The Toronto Maple Leafs Need to Offload This Burdensome Contract
General Manager Brad Treliving faces a critical offseason with the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have $18.8 million in cap space but a slew of expiring contracts (source: CapFriendly.com). Players like Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, Nick Robertson, Connor Dewar, Noah Gregor, Timothy Liljegren, TJ Brodie, Joel Edmundson, Mark Giordano, Ilya Lyubushkin, John Klingberg, Ilya Samsonov, Martin Jones, and Matt Murray are all set to become free agents.
With many gaps to fill, that available cap space will quickly dwindle, leaving the Leafs up against the cap again.
The Maple Leafs Need to Trade David Kampf
One move Treliving should consider is trading David Kampf to free up his burdensome contract. Signed shortly after Treliving’s arrival, Kampf agreed to a four-year deal worth $2.4 million annually, making him the NHL’s priciest fourth-liner—a questionable decision from the start.
Kampf, known for his defensive reliability, tallied just eight goals and 11 assists in 78 games last season (source: HockeyDB.com). Most teams don’t allocate significant funds to their fourth-line center, making this contract an anomaly.
The puzzling aspect of this signing was not just the financials but also the existing roster. Pontus Holmberg, who showed promise as a defensively responsible fourth-line center in the 2022-23 season, could have filled the role at a fraction of the cost. Instead, the Leafs chose to invest heavily in Kampf.
Utilizing Holmberg, who earns just over the league minimum, would have been a smarter financial move. The $2.4 million saved could have been allocated elsewhere to strengthen the team.
Another potential candidate for this role is prospect Fraser Minten. Minten impressed during training camp and the preseason, earning his first four NHL games at the start of the year. While not a prolific scorer, Minten plays responsible hockey, providing the Leafs with affordable, young depth for the fourth-line center position.
For the Leafs to maintain a balanced cap structure, they need effective contributions from players on cheap deals or entry-level contracts. Both Holmberg and Minten fit this bill, making it crucial to move on from Kampf’s costly contract.
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