Nick Kempf Was Born To Be A Goalie. After A Tough First Year At Notre Dame, He's Ready To Show The Caps What He Can Do
Capitals goalie prospect Nick Kempf discusses his journey, goals for next year and how he's moving past a rough freshman year at Notre Dame.
ARLINGTON, V.A. — Washington Capitals prospect Nicholas Kempf was born to be a goaltender.
Growing up in Morton Grove, just northwest of Chicago, Kempf tagged along with his father to Chicago Blackhawks games. The family had season tickets right on the goal line, which young Kempf constantly watching the goalie — most specifically, his idol, Corey Crawford.
So when Kempf’s dad got him on skates and tried to coax him into playing some forward, he had other plans.
“It’s always what I wanted to be… I wouldn’t get out of the net,” Kempf recalled with a smile.
Kempf worked his way up the ranks, playing AAA in Chicago before joining the U.S. National Team Development Program. After a couple of impressive seasons, he committed to play at the University of Notre Dame and also caught the Capitals’ eye as he was taken in the fourth round of the 2024 NHL Draft.
The 19-year-old is known for his footwork, technique and hockey IQ, and he’s able to make some highlight-reel saves. However, consistency remains a work in progress, as he learned the hard way in his post-draft season as a freshman at Notre Dame.
Playing as more of a 1B and backup, Kempf saw his role as a starter fade, his season not going according to plan by any means. He went 2-10-1 with a .895 save percentage, and struggled to really get into a groove his freshman year.
“It was hard this year, but it’s definitely going to be something I’m going to take and learn from it… when I was in the U.S. Program, I was getting a start every weekend. Didn’t really matter how I was in practice, how I played the last weekend, I was kind of going to get given a game. Now, I’ve really got to earn them. That’s something I learned this year. Really capitalizing on every opportunity.”
Despite the disappointment, it was the wake-up call that Kempf needed, and one that he’s using as fuel going into his sophomore season.
“Not what I wanted on the ice, but it’s something I can take and build on,” Kempf said. “I’m not sitting here just thinking about it, but using it to get better.”
Ultimately, the focus is on being a more sound and stable presence in net, while also trying to turn around his record.
“(I want to give) my team a better chance to win every night. That’s the biggest thing in college, getting points, getting wins and we’ll go from there,” Kempf said.
As he continues his journey with the Capitals, he knows he needs to do what he can to stand out with Washington having its NHL tandem locked up for the next three seasons and several strong goaltending prospects coming up the pipeline.
That being said, the biggest lesson he’s learned is to make the most of every chance he gets.
“When I get that opportunity, (I just got to) really capitalize on it and run… I get to the rink every day and love it,” Kempf said.