David Kampf is hardly the Maple Leafs' No. 1 problem. But from Gilmour to Gaudreau, benching players to light a fire is the NHL way

Well, at least we know The lady posted a big to her healthy scratch hubby on Instagram: “323 consecutive games played’’ (flexed bicep emoji) "Beyond proud.’’ That’s not a patch on the iron man record (1,065) held by Phil Kessel, but not bad for a fourth line centre and primo penalty killer.

The Maple Leafs could certainly have used some of that defensive mojo in burned for a couple of power play goals. Of course, Kämpf was busted down to his civvies in a startling piece of discipline meted out by coach Sheldon Keefe, a decision which had social media all a freak. Asked afterward about a move which came back to bite, if he had any regrets, Keefe gave a terse answer: “No.’’ Full stop.

While many are now calling for Keefe’s head — as if — an NHL bench boss has only so many options at his disposal when severely displeased, as Keefe had been with a couple of key Kämpf misplays in the previous evening's loss to the Blue Jackets: an offensive zone turnover and a poor line change, one of them resulting in the tying goal that forced overtime.

The coach can consign a player to the press box or nail him to the pine for a while. Ice time distribution is really his most effective punitive measure. And it’s not as if Kämpf has been the only target of a coach’s vexation. Thus far this season, among those who’ve been likewise briefly exiled or shunned: Columbus stars Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine, prized New Jersey UFA Timo Meier, and Vancouver’s J.T.

Miller — coach Rick Tocchet was infuriated over his crackerjack centre taking an extra two after a retaliatory whack at Nashville defenceman Roman Josi and then mouthing off at the referee as he skated to the penalty box. Keefe wasn’t picking on Kämpf. He had it coming for those bungles. “There needs to be some accountability toward it all,’’ he’d asserted pre game.

“In my opinion he just didn’t do a good enough job in some of those moments I’m talking about. He’s a guy who we rely on in those positions, especially when we’re playing with leads. He’s a very important player for us and he will be a lot better for us, and has been good in the last little while.

But there’s been too many of those types of things where a guy like him, that we’ve come to really trust and rely upon, needs to really come through and lead the way for us in that department.’’ Further: “For someone like Kämpf in particular, that’s his job, that is his primary job when he’s on the ice.

And when he strays from that, he opens up the opportunity for others to take his minutes.’’ Yet Keefe insisted, despite appearances, that his mess up observations weren’t specific to Kämpf, whom he included in the team’s leadership group: “You try to be patient and you try to trust your guys and give them opportunities to go back out and do right.

But the tolerance for the same types of mistakes that are happening here of late is going to be a lot less. It needs to be a lot less if we don’t see improvement. That’s the reality of it.’’ Another reality bite: Sunday afternoon, two days after he was Shoe dropped. As of this writing, the psychologically ravaged Russian goalie hadn’t been claimed on the 24 hour deadline.

If he clears waivers, Samsonov will report to the Marlies. Here’s the thing, though. There has been an abundance of brain cramps in Leafs play, particularly over this most recent 1 4 1 stretch to usher out 2023 and 3 4 3 in their last 10, amidst what should have been a soft phase of the schedule against mostly bottom feeder opposition.

Some Toronto luminaries — come on down, Mitch Marner — have featured on the lowlight reel. We don’t know what goes on behind closed doors, and maybe Keefe has torn a strip off his delinquents in private. But he’s not had the cojones to similarly kick megamillion dollar arse. Just off the top of my mind, I can recall star studs from the past — Ilya Kovalchuk, Cam Neely, Jason Spezza — who were given the bench heave by their coaches.

Even no less a Leafs legend than Doug Gilmour once earned the bench plant wrath of Pat Burns. More memorable was the time an enraged Burns held his post game presser right in the Toronto dressing room, reaming out players as they hung their heads in shame. Perhaps it shouldn’t be up to the coach anyway to break a player’s gonads, and mutual accountability might rather rest in the dressing room.

The way Mark Messier once grabbed teammate Kent Nilsson by the throat up against the wall. As recounted in a book by Al Strachan: “Listen, you little prick. You’ve spent your entire career floating, but we don’t play that way here and you’re not going to do it either. Do it just once and you’ll be going home to Sweden in a box.’’ Another era.

In this era, there were only kindly comments expressed for Kämpf from his mates. “Obviously we feel for Dave,’’ said captain John Tavares. “He wants to go out there and make a difference and play at a high level and execute his role really well. We really think highly of him. Obviously the coaching staff is trying to do what they feel is best for the team and for the individual, and all the different factors involved there.

We’ve got Dave’s back, and we know he’s going to play important hockey for us and be a big difference maker going forward.’’ In any event, the Leafs didn’t lose to the Hurricanes because of an absent Kämpf — 0 for 3 on the power play, just two shots, had more to do with it. “Our power play (was) not able to get us a big one when we needed,’’ said Keefe.

Martin Jones kept his team in it, limiting Carolina to two goals, the third an empty netter. All around, an unsatisfying yield on a night when goaltending wasn’t the issue but the gob o' goals offence couldn’t muster much. If it’s not one thing it’s another. Enough exasperation to make a coach tear out his hair.

But not this one. “Frustration is a useless emotion,’’ said Keefe. “I don’t get caught up in that.’’.