Maple Leafs activate David Kampf off LTIR; expected to return Wednesday against Stars

Some reinforcement in the forward group is on its way for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

On Wednesday, the team announced that forward David Kampf has been activated off long-term injured reserve. The day before, head coach Craig Berube told the media that Kampf is expected to be in the lineup on Wednesday night when the Maple Leafs take on the Dallas Stars.

Kampf hasn’t been in the lineup since Nov. 16, when Toronto defeated the Edmonton Oilers in overtime, with him being listed out with a lower-body injury. He has since missed the last 12 games, in which the Leafs went 8-4-0 over that span, continuing to challenge for first place in the Atlantic Division.

The Czechia centerman had a slow start to the 2024-25 season. In playing 18 of Toronto’s first 19 games, Kampf registered just three assists, a little behind the production rate that led to him hitting 19 points last year and certainly off the scoring pace that led him to posting 26 and 27 points in his first two campaigns in Toronto. His last point came via an assist in the Leafs’ 4-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Nov. 9. The 29-year-old’s last goal came in Game 1 of the first round in last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Boston Bruins.

Kampf is in the second season of his four-year contract extension that he signed with the Leafs in June 2023. The deal carries an AAV of $2.4 million through the 2026-27 campaign.

In 495 NHL appearances, Kampf has scored 43 goals and 90 assists, including seven points in 34 postseason games.

The Maple Leafs (19-10-2) are tied with the Florida Panthers for first in the Atlantic and five points behind the New Jersey Devils for the best record in the Eastern Conference.