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David Kampf, Toronto Maple Leafs (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Oilers & Canucks Should Want Maple Leaf David Kampf

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By The Old Prof | Last updated Nov 8, 2025 1:45 PM ET

Sometimes hockey careers take strange turns. One week, you’re trusted to take every defensive-zone draw for one of the NHL’s biggest teams; the next, you’re packing for the minors and wondering what just happened. That’s where the Toronto Maple Leafs‘ forward David Kämpf found himself this season after training camp ended.

Right now, he’s a good player caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. And, he’s not taking it well. He was suspended this week from the Maple Leafs organization, and he and his agent are reportedly exploring other options.

Kämpf Is a Solid Player Caught in Limbo

Kämpf’s time with the Maple Leafs started well. I became a huge Kampf fan after seeing how former Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe deployed him. He was the coach’s go-to penalty killer, a defensive centre who made other players’ jobs easier. He didn’t score much, but that was never the point. Kämpf was the quiet worker who showed up on every whiteboard before a game: “Here’s who we trust to handle the tough minutes.”

Then came this fall. Kämpf was waived, assigned to the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL), and soon after, suspended without pay for leaving the team. The move sounded harsh, but it spoke to something more profound. Kämpf is a player who probably knew his role had disappeared. Toronto liked him, but the salary cap didn’t. At $2.4 million per year, he had become a luxury the Maple Leafs couldn’t afford.

Now, he’s in limbo. But if you look past the paperwork, what you see is still a useful NHL player who could make a difference somewhere else.

What Kämpf Could Bring to Another Team

Kämpf isn’t flashy. He won’t score 20 goals or light up the power play. What he does bring is structure. He wins faceoffs (around 51% for his career), kills penalties, blocks shots, and makes smart, low-risk plays in his own end. He’s the player coaches trust when they don’t trust anyone else.

In that sense, he’s cut from the same cloth as Derek Ryan was during his time with the Edmonton Oilers or Tyler Motte did during his Vancouver days. Ryan lasted deep into his 30s because he thinks the game so well. He seldom panics and never cheats for offence.

Motte was a bit different in what he brought, but he reminds me of Kämpf in several ways. Motte brought more energy and forechecking pressure. Kämpf sits somewhere between them: Ryan’s smarts with Motte’s edge.

You won’t notice Kämpf unless you’re looking for the little things — the stick in the lane, the calmness under pressure, the clean zone exit, the subtle angle that takes away a passing option. That’s Kämpf’s game. It’s not highlight material, but it wins shifts. Those shifts bring success in the win/loss column.

Why the Canucks Should Pick Up the Phone

The Canucks, meanwhile, are quietly building something strong. Their stars — Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, Conor Garland — can play with anyone. However, the roster still lacks that stabilizing defensive centre who can handle tough starts and late leads. Kämpf would fit like a glove.

Imagine him anchoring a fourth line that starts 70% of its shifts in the defensive zone, freeing up Pettersson for offensive matchups. He wouldn’t need to score; he’d need to steady things. That’s the kind of subtle roster improvement that playoff teams make in January. Then, you sit back and appreciate it more in Game 6 of a playoff series than in Game 13 of the regular season.

Vancouver has built its success on tempo and transition. Kämpf would add a little confidence and structure. He’s the sort of low-cost addition — maybe a one-year deal around $1 million — that doesn’t make headlines but quietly makes sense.

The Oilers Could Also Use a Player Like Kämpf

And let’s not forget Edmonton. The Oilers’ bottom six is always a work in progress. Derek Ryan, Kämpf’s closest NHL twin, was a steadying influence there for a couple of seasons. Now he’s retired.

David Kampf, Toronto Maple Leafs (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)

But if Edmonton looks for a slightly bigger, younger version of him, Kämpf could be that guy. He plays the same way: smart, calm, and unselfish. Plus, he’s the fittest hockey player in the NHL, or close. (Pierre Engvall could be next in line.) He’d fit seamlessly into the Oilers’ system, especially with their renewed focus on depth and defensive reliability.

Kämpf Is a Second Act Waiting to Happen

At 30, Kämpf still has plenty of game left. What he needs now is a coach and a team that value what he does — the quiet competence, the honest minutes, the reliability that doesn’t make the highlight reels.

If the Maple Leafs and Kämpf part ways, a door could open out west. Vancouver or Edmonton would both make sense. He’s not a star, but he’s the kind of player winning teams always seem to find — the steady hand who helps everyone else do their job better.

Sometimes hockey’s best stories aren’t about the guys who score the goals. They’re about the ones who keep them out. David Kämpf might just be one of those stories waiting for its next chapter.