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Kings reportedly recall top prospect Adrian Kempe

By Pamela Rios

Jun 27, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Adrian Kempe puts on a team sweater after being selected as the number twenty-nine overall pick to the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 27, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Adrian Kempe puts on a team sweater after being selected as the number twenty-nine overall pick to the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Top prospect Adrian Kempe has been given the call by Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Kings have kept busy during the team’s bye week, making several moves that included trading away D Tom Gilbert and sending F Devin Setoguchi down to the AHL.

Setoguchi’s demotion raised eyebrows and questions about whether a call-up from the Ontario Reign was imminent.

It now looks like those suspicions were warranted with word breaking out of the Kings recalling young left wing Adrian Kempe.

The news was originally reported on Tuesday morning by David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period.

It wasn’t until Kempe’s agent sent out a congratulatory message to Kempe on social media that the rumor took on more substance.

Later, more sources began reporting Kempe’s call-up, along with that of D Paul LaDue, whom was sent down to the AHL earlier this week.

Despite this, the team itself has not confirmed the news that the 20-year-old Swede will join it on Thursday for its home game against the Arizona Coyotes.

With a promotion to the big club, Kempe would have a few things to prove about his worth in the NHL.

Though he is by far the Kings’ top prospect, the team’s 2014 first-round pick has suffered an underwhelming year with the Reign -being tied for 9th in points with 19 in 43 games.

He suffered a sluggish start to the beginning of the season after going pointless in a preseason stint with the Kings.

However, should Kempe’s skills translate well into the NHL, he could turn into a valuable asset for the team, whose only other notable left wing is Tanner Pearson.

Kings fans shouldn’t be surprised to even see him given the occasional shift with Anze Kopitar to test chemistry.

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At 20 years, 154 days of age, Kempe will be the youngest player to don a Kings uniform in nearly six years.

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