Kampfer/By S. Bradley
There are worse ways for a first-year pro to finish his season than practicing and sitting as a healthy scratch for the eventual Stanley Cup champions.
So while an injury suffered during a minor-league conditioning stint cost Steve Kampfer his chance to contribute to the Bruins’ cause in the postseason, he couldn’t have asked for a better experience to cap his rookie season.
After the briefest of stints with the Providence (AHL) farm club to start the season, Kampfer came up and provided the Bruins with a confident puck-moving element they lacked until the league began to catch up to him and the rigors of the NHL slowed him down.
Still the future looks bright for Kampfer, who figures to make a hard push for a regular job in the top six next season.
Stats
Regular season: 38 GP, 5-5-10, plus-9
Playoffs: DNP
Contract status: Signed through 2012-13 at a cap hit of $852,000
Best regular-season moment: With just 1:14 left in regulation, Kampfer’s goal put the Bruins ahead for good in a wild, 7-5 victory of Philadelphia at the Garden. The game also featured Kampfer unloading on a big hit on Scott Hartnell at the Boston blue line.
Best playoff moment: While an injury with Providence on April 29 cost Kampfer a chance to fill in when Zdeno Chara and Adam McQuaid both had to miss games during the first two rounds of the playoffs, Kampfer was cleared to play in time for the Tampa Bay series and was able to practice hard during the last two rounds.
Worst moment: Technically, that injury, which proved to be a season-ender, was Kampfer’s low point. But things started to go a little southward when on March 17 Kampfer made a couple miscues in an overtime loss at Nashville. He fell into the net and blocked Tuukka Rask’s chance to stop the Predators’ game-tying goal. And then his unnecessary holding penalty on Mike Fisher set the Preds up for a power-play goal in the extra session.
Regular-season grade: B-minus
Playoff grade: N/A
Carnac predicts … Kampfer will be in the thick of a battle for a top-six spot next season. Sometimes young defensemen need more seasoning, but Kampfer has proven to a be quick study so far.
Honestly I suspect the team will be in a position cap space wise to carry a few extra healthy scratches. I kind of expect them to take and keep a couple of extra D-men-especially those who are two way so they can easily be moved to Providence without the waiver issue.
I honestly don’t think Kampfer is ready to take on the role as the Bruins main puck mover. I think the team is likely going to resign Kaberle and I am okay with that provided the deal is a reasonable one.
I do hope they give Kampfer some ice time. I would also really like to see Cohen and Alexandrov get some chances at some NHL games.
Although my real dream is still for them to find a really good defenseman that can anchor the second pairing. I don’t think Seids is that man, not to mention during the playoffs nothing was scarier than Seids and Chara-who could eat up the minutes and not break a sweat.
I’m hopeful when it comes to Kampfer, but that’s as far as I’ll take it. We saw some really nice play from the kid last year, but I also saw him slowly get overmatched physically. Seems to play a little bigger than he is at times, and I’m nervous about his penchant for playing without necessary caution. Based on what I saw last year, I think PC has to plan on the kid contributing, but also only in a 6-7 role. D always go down (we were rather lucky last season), and I think we’ll need to pick up at least another quality body on the backline. In another year, I hope he can take Boychuk’s place… with Hamilton filling in the role he serves now.
Kampfer and Caron deserve a good shot at more playing time next year. I think Kampfer is a good reason to keep your chequebook put away when talk surfaces about re-signing Kaberle.
I think he is a kid with a lot of promise and I honestly think his concussion during the regular season was a real low point. I don’t think he ever came back and played well after he was cleared to play.
I do think he seems to have some good hockey sense and a nice mix of puck moving with a willingness to make hits and take hits. Hopefully this year he lands a roster spot and only improves from there.
He is a very promising dman. He can move the puck and that is what they hoped Kaberle would do when he came here.