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Kampfer Opts Out, Bruins Release Training Camp Roster

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Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins announced their training camp roster for Phase 3 of the NHL Return To Play plan that will commence tomorrow at Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton, MA and they will be missing a defenseman, who even in limited games in the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs, did have an impact.

Defenseman Steven Kampfer was not on the roster. That’s because the 31-year-old rearguard announced Saturday night that he will be opting out of the NHL Return To Play and the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs due to COVID19 health concerns. Kampfer’s wife and son both have a congenital heart defect that can result in complications should they contract the virus that shut the NHL down back on March 12. 

“This was one of the hardest decisions that I’ve ever had to make,” Kampfer said in an announcement on his Twitter handle. “We have taken [COVID-19] very seriously. Family will always be my priority.”

As a spare defenseman, Kampfer played just ten games for the Bruins this season, registering two assists. The Michigan native, who was drafted in the fourth round (93rd overall) of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, had three goals and nine points in 22 games for Providence (AHL). In his limited minutes and games, Kampfer did have an impact in the Bruins’ run to Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, specifically when he sent the TD Garden crowd into bedlam with his first and only career playoff goal in the 2019 Eastern Conference Final. 

Other than Kampfer opting out, there were no real surprises on the Bruins camp roster:

Forwards: Patrice Bergeron, Anders Bjork, Anton Blidh, Paul Carey, Charlie Coyle, Jake DeBrusk, Trent Frederic, Ondrej Kase, David Krejci, Sean Kuraly, Karson Kuhlman, Par Lindholm, Brad Marchand, Joakim Nordstrom, David Pastrnak, Nick Ritchie, Zach Senyshyn, Jack Studnicka, Chris Wagner

 Defensemen: Brandon Carlo, Zdeno Chara, Connor Clifton, Matt Grzelcyk, Torey Krug, Jeremy Lauzon, Charlie McAvoy, John Moore, Urho Vaakanainen, Jakub Zboril

 Goaltenders: Jaroslav Halak, Max Lagace, Tuukka Rask, Dan Vladar

The Bruins will head to the NHL Hub City of Toronto on July 26 and play their first game in the round-robin round against the Philadelphia Flyers on August 2 at Scotiabank Arena.

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