It sounds like Ken Holland is fumbling a major deal for the Kings

When the Los Angeles Kings hired Hockey Hall of Famer Ken Holland I was a bit skeptical.

Now, just four months later I'm fully skeptical.

After all, Holland fumbled things a bit at the end of his tenure with the Edmonton Oilers, just as he did at the end of his tenure with the Detroit Red Wings. There's no denying Holland's track record as a Stanley Cup champion and a Hall of Famer but... well... what has he really accomplished in the past 10+ years? Not much...

Holland has a history of alienating players over contract negotiations and it appears that that's exactly what he's doing with Kings star forward Adrian Kempe.

Kempe is in the final year of a four year deal that pays him $5.5 million and Kings insider Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period reports that Holland and Kempe are both far apart in negotiations.

From Bernstein:

Update on LAK Adrian Kempe contract extension talks from source close to discussions - Still not close to a deal, lots of work to be done.

Holland's gonna fumble this deal, isn't he?

Kempe can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st.