The Toronto Maple Leafs had a busy first week of free agency. General Manager (GM) Brad Treliving knew he had to address the blue line, and he did. He also brought in Anthony Stolarz to partner with Joseph Woll in goal. However, the forward group remains unchanged from last season. Management might be hoping that Easton Cowan and Fraser Minten will impress enough in training camp to make the roster. If that doesn’t happen, the forward group will be in a questionable spot.
Treliving must get creative if he wants to shake up the forward group. He could waive Ryan Reaves to clear cap space, sign a player to a professional tryout (PTO) and then a league minimum contract, or take the more challenging path of moving on from a combination of David Kampf and Calle Jarnkrok. Their combined salary of $4.5 million could be used to sign additional players who can fulfill their roles at a lower cost.
Maple Leafs Need Cap Space
If the Maple Leafs aren’t going to trade Mitch Marner this off-season and use his $10.9 million cap hit to balance the forward group, they will have to pivot and move a few secondary players to clear cap space. Trading Kampf and Jarnkrok would free up $4.5 million, and they could be dealt for players to help the roster or for draft picks to restock the cupboard.
Kampf is a reliable defensive forward who carries a higher cap hit than desired. Teams like the Utah Hockey Club, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Washington Capitals might be interested in his services, taking on his full $2.4 million cap hit in exchange for a mid-tier draft pick. These teams would benefit from adding a defensive-minded centerman for a shutdown role.
Jarnkrok is a solid two-way forward with a $2.1 million cap hit. While not exorbitant, his term is lengthy, and acquiring a mid-tier draft pick for him would be beneficial. The Nashville Predators and New York Islanders could be potential suitors. Jarnkrok began his career with the Predators, and the Islanders need depth scoring, with Jarnkrok capable of contributing 15-20 goals.
Potential Free Agent Replacements
There are several affordable secondary scoring options available to replace these players. Internally, Pontus Holmberg could step in for Kampf as a fourth-line center at a much lower cost. On the open market, Sammy Blais is a good option. Although not known for scoring, Blais can be a physical presence. Last season, he recorded 194 hits in 53 games with the St. Louis Blues and has 835 hits in 257 career games. New Leafs head coach Craig Berube, his former coach, might facilitate his signing for around $900,000–$1 million per season.
Daniel Sprong could replace Jarnkrok. Despite being unsigned, possibly due to his asking price, Sprong is a great secondary scoring option the Maple Leafs should pursue. He can easily score 40–50 points in the team’s top nine. Last season with the Detroit Red Wings, he scored 18 goals and 25 assists; the year before, with the Seattle Kraken, he had a career-high 46 points. Similar in size to Jarnkrok, Sprong brings speed and a hard forecheck. It may cost the Maple Leafs $1.5 million for a season, but he would significantly enhance the bottom-six scoring.
Treliving still has time to address the forward group. The Maple Leafs can’t enter the 2024-25 season with the core four intact and an unchanged forward group, apart from Tyler Bertuzzi. The hope is that management can find low-cost gems who can make a significant impact. To do that, they need to part with Kampf and Jarnkrok.
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