Date: November 3, 2025
Source: Sportsnet — 32 Thoughts: The Podcast
During the November 3 episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, insider Elliotte Friedman discussed David Kämpf’s situation with the Maple Leafs, how Toronto is managing its roster logjam, and provided a health update on Chris Tanev. He also touched on Nick Robertson’s comments about finally getting a chance to prove himself.
For more Leafs coverage, visit the Toronto Maple Leafs page on Toronto Sports Pulse.
On David Kämpf’s Situation
“I don’t know exactly what was said or exactly what was told, but Kämpf did leave players with the Marlies with the impression that he was going to terminate his contract. That has happened before — Filip Zadina did it, Connor Sheary did it a couple of years ago, Brandon Saad did it. He didn’t want to go to the American Hockey League and play in Springfield, and he ended up in Vegas because he was willing to do that.”
“Now, I had some people say to me, ‘Don’t definitively say that’s going to happen,’ because there’s a process. Kämpf would be walking away from basically four million dollars if he did that. And I think some people are going to say to him, ‘Are you sure?’”
“The bottom line is he wants to play, and everybody understands that. He’s out of the Toronto lineup not because he’s not good enough to play — it’s because they can’t fit his salary and roster spot in there.”
On the Leafs’ Roster Logjam
“I think what Kämpf shows here is that it’s a challenge for the Maple Leafs. They have a lot of players and guys going in and out who are NHL players — Nick Robertson is an NHL player, Calle Järnkrok is an NHL player. Maybe the roles aren’t set where they’d like them, or maybe there’s just not enough room for all of them, but they have a lot of guys who can play who aren’t playing or are in and out of the lineup. It’s a delicate dance.”
“Organizationally, it can be a bit of a headache for Toronto. Craig Berube, I don’t think he’s going to be bothered by it — but it’s still something they’ll want to manage carefully so it doesn’t spread anywhere else.”
On Nick Robertson’s Comments
“Robertson said after he scored again against Philadelphia that he doesn’t think he’s playing differently. He said, ‘I think I’ve played this way the last couple of years, but now you’re on a line with Auston Matthews, you’re playing more minutes, and you’re starting in the offensive zone more.’”
On Chris Tanev’s Scary Injury
“He stayed in Philadelphia on Saturday night, ended up traveling back to Toronto, and was discharged from hospital on Sunday. That was — yeah — it’s always frightening and uncomfortable and just scary when something like that happens, particularly because it was just over a week and a half ago when Tanev suffered another head injury in a game against the Devils and had just come back from that.”
“To see him go down and really not move for a while was the most frightening part. Thankfully, he’s recovering. Take your time, Chris. Don’t rush.”
Insider’s Pulse Takeaway
Elliotte Friedman reported that David Kämpf has stepped away from the Marlies to consider his future amid Toronto’s roster crunch. He stressed that Kämpf’s absence isn’t about performance — it’s about salary-cap pressure. Friedman also noted that Nick Robertson’s success reflects greater opportunity rather than changed play, and shared encouraging news that Chris Tanev is recovering well after his latest scare.
Quotes from Elliotte Friedman via Sportsnet — 32 Thoughts: The Podcast (Nov. 3, 2025). Used for analysis and commentary. Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
About the Author
