Maple Leafs' David Kampf returns to practice after getting hit in the head

David Kampf left the game after being clipped with a hit to the head by Rasmus Kupari.

David Kampf was back at practice for the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday, one day after he was forced to leave a game against the Los Angeles Kings after being clipped in the head, and will be a game-time decision to play on Friday.

"It was a good day for him," Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said after the practice. "So we'll just see how he is tomorrow when he wakes up and comes to the rink. Call it a game-time decision, I guess, but it was a very positive day for him."

Kampf practised on a line with Nick Ritchie and Wayne Simmonds, who was moved up to the third line with Ondrej Kase absent from practice due to undergoing what Keefe called a maintenance day. Starting goaltender Jack Campbell did not participate in practice after starting against the Kings the night before, and the Maple Leafs will turn to Joseph Woll against the San Jose Sharks.

The play Kampf was hit in the head on occurred just one minute and 35 seconds into the first period of Wednesday's game. After Kings forward Rasmus Kupari missed a Grade-A opportunity in the Kings' offensive zone, he swung around the net and, near the bottom of the left face-off circle, made contact with Kampf's head.

"It looked to me like direct contact to his head, obviously," Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said after the game, a 6-2 win. "So, I hate to see that. I don't know how much intent was there. It looked pretty accidental to me."

Beyond receiving contact to the side of his head, Kampf also fell hard to the ice on his left arm. Kupari was charged with a tripping minor for the collision. Kampf left the game and did not return, with the team describing his departure as being for "precautionary reasons."

The 26-year-old has registered three goals and three assists through 20 games with the Maple Leafs this season while playing a shutdown role on the third line. He signed a two-year, $3-million deal with the club last off-season after playing the first four seasons of his NHL career with the Chicago Blackhawks.

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