Maple Leafs need to make a swift move regarding David Kampf

The Toronto Maple Leafs recently suspended David Kampf without pay for departing the Toronto Marlies in the AHL. This situation has caused the front office to consider terminating his contract.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported on Saturday that Toronto could terminate Kampf's contract, but concerns over a signing bonus have delayed a potential agreement.

"I sense that the league and the Players Association are involved in this part of the conversation, and you can guess which side either one of those is on," Friedman said. "So the hope is that it's going to be sorted out by Monday. But I did hear the idea about, 'should he have to return a chunk of the signing bonus,' was one of the things that prolonged this."

The option to trade him also exists, but terminating his contract seems the most coherent idea.

Why the Maple Leafs must prioritize quickly terminating David Kampf's contract

Kampf isn't even a player who fits into head coach Craig Berube's system. The coach demands an aggressive forecheck, pace and quick transition, primarily valuing fourth-line centers who win duels, push forward and contribute some offensive zone time. Kampf has a lower event profile, with limited transition and production.

His characteristics clash with the direct and pressing approach that Berube demands, generating redundancy in the bottom six.

This dispute over the signing bonus, plus the suspension, is already impacting the locker room and salary-cap management. If there isn't a clear market for a trade, a definitive termination cuts all the noise, clears the roster and allows the franchise to align roles with its head coach's system.

It would also be good for Kampf because he would become an unrestricted free agent with the possibility of signing with any team where his skill set is in demand and with a clear role, instead of remaining in limbo.

Kampf could fit in teams with a defensive identity that prioritizes fourth-line matchups, perhaps a project that uses low-event hockey to protect leads and minimize risks on the third or second nights of back-to-backs.