Confirmed with Link: TOR sign F David Kampf (2 years, 1.5M AAV)

[ToneDog]

A 4th line defense first checking shutdown centre is the way I view him..

However I don't see how this really works unless he isn't a 4th line player but rather a 3rd line and the Leafs are planning to create a checking shutdown line with him and Mikeyev and 3rd member to use against other teams top offensive players in a shutdown role. So when Leafs have last change and home ice advantage Leafs can let him go up against the Perfection line or Kucherov line or against Crosby etc.

Its almost as if Leafs view him as our version of Phillip Danault essentially because they saw what he did against Matthews and Marner in the playoffs.

Danault got 5.5mx6 after it looked like he blew it when he turned down 5mx6 from the Habs. Kampf got $1.5 and he is our version of Danault ?? I'll believe it when I see it and if he is Dubas found a diamond in the rough.

 

[ToneDog]

Must be new shinny toy effect

We were arms and about for Engvall for not adding more sandpaper and scoring.. who has average of 7 goals last two years in 40+ games played

We ran Vesey out of town who had 5 goals in 30 games and Boyd in 20 games has 3 goals

But we are excited to have a 6'2 center forward who scored 1 goal last year in 56 games?

Last I checked he wasn't physical, doesn't have offensive upside... Just kills penalties and maybe known has a defensive centerman.

Last 2 playoff series we lost, we didn't lose to a single forward that owned us that we needed to go out there get a defensive center. We lost to better goalies and our forwards folding like cheap chairs. =

Is he going to play 25 mins if we play Oilers to mark McDavid or Kucharov?

Must be a tough off season

Who is we ?? More likey Vesey and Boyd played themselves off the team or were victims of the cap.

If "we" could run a player out of town, Nylander would have been gone two years ago, and Marner would have been gone in July.

 

[Racer88]

A 4th line defense first checking shutdown centre is the way I view him..

However I don't see how this really works unless he isn't a 4th line player but rather a 3rd line and the Leafs are planning to create a checking shutdown line with him and Mikeyev and 3rd member to use against other teams top offensive players in a shutdown role. So when Leafs have last change and home ice advantage Leafs can let him go up against the Perfection line or Kucherov line or against Crosby etc.

Its almost as if Leafs view him as our version of Phillip Danault essentially because they saw what he did against Matthews and Marner in the playoffs.

Sounds great but have you forgotten that Keefe doesn’t believe in line matching

 

[ACC1224]

Must be new shinny toy effect

We were arms and about for Engvall for not adding more sandpaper and scoring.. who has average of 7 goals last two years in 40+ games played

We ran Vesey out of town who had 5 goals in 30 games and Boyd in 20 games has 3 goals

But we are excited to have a 6'2 center forward who scored 1 goal last year in 56 games?

Last I checked he wasn't physical, doesn't have offensive upside... Just kills penalties and maybe known has a defensive centerman.

Last 2 playoff series we lost, we didn't lose to a single forward that owned us that we needed to go out there get a defensive center. We lost to better goalies and our forwards folding like cheap chairs. =

Is he going to play 25 mins if we play Oilers to mark McDavid or Kucharov?

Must be a tough off season

How does that work?

 

[Menzinger]

This appears to be the Leafs plan of upgrading 4th line centres.

David Kämpf - C (Age 26 @$1.5 mil AAV) ........... 56 games 1 goal 11 assists 12 points
vs.
Pierre Engvall - C (Age 25 @$1.25 mil AAV )..... 42 games 7 goals 5 assists 12 points

I think Kampfs usage will be closer to a 3rd line player than a 4th line (ie getting closer to 14-15min a night than 8-10min).

Rather than run a clear 3rd and 4th line with the bottom two lines, they likely will roll 1 more as a defensive unit (centered by Kampf) and the other getting more offensive usage (Centered by Spezza).

