Craig Berube Reveals David Kampf's Fate With the Toronto Maple Leafs

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Chris Gerics
November 6, 2024 (1:19 PM)

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Head coach Craig Berube had some very positive words for David Kampf, hinting that the fourth-line center is going to be a key piece for the Maple Leafs this season.

David Kampf often gets flak for his lack of offensive capabilities and his fairly expensive $2.4M cap hit. While he hasn't been a noteworthy player for Toronto and doesn't make the papers; he provides a specific role as a defensive center who wins faceoffs and kills penalties.

There have been several trade rumors regarding Kampf in recent weeks, as Toronto needs improvement from their third line and could dangle Kampf as bait. They also could use him to recoup assets from a team willing to take on his deal; but if Craig Berube has his way, Kampf is not going anywhere.

Speaking about Kampf's performance after the Maple Leafs' 4-0 win over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, Berube had nothing but praise for his fourth-line pivot:

"He has been really good lately - like, for a while now. He was strong on the faceoff dot, which was good. It was more him getting to understand our penalty kill, the trigger points, and things like that. He has really taken on that role. That is his role, and he relishes it. He is doing a great job for us."

A lot of fans don't like that he doesn't score, but he's been a key factor in Toronto's fantastic penalty kill and has an engine that doesn't stop. He forechecked like a madman in the Bruins zone and understands he has a role to disrupt the opponents through intelligence and hard work.

Winning nearly 55% of his faceoffs this season, he averages over 51% for his career and is one of the unsung bottom-six heroes of both the Maple Leafs and the Blackhawks. Kampf did enjoy his best offensive season in his first year in Toronto, scoring a career-high 11 goals and averaging over 15 minutes. Kampf also is extremely disciplined (something the Maple Leafs have issues with), averaging only 17 PIM per 82-game average for his career.

Toronto could absolutely use the money if Kampf were to be moved, however with how important he is to the team's best asset, and how much he does quietly that goes unnoticed (except by his coach), David Kampf has a place for the Maple Leafs on their bottom line. But Kampf's alright with it, relishing and taking each game as it comes; like a true team player