The Vancouver Canucks have finalized a one-year, $1.1 million contract with center David Kampf. The agreement came one day after the Maple Leafs placed him on waivers for contract termination, ending what would have been the third season of his four-year deal that carried a $2.4 million AAV.
The 30-year-old opened the year in the AHL after being waived before the season and assigned to the Toronto Marlies, where he recorded one assist in four games. He then stepped away to weigh his future, leading to a Toronto-issued suspension on Nov. 2. The Leafs had attempted to move his contract but were unable to find a trade partner willing to take on the remaining cap hit.
Over 536 career games, split evenly between the Chicago Blackhawks and Maple Leafs, he has produced 143 points (48 goals, 95 assists) along with 114 penalty minutes. His postseason resume includes 35 playoff games, totaling seven points (4-3-7).
Last season with Toronto, Kampf registered 13 points (5 goals, 8 assists) in 59 games, while logging 2:02 of shorthanded ice time per game, second among Maple Leafs forwards. He also maintained a 51.2% faceoff win rate, ranking third on the team among players with at least 150 draws.
Kampf’s defensive reliability aligns with Vancouver’s immediate needs. Under first-year coach Adam Foote, the Canucks have shown defensive vulnerabilities, entering Saturday, as they allow 3.53 goals per game, the fifth-highest mark in the league. Their penalty kill sits last in the NHL at 66.1%, well below the all-time worst mark of 68.2% set by the 1979-80 Kings. The team faces instability down the middle due to injuries to Teddy Blueger, Filip Chytil, Thatcher Demko, Derek Forbort, Filip Hronek, and Quinn Hughes.
Kampf’s signing also followed reported interest from the Montreal Canadiens, who were seeking forward depth after Alex Newhook’s injury.
Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by Chicago in 2017, Kampf now enters his ninth NHL season and provides Vancouver with a proven two-way center as they look to improve upon an 8-9-2 start and remain within reach of the Western Conference wild-card race.
