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Adrian Kempe Reacts to Kevin Fiala’s Olympic Injury
Adrian Kempe did not hide his emotions after Kevin Fiala suffered a devastating injury during Olympic play yesterday. Kempe said he felt sad for his Los Angeles Kings teammate, whose Olympic journey ended abruptly. He called the timing is very unfortunate for both Fiala and the Kings.
Fiala, who represented Switzerland, collided with Tom Wilson late in a 5-1 loss to Canada. Both players went down awkwardly, with Wilson landing on Fiala’s left leg. Medical personnel and members of both teams’ benches rushed onto the ice to check on the Swiss forward.
Fiala left on a stretcher and later underwent surgery, ending both his Olympic tournament and NHL season. In his post-game interview, Kempe, who is represents Sweden, shared his reaction to the injury.
Kempe called the situation sad and unfortunate, especially because playing in the Olympic means so much to the players.
“Obviously, it’s sad and it sucks for him and for us [Kings players]. Sad for him. It’s something that we’ve been looking forward our whole life, coming to play here [in the Olympics,” Kempe said. “Going down like that, it’s really tough for him personally and for us as a team, how much he means to our team back home in L.A.”
Kempe also noted that NHL participation at the Olympics is never guaranteed, which makes the injury even more devastating.
“Just very unfortunate for [Fiala] that it comes in a tournament like this that we’ve been looking to playing in for so long. I feel for him.”
Fans React to Kevin Fiala’s Devastating Injury at Olympics
Fans also reacted after Kevin Fiala was officially ruled out for the remainder of the Olympics and NHL season.
Fiala plays a key role for both Switzerland and the Kings. His absence leaves Switzerland shorthanded in its pursuit of a medal. The Kings, meanwhile, will lose a top-6 forward as they push for the playoffs.
One fan wrote:
“Fiala finally gets his shot at Olympic glory, something he’s dreamed about his whole life and it ends on a freak play vs. Canada.”
Another fan added:
“This is exactly why NHL owners lose sleep during international breaks. Unbelievable.”
One Kings fan emphasized that Fiala’s injury represents a significant. But, argued using it to question NHL Olympic participation.
“The calls for NHL owners to deny their players to compete in the Olympics are short sighted. This could have happened on any given NHL game. To deny players to compete at the highest global level for their country is unreasonable.”
Fiala’s Injury at Olympics Will Put Pressure on Kings General Manager Ken Holland
Fiala’s unfortunate injury will affect on the Kings’ plans for the trade deadline.
General manager Ken Holland made a notable move before the Olympic break. He acquired Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers.
Holland then signed Panarin to an extension. The deal helps the Kings build for next season.
Now, Holland, must reassess. He likely planned to add depth before the deadline. Fiala’s absence now creates urgency to fill a major gap in the lineup.
Several trade options remain available. But, as the deadline approaches, the Kings may have to pay a higher price to find the right fit.
Giancarlo Aulino Giancarlo Aulino is sports writer who covers UFC for Heavy.com. He began writing for Heavy in 2025 after providing MMA coverage for Sportskeeda. Giancarlo is an experienced journalist and interviewer, having covered soccer clubs Toronto FC and Inter Toronto FC as a full-season reporter, and also producing sports coverage for Toronto radio station VIBE 105.5FM.
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