Insider Believes Maple Leafs Are Trying To ‘Cut Bait’ With $9.6 Million Forward

Getty The Toronto Maple Leafs could trade David Kampf.

The Toronto Maple Leafs could be looking to move on from veteran forward David Kampf, according to NHL insider and former NHL player Nick Kypreos.

The first wave of NHL free agency is over, but with still over two months left of the offseason, there is still plenty of time for teams to trade players or sign the remaining free agents. The Maple Leafs are one of those teams who are still the subject of trade rumors, and Kypreos believes Kampf is someone Toronto is trying to trade.

“The bottom-six forwards need some attention as well. Is David Kämpf still in the plans to lead the Leafs’ checking line? There’s a good chance they cut bait there as well. Can he be replaced by prospect Fraser Minton or is it time to look for an NHL-ready player elsewhere?,” Kypreos wrote in his article in the Toronto Star.

Kampf is entering the second year of the four-year $9.6 million deal he signed on June 28, 2023. He’s set to make $2.4 million in the next three years, and Kypreos thinks Toronto should replace him with a cheaper option.

Toronto is currently over the salary cap by $694k, according to CapFriendly, so the Maple Leafs do need to clear cap space and Kampf could be a trade candidate.

Another Insider Says Kampf Could Be Traded

NHL insider Chris Johnston also says the Maple Leafs would look at moving Kampf, among two other players.

“They would look at moving Kampf, Jarnkrok, or Timothy Liljegren in the right deal. I should be very clear, that is not to say they are trying to get rid of them at all costs, but I think that because of the Leafs’ salary cap, they are pretty tight up against it. Really, at this point of the off-season, they blueline looks different, obviously made the moves in net. But, I think they will have to get creative to address any changes they want to make at forward,” Johnston said on The Chris Johnston Show on July 4.

Toronto hasn’t made any changes to their forward group and saw Tyler Bertuzzi leave in free agency, so the Maple Leafs will likely need to trade someone to make a move.

How Does Kampf Fit With The Maple Leafs?

Kampf is the Maple Leafs’ fourth-line center and a key penalty-killer for the team.

However, at $2.4 million per season, there are cheaper options to be a fourth-line center, which is why Kampf is mentioned as a trade target. But, he is a key defensive forward for Toronto, but this past season was his worst in terms of faceoff percentage as he was just 50.9%.

Even though Kampf took a step back in the faceoff dot, his defensive game and ability to kill penalties are important for Toronto.

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 which 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.