The David Kampf era with the Toronto Maple Leafs appears to be coming to a close.
According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, in a post on X: “Expect David Kampf to be placed on waivers today for purpose of termination of contract. So, if he clears waivers tomorrow he can sign with another NHL club.”
The 30-year-old has been mulling over his future for the last week or so after beginning the regular season with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. He was suspended without pay during that time.
Kampf was placed on waivers at the beginning of the year and cleared, thus allowing Toronto to send the forward to the AHL. He played four games with the Marlies, tallying one assist in that span. His last game with the club was on Oct. 29 against the Syracuse Crunch.
Kampf signed a four-year, $9.6 million contract with the Maple Leafs in June 2023. This was the third year of that contract, and with him down in the AHL, Toronto still had $1.25 million of his contract on its salary cap (it disappeared while he took a leave from the Marlies).
The most recent reporting on the situation, from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, was that Toronto and Kampf’s side were possibly working through clawback language within Kampf’s contract.
“There is in some contracts something called clawback language, and it allows the team to seek the return of a signing bonus if the player terminates the deal,” Friedman reported. “And if you’re wondering why it’s there, it’s kind of obvious…
“I have heard return of the signing bonus has come up in the middle of this. So I am thinking that either the Maple Leafs said, ‘Hey, there’s clawback language here and we’re going to enforce it.’ Or the league has said, ‘Hey, there’s language here that we want you to enforce.'”
Friedman added that the language protects the team from a player quitting once the signing bonus is paid out and gives the team a route to seek a return. It remains unknown if that was the case in Thursday’s decision to waive Kampf for the purposes of contract termination.
In 301 games with the Maple Leafs, Kampf scored 31 goals and 85 points.
“We’ve got to be better, plain and simple. There’s no excuse for where we are right now. We need to hold ourselves accountable and make the necessary changes, because this isn’t acceptable.”
— Alex Tuch, Buffalo Sabres Forward
Buffalo Sabres fans, brace yourselves: change is coming. After yet another brutal defeat — a 5-2 loss to Utah followed by a 6-2 drubbing by the Colorado Avalanche — it’s clear that this team is nowhere near the contender they were supposed to be this season. And for fans who’ve waited 14 years for a playoff spot, the latest string of losses is a hard pill to swallow. With Buffalo’s record now at a dismal
Sabres in Crisis Mode: A Season on the Brink
The loss to the Avalanche capped off a disastrous five-game losing streak, with
The truth is, the Sabres have been in this situation for far too long. The fans are fed up, and even the players are starting to admit what’s been painfully obvious:
The End of the Line for Adams and Ruff?
At this point, there is no denying that accountability must fall on both
As Tuch stated, “There’s no excuse for where we are right now.” The Sabres have been left behind in a rapidly advancing NHL, and with another playoff-less season on the horizon, it’s time for ownership to act.
The Roster Shake-Up: Who’s Safe and Who’s Not?
But it’s not just the front office and coaching staff that needs to change. With this current Sabres team showing no signs of getting it together, nearly
The Sabres need to shed their past — and that means moving out players who aren’t contributing to the rebuild. It’s a painful reality, but every player needs to be held accountable
for this team’s continued failure. It’s no longer about potential or promises — it’s about delivering results, and if you’re not part of the solution, you’ll be part of the problem.
Buffalo’s Road to Redemption: How to Fix the Sabres?
So, what now for Buffalo? The road to redemption starts with tough decisions. Kevyn Adams will need to make bold moves to reshape the roster, bringing in fresh talent to bolster the lineup. The Sabres’ defense needs a complete overhaul, and the goaltending situation is looking more desperate by the day. The team can no longer afford to let mediocrity slip by — it’s time to build a
This won’t be an easy fix, but with the right moves, Buffalo could finally start to dig itself out of this hole. The fans deserve a competitive team, and the Sabres owe it to themselves to deliver.
Can the Sabres Turn It Around?
There’s no sugar-coating it — the Sabres’ current path is not sustainable. Another year of misery for Buffalo fans will simply not do. As the Sabres face the harsh reality of their worst season in recent memory, one thing is clear:
The time for change is now — and for the first time in years, it feels like the Sabres have no choice but to start fresh.