According to NHL expert and former player Nick Kypreos, the Toronto Maple Leafs may be ready to let go of veteran forward David Kampf.
With more than two months left in the summer, teams still have plenty of time to sign the remaining free agents or trade players when the first wave of NHL free agency ends. One of the teams that is still the focus of trade rumours is the Maple Leafs, and according to Kypreos, Toronto is seeking to move Kampf.
Additionally, the bottom six forwards require some focus. Is David Kämpf expected to be the starting centre for the Leafs’ checking line? It’s likely that they too used a baited approach there. In his piece for the Toronto Star, Kypreos asked, “Can prospect Fraser Minton replace him, or is it time to hunt for an NHL-ready talent elsewhere?
Kampf signed a four-year, $9.6 million contract on June 28, 2023, and is currently in the second year of it. Kypreos believes Toronto should replace him with a less expensive choice because he is expected to make $2.4 million over the next three years.
CapFriendly reports that Toronto is currently $694k over the salary cap; therefore, the Maple Leafs will need to make room in the cap, and Kampf may be a trade option.
Kampf signed a four-year, $9.6 million contract on June 28, 2023, and he is now in the second year of that agreement. Given that he is expected to earn $2.4 million over the next three years, Kypreos believes Toronto ought to find a less expensive replacement for him.
The Maple Leafs do need to make cap space because Toronto is currently $694k above the cap, according to CapFriendly. Kampf may be a trade option.
An Additional Insider Says Kampf May Be Traded
According to NHL source Chris Johnston, the Maple Leafs would consider trading Kampf and two other players.
If the proper trade came up, they would consider trading Kampf, Jarnkrok, or Timothy Liljegren. To be fair, I’m not saying they’re trying to get rid of them at all, but I believe they’re up against it because of the Leafs’ salary cap. The blueline actually appears different at this point in the off-season; they have clearly made adjustments in goal. However, I believe they will need to think outside the box to handle any future adjustments they wish to implement,” Johnston stated on The Chris Johnston Show on July 4.
The Maple Leafs will probably need to make a trade in order to make a move because Toronto hasn’t made any adjustments to their forward group and lost Tyler Bertuzzi to free agency.
How Does Kampf Fit With The Maple Leafs?
Kampf is the Maple Leafs’ fourth-line centre and a key penalty-killer for the team.However, at $2.4 million per season, there are cheaper options to be a fourth-line centre, which is why Kampf is mentioned as a trade target. But he is a key defensive forward for Toronto, and this past season was his worst in terms of faceoff percentage, as he was just 50.9%.
Last season with the Maple Leafs, Kampf recorded 8 goals and 11 assists for 19 points in 78 games.
Kampf was undrafted in 2012 and didn’t sign an NHL contract until 2017, when he signed with the Chicago Blackhawks as he was playing professionally in Europe. He played four seasons with the Blackhawks before signing a two-year, $3 million contract with the Maple Leafs, and at the conclusion of the two years, he signed the four-year, $9.6 million deal he’s in the midst in.
