Canucks sign David Kampf to one-year contract
The Vancouver Canucks have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with unrestricted free agent center David Kampf, the club announced Saturday afternoon.
Kampf, 30, spent the start of the 2025-26 season with the Toronto Marlies, the AHL affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs, before his contract was terminated by mutual agreement after he cleared waivers on Saturday.
A veteran of eight NHL seasons with the Maple Leafs and Chicago Blackhawks, Kampf collected five goals and 13 points in 59 games with Toronto in the 2024-25 season. His new deal carries a $1.1 million cap hit for the rest of the 2025-26 campaign; his previous deal with the Maple Leafs ran through the end of the 2026-27 season and carried a $2.4 million annual cap hit.
General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that the #Canucks have agreed to terms with forward David Kämpf on a one year, $1.1 million contract. pic.twitter.com/wFGrug4ToK
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) November 15, 2025The Canucks have been searching for more help down the middle since they traded J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers late last season. Filip Chytil, whom they acquired in the Miller trade, has struggled to remain healthy since arriving in Vancouver, and Teddy Blueger is also on the team’s injured reserve list.
Kampf represents a bit more stability for the Canucks down the middle, albeit with limited offensive upside. The 6’2″ Czech pivot has topped the 20-point mark twice in the NHL, in his first two seasons with the Maple Leafs, and has largely occupied a bottom-six center position throughout his career.
An undrafted player, Kampf first joined the Blackhawks organization in the 2017-18 season. The left-handed center appeared in four seasons with the Blackhawks to begin his career, skating in nine playoff contests with the club in 2020.
The Blachkawks chose not to tender Kampf a qualifying offer in 2021, making him an unrestricted free agent. He signed a two-year contract with the Maple Leafs that year and subsequently extended for four more years in 2023, although he barely made it halfway through that deal before the two sides elected to part ways.
Through 536 career games over his eight NHL seasons in Chicago and Toronto, Kampf has collected 48 goals and 143 points. The Chomutov, Czechia product has added four goals and seven points in 35 career playoff contests.