As the Toronto Maple Leafs gear up for the 2024-25 NHL season, they're facing a challenging salary cap situation. Currently, they are over $1 million above the cap limit ($-1,069,667), meaning general manager Brad Treliving will need to make a move to become compliant.
The Leafs are also grappling with significant financial decisions regarding the futures of core forwards Mitch Marner and John Tavares, both of whom are entering the final years of their current contracts.
While speaking on TSN's First Up on Friday, NHL analyst Darren Dreger floated a pair of names Treliving could consider parting ways with to shed salary. He listed Calle Jarnkrok and David Kampf as possibilities to be traded, via Evan Doerfler of The Hockey News.
“So to comply with the cap, who are we looking at? I’m looking at guys like (Calle) Jarnkrok, maybe David Kampf,” Dreger said. “They’re decent players, there’s a reliability concern for me when I look at Jarnkrok. If he’s not available, then he’s not helping you. He’s been around the National Hockey League long enough that I think you could find a fresh start for him, a new home for him.”
Earlier this offseason, analyst Nick Kypreos also suggested Kampf as a potential trade candidate for the Leafs.
“The bottom-six forwards need some attention as well. Is David Kampf still in the plans to lead the Leafs’ checking line? There’s a good chance they cut bait there as well,” Kypreos said. “Can he be replaced by prospect Fraser Minton or is it time to look for an NHL-ready player elsewhere?”
Both players have modified 10-team no-trade clauses in their current deals.
Will the Maple Leafs trade Calle Jarnkrok and/or David Kampf?
Jarnkrok is entering his third year with the Maple Leafs after signing a four-year deal in the summer of 2022; his deal carries a cap hit of $2.1 million.
Drafted by the Detroit Red Wings with the 51st overall pick in 2010, Calle Jarnkrok was traded to the Nashville Predators in 2014 for longtime Predators veteran David Legwand. He spent several seasons in Nashville before being selected by the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft.
Traded to the Calgary Flames at the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline, Jarnkrok would enter free agency and subsequently signed with the Leafs. In 699 career NHL games, he's scored 136 goals and 165 assists, while adding five goals and 17 assists in 93 career postseason games.
Meanwhile, Kampf began his NHL career with the Chicago Blackhawks after going undrafted. After four seasons in the Windy City, he signed a two-year deal with Toronto in late July of 2021; he opted to re-sign with the Leafs with a four-year, $9.6 million extension with a cap hit of $2.4 million.
In 477 career NHL games, Kampf has scored 43 goals with 87 assists, while adding four goals and three assists in 34 postseason games.
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