David Kämpf (born 12 January 1995) is a Czech professional ice hockey player who is a forward for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Vancouver Canucks. Internationally, Kämpf has represented the Czech Republic, contributing to a gold medal win at the 2024 World Championship.
Although never drafted, Kämpf began his youth hockey career with Piráti Chomutov in 2009 at the under-16 level. He made his professional debut in the Czech Extraliga with Chomutov during the 2012âÂÂ13 season. In his fifth year with the club, during the 2016âÂÂ17 campaign, he had a breakout season, recording a personal best of 15 goals and 31 points across 52 games.
On 19 April 2017, Kämpf chose to exercise his option to remain with Chomutov for another year, despite interest from NHL teams. However, just weeks later, on 1 May, he activated an out-clause in his contract and signed a two-year entry-level deal with the Chicago Blackhawks.
In the , Kämpf made his NHL debut on 28 December 2017, and netted his first NHL goal on 12 January 2018, contributing to a 2âÂÂ1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets.
After spending four seasons with the Blackhawks, Kämpf entered free agency and signed a two-year, $3 million deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs on 28 July 2021.
After two successful seasons with the Maple Leafs, Kämpf chose to stay in Toronto by signing a four-year contract extension worth $9.6 million on 28 June 2023, ahead of becoming a free agent.
The Maple Leafs placed Kämpf on waivers at the start of the and sent him down to play for the Marlies in the AHL. After playing four games in the AHL, Kämpf walked away from the Marlies in November 2025. His absence was considered a breach of contract, and he received a suspension letter from the Leafs on 2 November. His contract was subsequently suspended on 7 November. On 13 November, he was placed on unconditional waivers, with the Maple Leafs citing his absence from the Marlies as justification to terminate his contract. He signed a one-year contract worth $1.1 million with the Vancouver Canucks on 15 November. On 6 March 2026, Kämpf was traded to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick.
Kämpf represented Czechia at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, where he played a key role throughout the tournament. His performance was instrumental in Czechia's impressive run, culminating in a gold medal victory on home ice, Czechia's first IIHF World Championship title since 2010.