Maple Leafs Could Move Kampf or Jarnkrok to Resolve Cap Issues

With the start of the 2024-25 season fast approaching, the Toronto Maple Leafs are facing a salary cap crunch, and General Manager Brad Treliving will need to make at least one trade to get the team cap-compliant. According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, depth forwards David Kampf and Calle Jarnkrok are potential trade candidates to watch.

We already took a deeper dive into Jarnkrok, which you can check out here. The gist of it is that The Fourth Period mentioned Jarnkrok and the fact that the team is over the salary cap by $1.069 million and Jarnkrok, currently day-to-day with a lower-body injury, comes with a $2.1 million cap hit. There will be teams who show interest in him, even if there’s not anything imminent in that regard.

Further to that report, during a recent appearance on First Up via TSN 1050, Dreger identified both Kampf and Jarnkrok as likely pieces Treliving could move. “To comply with the cap, who are we looking at? I’m looking at guys like Jarnkrok, and maybe David Kampf,” Dreger stated.

Jarnkrok, who has been dealing with a lower-body injury throughout training camp, missed 30 games last season due to injury and has two years remaining on his contract at $2.1 million per season. Meanwhile, Kampf recently signed a four-year, $2.4-million AAV extension last summer and serves as a reliable fourth-line center.

Are the Maple Leafs More Likely to Keep Kampf?

Dreger noted that Kampf’s defensive skills could keep him in Toronto, while Jarnkrok’s injury history makes him the more likely trade candidate. “They’re decent players. There’s a reliability concern for me when I look at Jarnkrok,’ said the NHL insider. He added, “David Kampf is a safe fourth-line center. He gives you everything he has and Berube might love that.”

With the Leafs needing to make moves before opening night, all eyes will be on Treliving to see how he manages the numbers before he has to be cap-compliant.

Next: Maple Leafs Injury Report as Preseason Game 4 Approaches