When Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy announced Saturday that Kevan Miller would be out for Game 5 against the Washington Capitals, he said the Bruins had two options to replace him: Jarred Tinordi and Urho Vaakanainen.
That raised the fair question of, why not Steven Kampfer?
Turns out, he's hurt.
Kampfer has been a fantastic spare defenseman for the Bruins the last three seasons, plugging in and playing on a dime and being a reliable rearguard for Boston.
But Cassidy on Sunday indicated Tinordi would play in the potential clincher, and Kampfer is unavailable because of an arm injury.
"He had an arm injury that required attention," Cassidy told reporters over Zoom. "So, he's not available and he won't be available going forward."
It's unclear what "going forward" means, but it's worth noting Kampfer is no longer listed on the Bruins' roster.
The 32-year-old had two goals and three assists in 20 games for Boston this season. He last played in the regular-season finale on May 11.
With the personnel they do have available, the Bruins ultimately are making the right call going with Tinordi.
Puck drop for Bruins-Capitals Game 5 is set for 7 p.m. ET on NESN, with pregame coverage beginning at 6.
