Photo credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
David Kampf’s performances with the Vancouver Canucks showcase the reason the Leafs didn’t have him on the roster.
After failing to make the Toronto Maple Leafs roster, David Kampf has struggled to make an impression in Vancouver, despite positive opportunities presented to him.
Having been assigned to the Toronto Marlies after battling for a spot in a deep Leafs offensive group, Kampf didn’t take a demotion lightly, appearing in just four games before departing.
Being suspended and later having his contract terminated following waivers after refusing to return to the team, Kampf entered a bidding war for his services, signing a one-year deal with the Canucks.
Signed with the potential of helping a struggling Canucks penalty kill and add some much needed veteran center depth, David Kampf has struggled to meet expectations in his second chance.
David Kampf struggling to find his groove in Vancouver
David Kampf is still trying to revitalize his game and prove himself at the NHL level as his play so far in Vancouver hasn’t secured his spot in the lineup.
Kampf has zero points in 13 games this season for the Canucks, currently last place in the NHL, although the penalty kill has taken a slight leap.
The penalty kill has been the one positive for Kampf so far, leading in shorthanded CORSI% and being a reliable faceoff taker, something he’s done well in general with a faceoff win rate of just under 56%. Jeff Paterson of ‘Canucks Army’ wrote recently on how Kampf has quickly helped on the PK.
Part of the challenge is the Canucks struggles, with Kampf having been on the top-six due to a lack of depth and injuries, the Canucks on the rebuilding path as evident with the recent trading of star defenseman Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild.
Rebuilding as a team has seen Kampf play even on the top line for Vancouver as the team struggles with a lack of center options available, helped with Marco Rossi, acquired from Minnesota, as a player who can play at center helping the top-six long-term.
The Vancouver Canucks fortunes may not be changing, but David Kampf’s play hasn’t justified that he should have stayed on the Leafs roster, with all he can do is be a stabilizing depth forward for Vancouver in a retooling season.
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