Secret Canadiens Pursuit of Canucks’ Rising Star Shakes NHL Rumors

Injuries — they’re the uninvited guests in every team’s locker room, and right now, the Montreal Canadiens are knee-deep in that mess. Their center depth? Hit hard, with Alex Newhook and Kirby Dach both out of action. Understandably, the Canadiens tried to patch that hole by chasing down David Kämpf, a seasoned free agent whose skill set could have been a perfect fit. But in the high-stakes game of hockey negotiations, it’s not always about who wants whom more—Kämpf opted for a fresh start with the Vancouver Canucks on a one-year, $1.1 million deal. Now, with their sights set elsewhere, Montreal must pivot fast if they want to steady the ship down the middle. Kämpf’s numbers—solid defensive play, a knack for the faceoff circle, and a tidy career stat line—make you wonder what might have been for the Habs. Hockey, eh? Always a game of inches and endless moves. LEARN MORE

The Montreal Canadiens are dealing with plenty of injury trouble right now. This is certainly the case at the center position, as both Alex Newhook and Kirby Dach are currently sidelined.

With the Canadiens being bitten by the injury bug, they reportedly tried to sign a recent free agent.

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According to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, the Canadiens were one of the teams that pursued center David Kämpf before he signed his one-year, $1.1 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks.

“They tried on David Kämpf, but the veteran free-agent center chose Vancouver last weekend,” LeBrun wrote about the Canadiens.

The Canadiens pursuing Kämpf is understandable, as it is clear that they could use more depth down the middle. However, now that he has joined the Canucks, the Canadiens will need to explore their options elsewhere.

Kämpf became an unrestricted free agent (UFA) last week after mutually terminating his previous contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. This was after he appeared in four games this season with their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, where he recorded one assist. He then quickly signed his new deal with the Canucks after hitting the market.

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Had the Canadiens successfully signed Kämpf, he would have had the potential to be a nice addition to their bottom six and penalty kill due to his solid defensive play. He has also had a 50.9 faceoff winning percentage or better in seven out of his previous eight NHL seasons, so he would have helped the Habs in that area.

In 537 career NHL games, Kämpf has recorded 48 goals, 95 assists, 143 points, and 243 takeaways.