Kings' Adrian Kempe Joins Elite Swedish Company With 35-Goal Season

The Los Angeles Kings clinched a playoff berth with a win over the Seattle Kraken, led by Adrian Kempe's milestone performance.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 3:37pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey player scoring a goal, with sharp, overlapping planes of color representing the dynamic motion and energy of the moment.Adrian Kempe's milestone 35-goal season has propelled the Los Angeles Kings back to the NHL playoffs.Los Angeles Today

The Los Angeles Kings clinched a playoff berth for the fifth consecutive year with a 5-3 win over the Seattle Kraken on Monday night. Adrian Kempe scored the game-winning goal, giving him 35 goals on the season - joining an elite group of Swedish-born NHL players to achieve that feat four times in their careers.

Why it matters

Kempe's performance has been crucial to the Kings' success this season, as he leads the team in scoring by a wide margin. The Kings' playoff clinching comes after a tough stretch around the Olympic break, and they now have a chance to improve their seeding in the final two games of the regular season.

The details

Adrian Kempe scored the game-winning goal in the third period to give the Kings a 5-3 victory over the Seattle Kraken. In the process, Kempe hit the 35-goal mark for the fourth time in his career, joining an elite group of Swedish-born NHL players that includes Markus Naslund, Kent Nilsson, and Mats Sundin. Kempe now has 72 points on the season, 26 more than the next highest Kings scorer, Quinton Byfield.

  • The Kings clinched a playoff berth on Monday, April 14, 2026.
  • Kempe scored the game-winning goal in the third period of the Kings' 5-3 win over the Kraken.

The players

Adrian Kempe

A 29-year-old Swedish-born forward for the Los Angeles Kings who has scored 35 goals in a season four times in his career, joining an elite group of Swedish NHL players.

Markus Naslund

A former Swedish-born NHL player who scored 35 goals in a season five times in his career.

Kent Nilsson

A former Swedish-born NHL player who scored 35 goals in a season four times in his career.

Mats Sundin

A former Swedish-born NHL player who scored 35 goals in a season four times in his career.

Quinton Byfield

A forward for the Los Angeles Kings who is second on the team in scoring with 46 points.

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What they’re saying

“Adrian Kempe hit the 35-goal mark for the fourth time in his career. Only three other Swedish-born players have had as many 35-goal campaigns: Markus Naslund (5), Kent Nilsson (4) and Mats Sundin (4).”

— NHL Public Relations

What’s next

The Kings will finish the regular season with road games against the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames. They are still jockeying for playoff positioning, sitting just a point behind the Utah Mammoth and Anaheim Ducks for a higher seed.

The takeaway

Kempe's historic performance has been a driving force behind the Kings' return to the playoffs for a fifth straight year. His scoring prowess has helped the team overcome a tough stretch earlier in the season and put them in position to potentially improve their playoff seeding in the final two games.