Kampf is coming off of a strong World Championship where he helped win gold for his native country, Czechia. Kampf put up an impressive 7 points in 9 GP in the tournament. What this means for the Maple Leafs is that Kampf and his $2.4 Million AVV may actually carry some trade value across the NHL.
Sheldon Keefe is known as a player's coach, and it's no secret that he has certain guys he likes to lean on. An example of this is his overplaying of Justin Holl during his time with the Leafs. If the Leafs trade Kampf, there may not be a better destination for him than New Jersey.
The Devils currently have a weaker bottom 6, and do not have a true 4C signed for next year. With Keefe's familiarity and trust he clearly has shown in David Kampf during his tenure with the Maple Leafs, it sounds like it could be an easy sell for the pair to be reunited in New Jersey.
For the Maple Leafs, if they were to trade Kampf, they will lose a trusted 4C that is great at the face off dot and is a strong penalty killer. However, on the flip side, they would gain $2.4 million in cap space with which to seek out a replacement 4C or a primary penalty killer, likely at a fraction of the cost.
While Kampf is a good piece for any team, his cap hit is pricey for what he brings. The Maple Leafs could do a lot with the cap relief. For starters, they'd be able to reallocate that money to either the blueline or in net, which are the two biggest areas of need currently.
