regular-season games while missing 22 because of an upper-body injury. He will also become a free agent by July 13th. According to nhl.com, Los Angeles Kings general manager Rob Blake further noted, “We have, obviously, projections on each of them. They are restricted, they’re not able to walk away, so obviously you have time to get deals done. There have been conversations with many of the RFAs and leaning in that direction, but (we’re) trying to kind of pinpoint it so if we have to go into the UFA market for defined needs, we know what we have.”
On the other hand, winger Kevin Fiala signed a 7-year $55.125 million contract on Thursday after his trade from Minnesota Wild last week. He has a career-high of 85 points in 33 goals and 52 assists in 82 regular-season games, and 3 points as a part of the Wild in 6 games during the Western Conference First Round. Last summer they signed a free agent Philip Danault. Fiala commented that he liked the direction the Kings are headed, “It’s just a great opportunity and a great organization”. “I see the team kind of coming up, you know? Made the playoffs last year, great group of guys I’ve heard, and on the ice, they’re just getting better and better. The future’s bright, I felt like, so I’m very happy with this.
Stay Updated!
Kaushani Chatterjee
(2137 Articles Published)