Kempe Contract Watch Thread

LAKingSteve

Super Star
Discussions began over the summer with a goal to sign him before camp from what I understand. It's been awfully quiet on the news front...until now. Pay the man. You cannot let him walk after the season ends nor should they trade him.


"...while over there summer there seemed to be a financial gap between Kempe and the Los Angeles Kings – and I’m not sure that has closed much, so far.

Kempe is looking for a deal in the $10 million AAV range over eight years, while the Kings started talks under the $9 million mark. With Anze Kopitar likely playing in his last NHL season, the Kings want to compete this season and getting Kempe locked into a new deal is important."
 
The kings are operating in a non growing cap fantasy and it's clearly costing them to pay third line D and not first line Forwards
I think they will get to the $10M number eventually. Didn't expect the Kings to give him what he wants right off the bat. We'll see what happens, hopefully before training camp.
 
Sadly, I believe Juice will move on rather than taking a “team friendly” deal. A diminished Drew Doughty is making $11 million but it seems the Kings want to nickel/dime their best player… the lack of news doesn’t bode well.
Understandable as he's been on a team friendly deal for quite some time now. It's time for the Kings to pay the man.

Seriously, with the amount of overspending they did on FA's which do not project to play into the Kings long term plans, why would they nickel/dime Kempe, potentially their future Captain, of all people?
 
The report circulating is Kempe’s camp asked for 80m and Kings countered with 72M. I say just give him 80 and appreciate you ripped him off for four years in a row, but we’ll probably get 76M at some time uncomfortably close to puck drop.

I’m sure all the stress is totally worth saving 500k a year, which will be less than half a percent of the team cap in the years ahead.
 
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Many folks are saying that next year's UFA's are playing a wait and see game. Especially waiting to see what McJesus signs for. Guess they are hoping that his huge deal will impact their own deal in a positive weay.
 
So at the end of the season press conference a reporter asked if the Kings would go after a star player this off season. Luc Robitaille said “Kempe’s a star.” Really? You think he’s a star? Then why are you nickel & dimeing him? A star player makes at least $10 million in this league. Pay him like a star already. Being cheap with your best player is stupid.

Overall though I wonder if everyone’s waiting to see what McDavid signs for. Which doesn’t make sense to me. If I were a GM I’d sign my player before McDavid sets the market.
 
So at the end of the season press conference a reporter asked if the Kings would go after a star player this off season. Luc Robitaille said “Kempe’s a star.” Really? You think he’s a star? Then why are you nickel & dimeing him? A star player makes at least $10 million in this league. Pay him like a star already. Being cheap with your best player is stupid.

Overall though I wonder if everyone’s waiting to see what McDavid signs for. Which doesn’t make sense to me. If I were a GM I’d sign my player before McDavid sets the market.
We do not know what has been offered. It is very possible that Kempe's agent is delaying this as long as possible hoping that McJesus signs something soon. If McJesus signs a 16m AAV contract tomorrow, Kempe's agent is going to expect to be getting Kempe more than 10m per, not 500K-1m less than. Eichel and Kaprizov are in the same boat as they are both unsigned 26 UFA's. Domino's waiting for the first one to drop?

Agents and the player need to agree to sign. The GM does not dictate when contracts get signed. I am sure Holland wanted him signed 2 months ago. But, then there is the King's management that needs to be considered.......... :cautious:
 
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So at the end of the season press conference a reporter asked if the Kings would go after a star player this off season. Luc Robitaille said “Kempe’s a star.” Really? You think he’s a star? Then why are you nickel & dimeing him? A star player makes at least $10 million in this league. Pay him like a star already. Being cheap with your best player is stupid.

Overall though I wonder if everyone’s waiting to see what McDavid signs for. Which doesn’t make sense to me. If I were a GM I’d sign my player before McDavid sets the market.

Wait, is there even a possibility that McDavid doesn't sign for the absolute maximum amount of money over whatever term he wishes?
 

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