The Toronto Maple Leafs and forward David Kampf are heading for a split, but it’s not as simple as tearing up a contract. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, negotiations over a contract termination have stalled due to a dispute about Kampf’s signing bonuses — and now both the NHL and NHLPA are involved.
Friedman reported on Saturday Headlines that Kampf has made it clear he doesn’t want to play in the AHL after being assigned to the Toronto Marlies last month. The 30-year-old left the Marlies without permission, prompting the Leafs to suspend him without pay and save roughly $1.25 million in buried cap charge in the process.
But the issue is more complicated than that. Kampf’s four-year, $9.6 million deal includes $1.325 million in annual signing bonuses, and the team and player’s camp are reportedly disagreeing over whether a portion of that money should be repaid if the deal is terminated.
“He’s made it clear he doesn’t want to play in the AHL anymore,” Friedman said. “The question now is whether he should return some of the bonus money if the contract is ripped up.” Friedman joked that you can guess where each side of this debate lands — the NHLPA standing up for the player and team feeling it should get some of its money back.
David Kampf Maple Leafs trade talk
Meanwhile, reports are that Leafs GM Brad Treliving has explored trade options for Kampf — even for a late-round draft pick — in hopes of salvaging some return before resorting to termination. However, if no team bites, Toronto may cut ties outright as early as this week.
What’s Next for Kampf and the Leafs?
Kampf’s future in the NHL looks murky. Once seen as a dependable bottom-six defensive forward, his offensive contributions have dipped sharply — and with Toronto’s forward depth improving, he’s become expendable.
There are teams that could use a reliable, veteran penalty killer if the money makes sense. Kampf’s next stop might only come with this messy situation with Toronto gets worked out and a team feels that a restructured short-term deal makes sense for them. If he’s willing to take a pay cut to stay in the league, he could land a spot. If he’s unwilling to go down to the AHL on any team he signs with, prospects of him landing somewhere strong go down exponentially.