 

[Menzinger]

Other teams would love for you to play Kampf 16-20 mins a game.
A) Their D will get much needed break and get rest
B) even their forwards will won't have to worry about any counter attack, so they can play with more confidence


You want other teams best lines to play against Matthews and Tavares. That will keep them at bay, not wanting to trade chances
Kampf is a shut down center, he's not exactly Bergeron or Esa Tikannen

Danault's line barely scored against Matthews (don't think they managed a single even strength goal that series) but still played a fairly major role in helping the Habs get the edge that series by shutting down Matthews.

I think having a centre who they can throw out there knowing that the opposition will rarely be able to produce against has value ie protecting leads matters, and shutting down opposing offensive drivers matters ect.

 

[Eb]

I think Kampfs usage will be closer to a 3rd line player than a 4th line (ie getting closer to 14-15min a night than 8-10min).

Rather than run a clear 3rd and 4th line with the bottom two lines, they likely will roll 1 more as a defensive unit (centered by Kampf) and the other getting more offensive usage (Centered by Spezza).

Agreed. But I don't think Spezza will play center on that fourth line.

 

[Eb]

Agreed. But I don't think Spezza will play center on that fourth line.

A Bunting - Engvall - Spezza fourth line would intrigue me.

With Ritchie/Kerfoot in the top 2 LW spots.

And running a third line of Mikheyev - Kampf - Kase

 

[darrylsittler27]

I doubt anyone will guess the lines Keefe dreams up.

 

[fahad203]

I doubt anyone will guess the lines Keefe dreams up.

so Kampf with Tavares confirmed?

I mean Tavares did play with pretty much everyone not named Matthews and Marner

Nylander- Tavares and Mika/ Simmonds / Robertsson/ Barabonov / Vesey / Petan / Hyman / Gally / Foligno

 

[stanleyorbust]

Kampf is a legit shut down center - with more exposure in Toronto, he’ll likely get Selke consideration.

Engvall is a replacement level winger.

Typically Selke winners / runner ups have good offensive numbers. Kampf has not had any offensive success in the NHL

Granted I have not spent a ton of time watching Kampf.. I’m neither think it’s a good or bad signing. Seems like a warm body on the roster that gives the leafs another person who can win face offs and play on the PK. Not expecting anything more from him.

 

[The Iceman]

„Hrát s Ondrou NHL v jednom týmu nebo i v lajně, je neuvěřitelné,“ raduje se David Kämpf

Just found this article.
It didn't occur to me until I read it that Kampf and Kase are buds and played jr together. And of course adding fellow countryman Mrazak.

Where did you find the news that you will be in the same team with Ondřej Kaš again?
"I found out a few days after my signature, because he also decided where he would play. Then he called me to make a deal with Toronto, so we talked about it. "
What do you think about it?
"I think it's great. There are thirty-two teams in the NHL, so I think it's a big coincidence that Ondra and I met in one of them. I'm very happy for that, because we played together for a long time in Chomutov and in the national team. I'm looking forward to being in the same team again. "
Did your memories of joint youth and senior years in Chomutov jump to your feet?
"Certainly! We played together for a long time in one line, so we are great friends. I was surprised as we rolled together here and helped the juniors in the championship seasons. It's unbelievable that we'll be on the NHL team together. It will be a huge experience and I hope it will tread on both of us. It would be nice if we played together in Toronto for another five or six years. ”(Smiles)
Can you imagine your story moving to the stage of playing together in the same line and in the NHL?
"I think there is a chance. The line-up may vary, but we'll see how the coaches put it together. I don't think the chances are very small, but we'll see. "

 

[Leaf Fans]

Sounds great but have you forgotten that Keefe doesn’t believe in line matching

I have never heard Keefe say that although it has been attributed to him by people on the board. Though I have to admit that just because i haven't heard him say that doesn't mean he hasn't said that.

 

[zeke]

One thing I'm kind of curious about their thought process with Kampf is why they didn't revisit Riley Nash at near league minimum, and then maybe give the savings on a little more to Jani Hakanpaa? I guess we'll see.

I imagine they think Kampf is the younger healthier version of Nash.

 

[Dekes For Days]

One thing I curious about is all these teams letting their own RFAs on cheaper contracts go without qualifying offers.

