Confirmed with Link: F David Kampf re-signs in Toronto (4 years, $2.4M AAV)

[SprDaVE]

There are always - always plenty of solid 4th liners on the UFA market - a good GM needs to spot the bargains. Acciari signed for 1.25 last year. Perry league min for the past 3 years. There are always guys out there to be had.

Acciari is just as good defensively and on the draw as Kampf (better in fact), scored twice the goals, and was one of the league leaders in hits...and he'll get similar money to this. And probably not from us.

Acciari is not a natural center. He's capable of it because he's a good all around player but has been a winger his entire career. Kampf had double the faceoffs Acciari took last year. He took only 80 faceoffs in 2021-2022 (albeit injured for most of the year). Less than 300 faceoffs the year before that. He signed for 1.25M last year because he only played 20 games the year before.

Acciari should be kept as well, for the record. He fit in well. We'll see what he signs for, but I'm willing to bet he'll get closer to 3M.... if not over that. I am positive he'd be signed by now if all he wanted was 2.4M for a couple years. He's got a long sheet of severe injuries and he's 32 years old this year. There are some serious risks in giving Acciari a 4 year contract.

 

[Rare Jewel]

20 goals
40 points
A couple of million a year
The ability to play on multiple lines in multiple positions

I think he's decent value

He did acquire him from Calgary, but who knows? His numbers are up due to playing with Matthews and Marner.

 

[danny90]

Is the extra 1m+ over replacement going to matter much? Probably not but sets a bad precedent.

 

[Rielly4]

2.4 means hes our 3C not our 4C. We just dont have the money to pay a 4C that much. Looks like we have an offensive blackhole 3rd line for the next 4 years. Unfortunate.

 

[Racer88]

They can't they just want something to bitch about as usual. Some people are never happy it must be a chore going through life being so miserable.

2.5 million for a 4th liner…….I’m glad your happy about that over payment

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

At some point, you have to trust some of your internal options, no? Giving 4 year deals to bottom 6 players will simply block those options for a while and eat up more cap.

I like Kampf but this is aggressive, especially for someone with next to no offense

 

[Le Magnifique]

4M is high for a player like Kampf. Paying him like he's a 3rd line centre; which coincidentally, we don't have.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Is the extra 1m+ over replacement going to matter much? Probably not but sets a bad precedent.

For some reason when it’s a Nylander, 8 mil is fine but 9 mil means he’s a greedy piece of garbage and we need to trade him ASAP. But when it’s a no-name grinder asking for an extra mil that’s fine.

Tavares gets offered 13 and signs for 11, well the 13 offer wasn’t real!! It was all just for show!!

But we needed to take Kampf’s final offer of 2.4 mil because someone was totally going to pay him 3.5 in free agency! It’s not for show, it’s totally real!!

 

[notdoneyet]

Our needs
Secondary scoring 3rd line
Big body physical player for top 6
4th line energy players
Physical dman

Kampf does none of the above

 

[ryno23]

2.4 for a guy who can slot at 3C or 4C depending on how things shakes out.

Good on PK
52% in the dot.
Works hard

Could use a little bit more offense be nice to see at least 15 goals a year but maybe if he doesn't play with Simmonds and the bruisers on the 4th line he might improve his points total

Laff and Kampf are the start of a good 4th line just need a young marlie with some scoring to help that line

 

[keonsbitterness]

Is he moving up to #3 centre?

 

[Byron Bitz]

Solid deal. Not a steal or an overpayment. He can center our shut down line for the next 4 years.

 

[Jmo89]

Ok so we’re keeping the core, the coach, and the bottom 6..

As an organization the Leafs always find a way to make themselves a joke, so I wouldn't be surprised.

Out Kampf/Kerfoot/Holl, Kampf is the only one I wanted back. Salary is a smidge high.

The fact that Keefe is still here and it looks like they are letting Schenn and Acciari walk though is really disappointing.

Does it get better or worse these next few days?

 

[Larcos_Unal]

This is Brendan Shanahan, letting you know that we're gonna run it back.
We're gonna run it back on D, we're gonna run it back on goalies, we're gonna run it back up front, we're gonna run it back behind the bench...and I dare you to try and stop me!

 

[ToneDog]

Also, if they are as emphatic on not making any drastic changes with the top forwards, what are they going to change?

It seems more likely that it'll be basically the same, just with a few rough boys.

Starting the season and playing more "rougher" beats starting soft and trying to turn them into a rougher team at the TDL. Need to see what heavy players Tre adds.

 

[TheDoldrums]

People here were actually complaining about Jarnkrok's contract lmao, he makes less and had 20 goals in 73 games.

YOU SHOULDN'T NEED TO PAY FOR DEFENSE. There are cheap guys available all the time like Kampf was last time ffs. The market rewards points, this is so bad. And it's not even like he's prime Bergeron, he's just a good defensive centre with abysmal offense.

I can't even describe how ominous this is as a first move. They saw the team fail to score 3 goals in any game in the 2nd round and overpays the 4th line centre for 4 years, how is this real life. Don't sign 4th liners for 4 years, ever. And don't tell me he's a 3C, that's even worse and destroys any chance of offense from the 3rd line.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

People actually wanted rid of Dubas.

Dumbasses.

Yeah Dubas definitely never overpaid anyone

 

[therealkoho]

Maybe a half shmill too much, maybe! I like Kampf, I wish he could put up better numbers but I will say it's better than the 3.5 Kerf was getting for that job.

I guess it doesnt seem that bad if some guy wasnt using Frank Saravalli to keep throwing around a 15m aav for Matthews.

I guess the idea is that when he signs for 14.5 it will count as the really big huge mega pile of a discount that is going to help the team win, because y'know he cares and all that guff.

 

[seventieslord]

What the hell are you doing, Brad?

 

[Zero1]

Based on his market value this could be a fair deal but for the Leafs this doesn’t make any sense.

Kampf as your 4C is good but as a 3C he’s not good enough.

I just want a 3rd line that can actually play in all situations. Kampf just kills any offence on his line.

The teams that went far in the playoffs had at least 3 lines they could roll out in all situations.

 

[Gallagbi]

I dont mind keeping him around, but thats a pricey 4th line C

 

[Maplebeasts]

This is no bueno. You either give him that AAV with less term (2 years) or you give him more term but lower AAV (1.5-2m). Purely defensive fourth liners should not cost this much.

 

[CabanaBoy5]

Not crazy about the AAV and term, but I think Kampf is a good 4C who can step into the 3C shutdown role if needed. I'm fine with him being overpaid by 500K as long as we don't sign Kerfoot and get some size, speed, and snarl in the bottom 6.

 

[therealkoho]

Overpay in both term and AAV. Guy scored 7 goals last year and has 0 sandpaper to his game. I’m sorry but his defensive game isn’t worth that contract alone.

f***ing awful.

There was almost nothing Treliving could do, apparently Dubas promised Kampf 2.5 x 5, so it was just lucky Brad was able to slice off a year and not hurt Dubas' credibility too much

 

[Martin Skoula]

Based on his market value this could be a fair deal but for the Leafs this doesn’t make any sense.

Kampf as your 4C is good but as a 3C he’s not good enough.

I just want a 3rd line that can actually play in all situations. Kampf just kills any offence on his line.

The teams that went far in the playoffs had at least 3 lines they could roll out in all situations.

Matthews went power for power against Kuch and absolutely dominated them, there’s your shutdown line. When Keefe starts getting cute and getting Kampf to eat all the shutdown minutes while he tries to sneak Matthews against a 4th line, that’s when we get in some sort of karmic trouble where a random 4th liner or goalie decides to go god mode.