Western Conference Team Emerges as a Potential Suitor For Leafs' David Kampf
With the Nashville Predators struggling to start the season, they are perusing the market for a centre and the Toronto Maple Leafs could be the perfect trade partner.
After a blockbuster-type off-season from the Predators, their start to the season has been an utter disappointment. They are currently 1-5-0 and are sandwiched between the Philadelphia Flyers and the San Jose Sharks in the league's basement.
With Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei brought into the fold on the first day of free agent frenzy, many had pinned Stanley Cup aspirations on the team. Granted, they started the 2023-24 season with a rebuilding mantra, but then made an incredible run in the second half to qualify for the post-season, which could very well happen again with all of the added firepower.
With the aforementioned trio alongside Filip Forsberg, Ryan O'Reilly, Roman Josi, and Juuse Saros in their employ, the Predators are looking for answers, but no one is picking up their phone and willing to make trades this early in the season, according to general manager Barry Trotz as illustrated in David Pagnotta's recent article:
"It's easy to say you need more in the room, but you can't do it in the salary cap world,» Trotz said. "You're limited to what we can bring in from the minors right now. I've been on the phones, working the phones; nobody's trading right now. Maybe I would try to find another centreman or something like that. No one's giving their centremen away. No one's even trading right now, no one's in a position (to do that), they're still trying to find out what they can do (on the ice)."
While they called up one of their top prospects in Zachary L'Heureux for the time being, Trotz is still aggressively working the phones to facilitate a trade. With the Predators looking for a centre, the Maple Leafs could help in that regard with David Kampf.
Kampf has seemingly been on the block for some time and it should come as no surprise that the Maple Leafs would love to unload his $2.4 million dollar AAV, which stretches out through the 2026-27 season. The Predators have over $4 million to play with, so they could squeeze him in there, considering their desperation.
Kampf has 43 goals and 131 points in 483 games across 8 seasons, split evenly between the Maple Leafs and the Chicago Blackhawks. He recorded 26 points in 2021-22 and then 27 points the following year but has seen his ice-time drop from 15 minutes a night to 13 minutes last year and just to 11 minutes this year.
It remains to be seen whether or not Trotz has inquired on Kampf, but it would be a move that could help out both sides in a pinch. It just makes too much sense.
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