The Toronto Maple Leafs have placed forward David Kämpf on waivers, a move that comes as a surprise to many, especially in light of recent injury news surrounding center Scott Laughton. The decision was confirmed on Friday, October 3, 2025, amidst the flurry of roster adjustments teams are making before the start of the 2025-26 NHL season.
Kampf's waiver placement is particularly surprising given that he had filled in for the injured Laughton at practice on Friday. Laughton suffered a lower-body injury during Thursday night's preseason game against the Detroit Red Wings and is expected to be out week-to-week. Kampf had taken Laughton's spot on the fourth line, centering Steven Lorentz and Easton Cowan, leading many to believe he would be a temporary replacement.
The timing of this move has raised eyebrows, with some suggesting that head coach Craig Berube may not have been satisfied with what he saw during practice, or that the management team deemed it financially beneficial to demote Kämpf to the AHL's Toronto Marlies. With new additions to the team, Kampf was already facing an uphill battle for a roster spot.
Kampf, 30, has spent the past four seasons with the Maple Leafs after signing as a free agent in 2021. Last season, the Chomutov, Czech Republic, native recorded five goals and eight assists in 59 games, marking lows in his time with the club. In his eight-year NHL career, split between the Maple Leafs and Chicago Blackhawks, Kampf has accumulated 48 goals and 95 assists in 536 games.
If Kämpf clears waivers, he could be assigned to the Toronto Marlies. This would provide the Maple Leafs with some cap relief, though not the full amount of Kämpf's $2.4 million average annual value (AAV) contract, which runs through 2027. If he is sent to the AHL, the Leafs would still carry $1.25 million in dead cap space. However, if another team claims Kampf off waivers, the Leafs would be left with a void at center, especially with Laughton sidelined. It remains to be seen if general manager Brad Treliving has another move in mind to address this potential issue.
The decision to place Kampf on waivers may also signal a shift in the coaching staff's view of his role. Once a trusted penalty-killing specialist under former coach Sheldon Keefe, Kämpf saw his role diminish last season, and was scratched in 12 playoff games. With Laughton's injury, Kämpf was expected to return to the penalty kill, but the waiver move suggests otherwise.
With the final roster deadline approaching, the Maple Leafs are making tough decisions among their depth forwards. Kampf's waiver placement creates space for other forwards to potentially secure a roster spot. The team may be confident in Calle Järnkrok's ability to play fourth-line center, but losing Kampf would still represent a gamble.
