Kampf did not take part in practice after he sustained an injury before the team's mandated break.
Kampf did not take part in practice after he sustained an injury before the team's mandated break.
The Toronto Maple Leafs will be without David Kampf when they host the New York Islanders in their first game since taking the NHL-mandated bye week.
The team practiced without their fourth-line center on Sunday after reassembling for their first practice in over a week. Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe explained that the defensive forward was banged up before the break and the medical staff needed a closer look.
"They weren’t happy with how it settled down throughout the course of the break. He’s not quite ready," Keefe said on Sunday. "He’s going to get an MRI today. I’d say unavailable for tomorrow and day-to-day at this point until we find out more."
The Maple Leafs practiced without Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and Morgan Rielly on Sunday. The four players did take the ice for a brief skills session but were given most of the day off given how busy they were while taking part in NHL All-Star Weekend festivities over the weekend.
Kampf has four goals and four assists in 46 games this season. He missed one game this season, a Dec. 30th contest against the Carolina Hurricanes, after he was sat as a healthy scratch by Keefe.
Based on the lineup, it looks like Bobby McMann will come back into the lineup after missing last week's road game against the Winnipeg Jets due to a flare of a lingering lower-body injury. He's currently on injured reserve, but he's expected to be activated in time for Monday's game and skate on the left wing of a line that will see Pontus Holmberg take Kampf's place at center and Ryan Reaves skate on the right side.
Calle Jarnkrok, who sustained a broken knuckle in the team's last practice before the break, was moved to the injured reverse list, presumably to make room for McMann. Jarnkrok remains week-to-week.
Noah Gregor moved up to the third line to skate with Nick Robertson and Max Domi.
Expected lines vs Islanders
Matthew Knies—Auston Matthews—Mitch Marner
Tyler Bertuzzi—John Tavares—Wlliam Nylander
Nick Robertson—Max Domi—Noah Gregor
Bobby McMann—Pontus Holmberg—Ryan Reaves
Morgan Rielly—TJ Brodie
Simon Benoit—Jake McCabe
Mark Giordano—Timothy Liljegren
Samsonov starts against the Islanders
Coming off three consecutive solid performances in goal, Ilya Samsonov will get the net once again when the Leafs host the Islanders.
"He did a terrific job for us before the break and was able to take some time away, but he also voluntarily cut his break short and got back on the ice. That shows me where his head is at and what he is thinking here," Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said of Samsonov.
Samsonov was in Mexico with family for the bye week. He went 3-0-0 in his last three starts with a .960 save percentage. That included a pair of back-to-back against a strong Winnipeg Jets team.
The goaltender appears to be over his struggles from most of the season and felt more comfortable going away on a high note unlike his other times away that were spent trying to get his game back.
"I'm not like going on break or a day off if we lose," Samsonov said. "It's nice we won three games before the break. More easier to enjoy.
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