Maple Leafs' David Kämpf May Terminate Contract to Join Bruins
David Kämpf, a 30-year-old checking center, has two years left on his contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, carrying a $2.4 million cap hit. Despite this, he has not recently appeared for the team.
Sources close to the organization clarify that Kämpf's absence is unrelated to his performance or attitude, but rather due to the team's salary cap constraints. Although $2.4 million seems reasonable, Toronto's recent extension of Scott Laughton indicates that Kämpf may not fit into the team's long-term strategy.
Our Leafs expert Jay has analyzed Kämpf's role in Toronto, so here we explore potential destinations if he opts to terminate his contract and become an unrestricted free agent, a move becoming more likely as Kämpf simply wants to get back on the ice.
Kämpf's journey is remarkable: undrafted, he earned a steady role over five seasons with Chicago and played a key part in one of Czech hockey's greatest triumphs—the gold medal win by the hometown team at the 2024 World Championship.
"People around the organization that I’ve spoken with insist his absence has nothing to do with performance or attitude — only the cap situation."
"He’s actually a great story: undrafted, he carved out a solid role in Chicago over five seasons and played a major role in one of the greatest moments in Czech hockey history — when the hometown team captured gold at the 2024 World Championship."
Author's summary: David Kämpf, facing cap issues with Toronto, is likely to seek a fresh start with another NHL team, aiming to continue showing his valuable contributions on the ice.