Claude Julien still not quite saying Steven Kampfer is ready to play

TAMPA — Bruins defenseman Steven Kampfer said earlier in the week that he is “definitely” ready to go if the Bruins need him, but coach Claude Julien still isn’t ready to go that far. Julien reiterated his week-long message that Kampfer, who is coming off a knee injury, is “close.”

“He’s pretty close I think. I just talked to him after practice there. We had a little bit of a chat on the ice and talked about what he’s been through the last little while and how he’s felt and everything else, so I think he’s getting pretty close to that,” Julien said after Thursday’s skate. “If anything, I think pretty soon we’ll be able to say he’s a guy that could jump in if something happened.”