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If required, a Blue Jackets and Toronto Maple Leafs salary cap-centered trade makes sense for both teams

Ever the competitive squad, Toronto finds itself in a bit of a cap crunch against the cap ceiling, while Columbus may need to reach the cap floor. Let's discuss a few trade candidates that might make sense for both sides.

By Mike Stump |
Dec 29, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson (44) and Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit (2) fight during the second period at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images
Dec 29, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson (44) and Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit (2) fight during the second period at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images / Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images
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With the NHL offseason officially winding down following the prospects tournaments held over this past weekend, several teams in the league are finding themselves over the salary cap just a few short weeks out from the beginning of the season. While teams like Washington, Vegas, and Montreal all have LTIR candidates on their rosters, the Toronto Maple Leafs do not currently have such a candidate and need to shed about $1.069m before they begin play in October.

On the other hand, the Columbus Blue Jackets may need to add salary to reach the salary cap floor, to the tune of around $1.8m, if the NHL and NHLPA do not provide an exemption following the tragic passing of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau earlier this month.

A salary cap dump trade from Toronto to Columbus makes sense for both sides. The only question is: who are some possible candidates on the Maple Leafs roster? Columbus is short one additional forward, per the words of GM Don Waddell in Buffalo over the weekend, and is likely set at Defense.

However, this is pending the ability of David Jiricek to finally make the jump full-time to the NHL level, which we believe he will do, but if Don disagrees, the Jackets may look for another RHD to take that spot in the short term.

With all of this in mind, let's take a look at just a few possible candidates the Jackets may look to acquire.

Calle Järnkrok

Mar 2, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Calle Jarnkrok (19) skates with the puck against the New York Rangers in overtime at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Mar 2, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Calle Jarnkrok (19) skates with the puck against the New York Rangers in overtime at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images / Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

After being drafted by Seattle in the 2021 Expansion Draft, Jarnkrok has been a bit of a journeyman forward. He's played for Nashville, Seattle, Calgary, and Toronto in the past four seasons. Since signing a four-year, $2.1m AAV deal in 2022 to head to Toronto, he has posted a 30-30-60 line in 125 games during the regular season and a 1-2-3 line in 19 playoff games while remaining scoreless during this past postseason.

Calle has a decent-value contract for a player who's been near a 0.50 PPG pace in his past two seasons in Toronto. Given the remaining two years on a contract at a good team value, I wouldn't be surprised if Toronto attempts to hold onto him rather than offer him up as salary cap trade bait. If they do, however, Calle would fit right into Columbus' lineup, likely as the third-line right winger next to Cole Sillinger and perhaps Dmitri Voronkov.

Jarnkrok is mainly known for his high hockey IQ for a player of his experience and decent skating ability. He can be played in most situations, both on the PP and PK and is effective in 5v5 situations on both ends of the ice. He would definitely gel well with Dean Evason's high-pressure forechecking system, which he is expected to introduce here in Columbus.

All in all, however, I seriously doubt that Toronto would be looking to move Jarnkrok at this point unless they see his less-than-stellar postseason performance from last season as the beginning of a trend. So, with that in mind, let's move on.

David Kämpf

Mar 6, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs center David Kampf (64) arrives at the Scotiabank Arena before a game against the Buffalo Sabres. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Mar 6, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs center David Kampf (64) arrives at the Scotiabank Arena before a game against the Buffalo Sabres. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

David Kämpf has been a trade speculation favorite of Maple Leafs fans since he signed his 4-year, $9.6m contract in 2023. Kampf's skills have never been in doubt. He is a hard-forechecking, physically imposing, defensive centerman who knows how to impose his will on his opponents. However, handing out that kind of AAV ($2.5M) and especially a four-year deal for a player who hasn't reached the 30-point plateau in his entire career was eyebrow-raising even then.

With three years remaining on his term, it would be difficult for the Jackets to want to take his contract on. The Jackets already have a player just like David: Sean Kuraly, who arguably provides more value to his team than Kampf at the same AAV while only having one year left on his deal. He would satisfy the cap floor requirement, but I doubt he'd like to ride the pine in Columbus for several years or only be counted on as a depth forward for a still-rebuilding franchise.

However, if the Jackets were looking to be the recipients of a pure salary dump trade and wouldn't mind keeping David on the roster or waiving him when the time is right, they should be able to get some good value out of acquiring him to aid Toronto in their cap situation. Toronto's second-round pick in 2025 would likely be a decent starter for a club that no longer owns their 2025 second-rounder themselves.

Finally, let's take a look at a possibility of a right-shot Defenseman in the event David Jiricek is not ready for the next step this season.

Conor Timmins

Mar 30, 2024; Buffalo, New York, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Conor Timmins (25) makes a pass during the third period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Mar 30, 2024; Buffalo, New York, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Conor Timmins (25) makes a pass during the third period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images / Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

Let's put it simply: Conor Timmins, unfortunately, cannot stay healthy. Despite him now entering what would technically be his seventh season in the NHL, Timmins has only played in 91 games at this level. His career high in games played in a single season was in '20-'21 with Colorado, when he played in a grand total of 31.

In his past two campaigns donning the Maple Leaf, Timmins played in just 25 games each season. Despite him being an RFA this upcoming offseason, Toronto may look to move his $1.1m AAV deal to become cap-compliant.

If he could stay healthy, and assuming a future situation where the Jackets wish to give David Jiricek more time to develop at the AHL level, Conor Timmins would be an excellent short-term replacement. Even if Timmins were to go down to a season-ending injury again, his contract on the IR would be enough (after call-ups) to keep the Jackets compliant through the end of the '24-'25 season.

The return wouldn't be all that much, given Timmins' low AAV and expiring contract at the end of the season. Still, in this scenario, Don Waddell likely wouldn't mind acquiring another low-end pick for next-to-no cost and more time for one of his top defensive prospects to simmer in the best developmental league in the world.

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