The Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly trying to find a new home for center David Kampf. He's been buried in the minors due to a roster and salary-cap crunch.
Kampf, 30, is in the third season of his four-year contract with an annual cap hit of $2.4 million. He also carries a 10-team no-trade list for this season.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Saturday that Kampf was taking some time away from the Marlies to consider his future with the Maple Leafs. He mentioned that some observers wondered if the veteran center might seek a mutual contract termination to sign with another NHL club. However, that seems unlikely given he's signed through next season.
TSN's Darren Dreger reported last Thursday that the Leafs were also exploring the idea of trading Nick Robertson. He claimed they have time for the 24-year-old left winger, but if they were to move him, they'd want a comparable player in return.
Maple Leafs' Kampf Could Have A Rocky Road Ahead Of HimDavid Kampf's future with the Toronto Maple Leafs hangs in the balance as he takes some time away from the Toronto Marlies to think things over. Turning to the Edmonton Oilers, speculation persists that they could make some moves to accommodate the return of sidelined players, such as forwards Zach Hyman and Mattias Janmark and defenseman Alex Regula.
Friedman felt they could try to move Troy Stecher. The 31-year-old depth defenseman is in the final year of his contract with an affordable average annual value of $787,500.
David Staples of the Edmonton Journalcited NHL insider Frank Seravalli saying the same thing to Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer. Servalli also suggested defenseman Ty Emberson as a trade candidate and didn't rule out Janmark being shopped.
Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Penguins could seek a replacement for sidelined defenseman Caleb Jones, who is out of action for eight weeks with a lower-body injury.
Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now reported sources said Penguins GM Kyle Dubas was kicking tires in the trade market for a left-shot defenseman. One option could be Erik Gustafsson of the Detroit Red Wings, who is currently playing for their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids.
If you're wondering whether Dubas might target Emberson or Stecher, they won't address the Penguins' blueline needs because they're right-shot rearguards.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
