Can anyone blame David Kampf for signing a four year deal that will see him on average earn $2.4M a season to play hockey? Is it in any way David Kampf’s fault for somehow managing to also pick up a limited no trade clause in the process?

The answer is no. Those were bad decisions made by a GM just walking in the door and as negotiating with a player weeks away from free agency and was held in the highest regard of his coach at the time. Should Brad Treliving had known better than to sign a third/fourth line hybrid to a multi-year contract with a cap hit that couldn’t fully be buried in the AHL? The answer there is probably yes, and no one is playing the hindsight game when it comes to the Kampf contract, it was always overly player friendly and a misread from Brad Treliving who was also likely getting advice from a President of Hockey Operations who seemed overly loyal to an underperforming group.

Fast forward to today and David Kampf is in the AHL and not particularly happy about being there. It’s not that he’s there for salary cap reasons, he is legitimately not one of the 23 best players the Leafs have in their organization and Kampf has to accept that. He has to accept the fact that he cleared waivers and 31 other teams could have added him and they chose not to. He has to accept that the efforts to find him a new organization via trade have come up empty or possibly would result in the Leafs having to take back a return that leaves them worse off than keeping an irate former NHLer around their developing prospects.

Kampf’s pay cheques are still arriving on time and being paid in full, but understandably a bus ride to Rochester isn’t the same as a charter flight to Miami. And even if that wasn’t the issue, it’s hard to imagine his heart is into competing for Calder Cup glory, especially when the Marlies are a middle of the pack team with no real playoff ambitions.

This is, however, what Kampf signed up for. As a player who had never surpassed 30-points and only one season with more than ten goals, an inability to handle a new coach’s defensive system was going to be a death knell for his time as a Maple Leaf. His penalty killing was largely dependent on being the right fit next to Mitch Marner. With Marner no longer an option and the Leafs’ influx of penalty killers like Nicolas Roy and Scott Laughton, the move down the depth chart was a reality for player who just turned 30 isn’t likely to find his best hockey again.

Teams looking to trade for Kampf or even claim him off waivers are understandably limited. Are there teams that David Kampf could still play on? Probably. Are those teams wanting to commit $2.4M this season and next for either a fourth line centre or 13th forward? Definitely not. Trading Kampf would likely require the Leafs taking back an equally bad contract and if that player isn’t as helpful as bottom six centre depth might be for the Leafs. While Kampf might not be a Leaf in October or November, it’s possible that by injury ravaged January there is a need for him. Or there is a need at the trade deadline if decisions have been made around other roster players. The Leafs don’t need to make a bad trade just because it’s the only one available to them.

That leaves the option that Elliotte Friedman reported is not on the table at this point, mutually agreed contract termination. If Kampf and the Maple Leafs agree to end the contract after a trip on unconditional waivers, Kampf would be off the books for the Maple Leafs (something they’d certainly appreciate), and Kampf would be a free agent (foregoing the remainder of his $1.075M base salary that hasn’t been paid out yet this season, and his $2.4M of salary and bonuses due next season.) This is certainly asking more from Kampf than it is from the Leafs, but still might be his best option.

The reason why it’s still the best option for Kampf is that he has been paid $1.325M of signing bonuses this season already, the bulk of his deal. He’s now playing on his $1.075M salary throughout the season and even if he took a league minimum deal, that is $300k bite at most, which isn’t nothing, but it gets him to the NHL and making his case for a job for next year and beyond.

No matter what happens, Kampf will not earn $2.4M between salary and bonuses next season, but he’ll likely earn around his salary, not the $1.325M bonus. The incentive would be that unlike if he rides things out with the Leafs organization in the AHL, there is a higher potential for a follow up contract and he’ll get to keep playing in the NHL. Two years in the AHL would likely close that window completely, especially if he is already missing games in the AHL. The situation is pretty much the guaranteed money vs. the best shot to play in the NHL.

Kampf is better off showing up to work and playing his ass off for the Marlies. If he is going to be moved with this contract it will have to be as a salary dump during the trade deadline and teams will be a lot more open to taking on a steep salary if the player is playable. Kampf sitting and not contributing isn’t a good look for future teams and a 30 year old depth centre can’t show up to a new team with a lot of baggage.

Maybe you feel for Kampf and don’t think it’s fair for a player to see their career end as potential salary cap casualty, but whether you feel for him or not, this seemed like a situation the Leafs and Kampf were inevitability going to face and that was clear before the ink was even dry on his contract.

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