Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving has some tough decisions ahead o...
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Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving has some tough decisions ahead of him. The start of the 2024-25 season is just over a week away and the Leafs are currently over the salary cap. He has no choice but to make at least one trade, maybe two. At this point, it’s not ‘if’ a move is coming, it’s ‘when’.
According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, he feels Treliving has a couple of likely trade candidates in depth forwards Calle Jarnkrok and David Kampf. Dreger made a guest appearance on First Up via TSN 1050 and identified the Leafs’ bottom-six duo as a couple of players to watch. “So to comply with the cap, who are we looking at? I’m looking at guys like Jarnkrok, and maybe David Kampf,” stated Dreger.
“They’re decent players. There’s a reliability concern for me when I look at Jarnkrok. I mean if he’s not available, then he’s not helping you. But, he’s been around the National Hockey League long enough that I think you could find a fresh start for him, a new home for him.”
Jarnkrok has been dealing with a lower-body injury throughout training camp and has been held out of multiple preseason games. He’s coming off an injury-riddled season, missing 30 games in 2023-24. Jarnkrok hasn’t played more than 73 games in the past five seasons. The versatile forward has two seasons left on his contract at $2.1 million per season and holds a 10-team no-trade clause.
Kampf also holds a modified 10-team no-trade clause. Treliving extended the Czechia native on a four-year, $2.4-million AAV deal last summer. Kampf’s defensive awareness and commitment to his 4C role is something Dreger feels could appeal to head coach Craig Berube, and increase Kampf’s chances of staying in Toronto.
“David Kampf is a safe fourth-line centre. He gives you everything he has and Berube might love that.”
While Dreger identified Jarnkrok and Kampf as potential trade targets, he also dished on Nick Robertson’s future and feels the media isn’t being fair, when it comes to the trade attention Robertson’s received in camp.
It’s obvious Dreger feels due to Robertson’s affordable salary and scoring potential, he could be a reliable secondary scoring option for the Leafs.
“So, I’m just saying, we keep looking collectively as a media at Nick Robertson being the obvious guy who’s going to get pushed out, and I don’t think that’s fair,” Dreger continued. “He’s (Robertson) actually had a really good camp. We’re so quick to look at Robertson because he wanted out, and he did, until he didn’t.”
Regardless of who Treliving decides on dealing, there’s very little doubt at least one trade is coming before opening night on Oct. 9.