The qualifying offers are not the issue - the fact that it leads to arbitration is.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

Danault's line barely scored against Matthews (don't think they managed a single even strength goal that series) but still played a fairly major role in helping the Habs get the edge that series by shutting down Matthews.

I think having a centre who they can throw out there knowing that the opposition will rarely be able to produce against has value ie protecting leads matters, and shutting down opposing offensive drivers matters ect.

I would prefer a defensive specialist that can shut down the other teams over a guy who "Might" score 10-12 goals a year. We really need to start looking at role players properly instead of trying to shoe horn them in as goal scorers and point getters.

Would anyone prefer Jimmy Vesey over Kampf because Vesey scored 5x more goals(5 in total)? See what I mean?

 

[zeke]

One thing I curious about is all these teams letting their own RFAs on cheaper contracts go without qualifying offers. .. Generally RFAs are controllable assets and if you don't want them you can trade them for returns.

Chicago had Kampf as he was coming off a 2 year @ $1 mil AAV deal that need a QO that would have paid him $1.5 mil.. They decided to release him instead of qualifying or trading him. Leafs signed him for his qualifying offer amount but on a 2 year deal instead of 1.

Boston had Ritchie @ $1.5 mil RFA and qualifying him at $2.0 ml and Kase at @ $2.6 mil RFA ... Kase I get because he spent 111 of 116 days on IR and a high injury risk. However Ritchie you would think had some asset value to the Bruins ... Leafs think both players have value to them now.

Leafs spent assets in terms of draft picks for Foligno and Nash and could have had them back for less AAV combined then other teams none qualified RFAs, so other than getting younger lets hope they also got better.

Ritchie would have earned significantly more than $2.0m in arbitration given his stats.

 

[Stephen]

One thing I curious about is all these teams letting their own RFAs on cheaper contracts go without qualifying offers. .. Generally RFAs are controllable assets and if you don't want them you can trade them for returns.

Chicago had Kampf as he was coming off a 2 year @ $1 mil AAV deal that need a QO that would have paid him $1.5 mil.. They decided to release him instead of qualifying or trading him. Leafs signed him for his qualifying offer amount but on a 2 year deal instead of 1.

Boston had Ritchie @ $1.5 mil RFA and qualifying him at $2.0 ml and Kase at @ $2.6 mil RFA ... Kase I get because he spent 111 of 116 days on IR and a high injury risk. However Ritchie you would think had some asset value to the Bruins ... Leafs think both players have value to them now.

Leafs spent assets in terms of draft picks for Foligno and Nash and could have had them back for less AAV combined then other teams none qualified RFAs, so other than getting younger lets hope they also got better.

I’m kind of curious if we’ll bring back Ben Hutton. Nothing special other than being a fairly mobile 6’3” defenseman that we picked up at the deadline. But if he’s cheap enough, and his lack of NHL contract might suggest he’s worth a league min deal. If he was an appropriate depth piece in the spring I can’t imagine anything will have changed for next year.

 

[WTFMAN99]

I’m kind of curious if we’ll bring back Ben Hutton. Nothing special other than being a fairly mobile 6’3” defenseman that we picked up at the deadline. But if he’s cheap enough, and his lack of NHL contract might suggest he’s worth a league min deal. If he was an appropriate depth piece in the spring I can’t imagine anything will have changed for next year.

I wouldn't be mad at him returning at league minimum.

 

[ShaneFalco]

I’m kind of curious if we’ll bring back Ben Hutton. Nothing special other than being a fairly mobile 6’3” defenseman that we picked up at the deadline. But if he’s cheap enough, and his lack of NHL contract might suggest he’s worth a league min deal. If he was an appropriate depth piece in the spring I can’t imagine anything will have changed for next year.

Yeah I was wondering about him. They've been interested in him for a little while now.

 

[BudForLife]

I think I’ll reserve my judgement until Training Kampf

 

[SprDaVE]

 

[McSnypsky]

This article also mentions Boston had interest in him...hmmmm

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Kampf Lucking expect much scoring

 

[Brew]

Man, I love seeing the initial responses here. Kampf has developed into an excellent 3C.