Maple Leafs Officially Set to Terminate David Kampf's Contract

After much speculation and reporting in relation to the David Kampf situation in Toronto, it appears as though we're headed towards a conclusion on Friday.

Over the last couple of weeks, there have been various reports emerging that Kampf is very unhappy with his situation in Toronto after being waived before the start of the season, and being demoted to the AHL's Toronto Marlies.

Kampf's frustration resulted in the veteran forward taking an unapproved leave of absence from the team, with reports suggesting that he was pursuing a contract termination. Now, that proposition is closer to a reality than ever.

Per a report from TSN's Darren Dreger on Thursday, the Maple Leafs will likely place Kampf on waivers this afternoon for the purpose of terminating his contract. If he clears, his deal will be voided and he will be eligible to sign with another NHL club.

The move will free up some additional cap space for the Maple Leafs, as Kampf's $2.4M salary will come off the books. Kampf had a little over $1M buried by him being in the minors, but this move will clear the remaining camp hit that the Leafs were originally stuck with.

Last week, it was reported that the contract termination could be very costly for Kampf, who may have to pay back some of the signing bonus that the Leafs had paid out on July 1st. Not only that, but Kampf also relinquishes the remainder of his $2.4M salary that he was set to earn this season, and the entire $2.4M he would have earned next season.

In the end, for Kampf, it was all about getting back to the NHL and being able to play the sport he loves with a lot more consistency. So, in that sense, he appears to be less worried about the money and more worried about the playing time.

As this situation finally comes to a resolution, it does give the Maple Leafs a bit of extra financial flexibility as the team continues to hunt for a top-six forward.