The Toronto Maple Leafs recently secured center David Kampf for the next four years, signing him to a contract worth $9.6 million total ($2.4 million average annual value). While Kampf will never get recognized for his scoring ability, his reliability as a two-way bottom-six center, faceoff specialist, and penalty killer has made him a crucial part of the team’s lineup.
The Devil That You Know
Not that the Maple Leafs didn’t value Kampf as a player, but there were really not many choices in the free-agent market. As a result, the Maple Leafs jumped. As Luke Fox noted in his article, there is a short list of pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) centers who averaged 15 minutes a night. These included J.T. Compher and Ryan O’Reilly, both of whom would likely have cost double Kampf’s rate or more.
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Max Domi and Evan Rodrigues are aiming for raises and are both better suited to playing on the wing. Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci will stick with the Boston Bruins or likely retire. Jonathan Toews’ health is questionable. Nick Bjugstad could be leaning toward re-signing with the Edmonton Oilers. And Nick Bonino is 35 years old. That was the entire list that Fox outlined.
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Treliving admitted as much when he noted that “You look right now at the market, to try to find centres is difficult. We felt it’s (Kampf’s contract) a manageable number. His age [28], where he can play in the lineup. Over the course of the last two years, he’s played a lot of a lot of time in that 3C spot. I think there’s some versatility to him. We found a deal that was able to work, and we did the deal.
Kampf Is Dependable in a Two-Way Role
For the Maple Leafs, Kampf’s value was both in his consistency and reliability in a two-way role. Although he hasn’t posted high goal totals (with 11 and seven goals) over the last two seasons, his contributions extend far beyond the scoresheet.
Kampf has proven himself to be a dependable defensive center who excels in shutting down opponents and making smart plays. He has the ability to play a responsible game at both ends of the ice, and he’s earned the trust of head coach Sheldon Keefe. Essentially, he shores up the team’s bottom six.
Kampf’s Defense Is Brilliant
Kampf’s success in the NHL can be, as far as I’ve seen, attributed to three things. He’s absolutely relentless in his work ethic; he has a defensive mindset and is low maintenance. He knows his role on the team and embraces it game after game. He played all 82 games last season and kept proving reliable.
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Sure, he makes mistakes as every NHL player does, but you seldom see his. He’s put into difficult places and not only survives but prospers.
(Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)
His offensive numbers are not eye-catching. His job is to keep pucks out of the net. In that, he has the ability to disrupt opponents and deny scoring chances. In those two aspects, he’s exceptional. While he seldom lays on a bone-crushing hit, Kampf instead uses his body to separate opposing players from the puck by maintaining strong defensive positioning. He effectively neutralizes opponents without taking many penalties, and all that makes him quite unique as a player.
Integral to Keefe’s Defensive Strategy
Kampf’s commitment to shutdown hockey and his low-maintenance attitude make him a valuable asset to the team’s defensive strategy. He’s usually on the ice at the most critical moments. He’s a master at protecting leads late in a game and is the team’s leader in penalty-kill minutes. All this underscores his reliability and the trust the team has in him.
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As well as his skill in killing penalties, Kampf is proficient in the faceoff circle. If there’s a faceoff that needs to be won in the defensive zone, you can usually count on him being thrown out to win it. He’s usually able to help his team gain possession and control the play.
Moreover, Kampf’s skill as a penalty killer rests in using his defensive instincts and positioning to disrupt opponents’ power plays. He’s disciplined in his approach and has a unique ability to read the game. How many times do you see him disrupting an opposition’s scoring chance? Lots is the answer.
Kampf’s Reasonable Contract Helps Salary-Cap Space
The terms of Kampf’s contract include an average annual value (AAV) of $2.4 million per season over four years. For him, it’s a modest pay increase of $900,000 per season. However, it indicates a financially responsible decision by the new Maple Leafs GM Treliving.
By signing Kampf at a reasonable price, the team ensures it has reliable strength down the middle without overcommitting financially.
The Bottom Line With Kampf
When re-signing Kampf, Treliving acknowledged the significance of his value as a center. Treliving referred to a center iceman as a “premier position” and noted the team’s need to have both offensive production and a defensive anchor as part of the team’s overall play.
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With Kampf’s signing, the Maple Leafs have a depth center wrapped up for four more seasons at a reasonable cost.