As the Toronto Maple Leafs plan for their life without Mitchell Marner moving forward, they have made some moves this summer that show they’re not trying to fall into a rebuild, but rather, want to stay competitive and continue pushing for their first Stanley Cup since 1967. They acquired Matias Maccelli from the Utah Mammoth recently, and it seems as though they continue to be active as they try to fill out their roster and create a contending championship lineup heading into the 2025-26 season. One player who may find himself on the outside looking in, though, is David Kämpf.
Kämpf, who is 30 years old, is in the third season of his four-year contract that has a $2.4 million cap hit. Last season, he scored five goals and added eight assists for 13 points through 59 games. Through 536 career games, he has scored 48 goals and added 95 assists for 143 points, which comes out to a 0.27 points-per-game average.
Following up on an idea from Spencer Lazary, who wrote about this possibility last season, let’s take a look at three potential trade destinations for Kämpf, should he become a trade piece this offseason.
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are an interesting team to consider, since they do have a contending team and seem focused on getting a contract done with forward Marco Rossi and an extension worked out with superstar Kirill Kaprizov. However, they could benefit from adding a depth forward like Kämpf, who has some playoff experience and could be a decent fit in their bottom six.
The Wild have $10,186,835 in cap space right now, and while Kämpf may struggle to find a way to stay in the lineup with their young guns making their way up the ranks and fighting to stay in the NHL, adding some internal competition and some security never hurt anyone. If their young guns start the season off weak and need some more fine-tuning at the American Hockey League (AHL) level, bringing in a veteran like Kämpf is a smart idea, considering he can be a body that plays minimal minutes, but could also guide the younger players.
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are still in the middle of a rebuild, and while Kämpf may get an increased role with them as he looks to bounce back and become an impact player, this scenario likely sees him being a pure cap dump. The Blackhawks likely wouldn’t be interested in flipping a draft pick or a prospect for Kämpf, but they have the money to take him on and help the Maple Leafs out, if they attach a draft pick in exchange for future considerations.
This one is a less likely fit, since the Blackhawks seem like they want to find more competitive players to help them push toward being a contender sooner rather than later, but if the Maple Leafs are willing to attach a future fifth-round pick with Kämpf, there’s no foul in adding a veteran with playoff experience to their lineup, and he used to play with them, so what’s the harm in a reunion? Also, who says they can’t flip him at the 2026 Trade Deadline if he has a strong season and contenders take interest?
Buffalo Sabres
As also suggested by Spencer last year, the Buffalo Sabres could be a sneaky good fit for Kämpf. Let’s be honest, they could use all the help they can get at this point. They haven’t found much success and haven’t made the playoffs in over a decade, so bringing in a veteran like him, who has played in those big games before, could be something that helps them stay on track as they continue in their long rebuild.
The Sabres have $13,640,319 in cap space right now, and while they could benefit from taking a swing on the trade market to bolster their roster, they might be better off stacking assets and eating salary to bring in assets. Similar to the Blackhawks, they could be interested in taking on Kämpf’s full salary if the Maple Leafs attach a draft pick. They could also look to flip him at the 2026 Trade Deadline if he has a strong campaign, which would be some incredible asset management if the risk pays off.
Time will tell what the Maple Leafs end up doing, but they have plenty of it to decide what they’re going to do to try and have a championship contender in the 2025-26 campaign.
As the 2025-26 season approaches, be sure to continue following The Hockey Writers as your source for news from around the NHL and the hockey world.
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