If you are not a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs and don’t watch them from the inside, it is hard to understand just how this team is built. And if you don’t understand how this team is built, it’s tough to see the need for a third-line center who possesses very little offense but is a defensive wizard.
Related: Maple Leafs Commentary: David Kampf, King of Shutdown Hockey
Maple Leafs Head Coach Sheldon Keefe Wanted a Shutdown Third Line
In a recent post written for another site I write for – The Hockey Writers, I co-wrote a post with Stan Smith praising David Kampf. Kampf is the Maple Leafs’ center of the team’s third-line shutdown unit. As the note above admits, Kampf is far from a high-scoring player. However, he’s always been a stalwart defensive player.
Sheldon Keefe, the Maple Leafs’ head coach, had wanted a shutdown third line since he became the coach of the team. Prior to last season, general manager Kyle Dubas set out to make that happen. One signing was Kampf.
That signing worked out well. The third line truly became a shutdown unit. It kept the opposition at bay while the top two lines, which are loaded with offensive players, did the bulk of the scoring.
The Argument Against David Kampf’s Value
In the article’s conversation section, one reader took issue with the post. The reader noted that Kampf was one of the most overrated defensive forwards in the NHL. He was only slightly above average defensively but was awful offensively.
The reader went on to say that no NHL team can succeed when its third-line center had so little offensive ability. The reader made the case that teams need scoring depth for long playoff runs. And a third-line center needed to be a part of that.
In the conversation, it was noted that all Stanley Cup champions must get goal-scoring from their bottom six to become champions. The reader added that the Maple Leafs as a team were very poorly designed for the playoffs. Then, as many who are critical of the team, went right to the point that keeps coming up. The Maple Leafs need new management.
Related: Six Key Facts that Clearly Outline the Maple Leafs’ Goalie Situation
The Argument Against David Kampf’s Value
The problem is that the critique isn’t well-grounded. Kampf is far from overrated, if anything he’s underrated. Another reader responded by pointing out that, last season, despite starting 77 percent of his shifts in the defensive zone and not providing much in the way of the offense himself, Kampf was still a +12 during the regular season.
The reader went on to share the fact that, in the playoffs, Kampf’s defensive zone starts increased to 84 percent. And, playing the eventual Stanley Cup finalist Tampa Bay Lightning, Kampf retained a plus-3. In that, he was tied for third on the team.
There’s a second reason Kampf has great value to the Maple Leafs. That’s because he’s been a positive in almost every analytic category. Because keeping the puck out of one’s own net is as important as putting it in the opposing team’s net, good defense cannot be overlooked.
The Maple Leafs Are an Unconventional Team: They Need a Good Defensive Line
Granted, the Maple Leafs are built in an unconventional manner. The bulk of the scoring comes from the top two lines. The expectation, when the team works at its best, is that the bottom six play the opposition’s better players even up.
But, throughout both the regular season and the postseason, Kampf did more than play even up. Specifically, during the Lightning series, he was on the ice for three more goals for than against. Again, all this happened while he started deep in his own defensive zone more than four times out of every five times he started.
He was always put into stressful situations. An error in the defensive zone might turn into a goal in the blink of an eye. And Kampf played many of his shifts against the Lightning’s top two lines.
Why Kampf Is Valuable to the Maple Leafs
The fact is that Kampf did the job his head coach asked him to do, and he did it well. He also did it for a small contract – his salary-cap hit for both last season and this season is only $1.5 million.
Kampf is far from overrated. He’s also a keeper. The Maple Leafs – who are getting better every season – are lucky to have him on their roster.
Related: MAPLE LEAFS GM KYLE DUBAS: MORE CONSERVATIVE THAN YOU THINK
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