Maple Leafs Suspend David Kampf After Leaving Marlies; Trade Update

The Toronto Maple Leafs have suspended forward David Kampf without pay after he left the team’s AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies. The move comes amid growing frustration from Kampf, who has found himself unable to play in the NHL due to salary cap constraints despite being a capable roster player.

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According to multiple league sources, including PuckPedia, Kampf’s suspension temporarily removes his $1.25 million buried cap charge, offering Toronto brief relief while the situation is sorted out.

The expectation is that the matter will be resolved in the coming days — with one of three outcomes likely: Kampf returning to the organization, a mutual contract termination, or a trade to another NHL team.

As reported by 32 Thoughts podcast, Kampf left teammates with the impression that he intended to terminate his contract. “I don’t know exactly what was said or how it was communicated,” said Elliotte Friedman, “but Kampf did leave players with the Marlies with the impression that he was going to terminate his contract.” In Friedman’s written column late Wednesday evening, he wrote, “I’ve heard there is pushback to terminating his contract. We’ll see how things play out. But he remains on leave from AHL Toronto, and it was clear his heart wasn’t in it. “

Kampf Will Likely Wind Up On Another Team

It’s important to note that while Kampf hasn’t played so well that he’s won a roster spot over other Maple Leafs players, his current situation is less about his performance and more about money. Toronto’s limited cap space and roster flexibility left him the odd man out because of his contract. For that reason, it’s understandable that Kampf would be frustrated.

Kampf’s unwillingness to play in the AHL is not being seen by everyone as a slap in the face to the organization. He’s a proven NHL center, but his current contract has effectively boxed him out, which is why he potentially wants to terminate the deal and move on, signing a new contract with a different team and starting fresh.

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