Maple Leafs may struggle to make trade deadline ‘splash’ without trading Domi or Kampf

Money coming in, means money going out.

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving is involved in several trade conversations this week, as the deadline is set for Friday. With their salary cap situation, and being just $101,562 under the limit, it’s almost impossible for Treliving to make a splash and bring in a significant piece, without moving one of Max Domi or David Kampf.

Both players haven’t necessarily had strong seasons in their first year under Craig Berube, and while Kampf has occupied the fourth-line centre role for the entire season, Domi has been all over the lineup, and there’s a lot of uncertainty about his future with the Maple Leafs, just days away from the first trade deadline, after signing a four-year contract extension last summer.

Domi makes $3.75 million annually, while Kampf is at $2.4 million, and both have a little bit of trade protection. Domi is able to block trades to 13 teams, while Kampf can block 10. Neither player will fetch a large return by themselves, as their trade values haven’t been much lower throughout their careers, but if they are paired with one of the Maple Leafs’ top prospects, or their 2026 first-round pick, they’d quickly become the ‘cap casualty’, and be accompanied by a sweetener to get an opposing GM to take their money of the Leafs books moving forward.

There’s a sense that the Leafs would prefer to keep their 2026 first-round pick, as it’s supposed to be a loaded draft, and trading away all your first-round picks is never a good strategy. They’re already without their 2025 first-rounder thanks to the Jake McCabe a few years ago.

While Domi and Kampf can block trades to several teams, it would be interesting to see what their stance is if Treliving was to approach them about waiving a team on their no-fly zone. Being told you’re not wanted is an awkward conversation, regardless of what business you’re in.

If the Maple Leafs land one of Brayden Schenn, Brock Nelson, Yanni Gourde, Brandon Tanev, Scott Laughton, or even Dylan Cozens for that matter, it’s likely one of Kampf or Domi, or even perhaps both, could be included in the deal to help make the money work.

Treliving needs to be going all-in this season, and shouldn’t be reluctant to asking Domi or Kampf to waive their no-trade clause if a deal materializes with a team on their no-trade lists.