Arizona Coyotes acquire Steven Kampfer from Detroit Red Wings

The Arizona Coyotes have acquired defenseman Steven Kampfer from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for future considerations.

Kampfer will be reporting to the Tucson Roadrunners, the Coyotes AHL affiliate, and will play there for the time being, although he does act as a potential warm body with NHL experience for the Coyotes down the stretch if it’s required.

Since this deal was made past the NHL trade deadline, Kampfer will be ineligible to play in the NHL postseason, not that that is of any concern for the Coyotes. However, with the AHL’s trade/loan deadline not coming until Friday, March 10th, Kampfer is still eligible to play with the Roadrunners during the postseason.

Kampfer has been surprisingly productive this season in the AHL, with 4 goals, 18 assists, and 22 points in 44 games this season. His 22 points are only four off of his career-high of 26 he set in 2013-14 with the Iowa Wild.

Kampfer has also played 231 career NHL games across nine seasons. He has 15 goals, 24 assists, and 39 points in his career, along with a goal in three playoff games with the Boston Bruins.

Kampfer was a fourth round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in 2007, although he didn’t sign his entry-level contract until after he was dealt to the Bruins in 2010 for a conditional fourth round pick. Across his 14-season professional career, he’s spent time in the Bruins organization twice, as well as with the Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers, New York Rangers, and Red Wings, with the Red Wings being the only team he never played NHL games with.

Kampfer is currently on a one-year, $750,000 contract that he signed with the Red Wings in the offseason as a free agent following a season in the KHL with Kazan Ak-Bars. With it being a two-way contract, Kampfer is only guaranteed $325,000 of that contract.

Kampfer joins a Roadrunners team looking to keep in the playoff picture. They are currently 24-26-6 on the year, and holding down seventh in the Pacific Division, which in the AHL’s format is the final playoff spot in that division.