Being traded straight up for Greg Zanon last year, Steven Kampfer would have been a pariah. Last season, Zanon was a stud, a fan favorite. This season, getting Kampfer for Zanon felt like a major coup. He's young, he is unproven, but he is also... well... young and unproven. In other words, there is a glimmer of hope. If he pans out to be anything more than an AHL d-man, it's all icing.

He's a bit small, but that doesn't always matter for offensive d-men. Hopefully he can find a role and make it his. The Wild sure could use a young d-man to step up.

Nathan- Honestly, I didn't see enough from Kampfer to make an impression one way or another.

Grade: N/A

Bryan- Kampfer was good. Not great, but good. His defense wasn't always there, nor was his offense. He is young, and still has time to make an impact. He made a few mistakes, but those come with his age and development level. Plus, it's not like they traded a defensive stalwart for him.

Grade: C+

Jesse- For just Greg Zanon, Kampfer has to be looked on as a steal. The Wild got younger, faster, and smoother with the puck, and in exchange, the team gave up an old bag of sour grapes. The kid can skate well and sees the play develop pretty well for a younger guy. Granted, Kampfer won't be a top-pairing guy as he lacks the top-end elite talent, but he's still a great play as a 3rd-pair defensman. He had the rotten luck of being stuck behind a deep core in Boston, but a full season in Minnesota ought to give Kampfer a real chance to audition his talent.

Grade: B