Brian Wesley Campbell, born on May 23, 1979, is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenseman. Over his NHL career, Campbell played for the Buffalo Sabres, San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, and Florida Panthers.
Brian Campbell with the Chicago Blackhawks
Early Life and Career
Campbell grew up in Strathroy, Ontario, where he attended elementary school at Colborne Street Public School and high school at Strathroy District Collegiate Institute. He also attended Canterbury High School in Ottawa while playing for the Ottawa 67's of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). His parents are Ed and Lorna. He has two brothers, Craig and Darryl.
Campbell grew up playing minor hockey in his hometown of Strathroy, Ontario, where he won an OMHA Championship at the novice level. He also played AAA hockey for the Elgin-Middlesex Major Bantam Chiefs, along with future NHL teammate Joe Thornton, in 1993-94, which was the organization's inaugural year. In 1994-95, Campbell signed with the Petrolia Jets Jr.B. Following his season with the Jets, Campbell was drafted by the Ottawa 67's.
OHL Career
Campbell was taken by the Ottawa 67's in the OHL as a third-round draft pick in the 1995 OHL Priority Selection. In 1998-99, he won the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHL's Most Outstanding Player.
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NHL Career
Buffalo Sabres (1999-2008)
Campbell was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres as their sixth-round pick in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. He played his first game for the Sabres in the 1999-2000 season and stayed with the team, wearing number 51, until February 26, 2008, when he was traded to San Jose.
On January 9, 2007, Campbell was the leading vote-getter amongst Eastern Conference defenceman for the 2007 NHL All-Star Game, earning him his first All-Star appearance. As a result of the Sabres' rotating captaincy policy, Campbell was named an alternate captain for the month of November 2007 and captain for the month of December. The 2007-08 season was the final season Campbell was under contract with Buffalo.
San Jose Sharks (2008)
On February 26, 2008, at the NHL trade deadline, the Sabres traded Campbell, along with their seventh-round draft pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft (194th overall; Drew Daniels), to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for forward Steve Bernier and their 2008 first-round pick (26th overall; Tyler Ennis). Campbell also led the NHL during the 2007-08 season in games played, being one of just two players to appear in 83 games, or one game more than a team's full schedule, because of his trade to San Jose; the other was Jeff Halpern.
Brian Campbell with the Chicago Blackhawks celebrating the Stanley Cup
Chicago Blackhawks (2008-2011)
On July 1, 2008, Campbell signed an eight-year contract as an unrestricted free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks for roughly $7.1 million annually. Fox Chicago reported that Campbell chose to sign with the Blackhawks despite allegedly receiving better contract offers from other organizations.
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He played in all 82 of Chicago's regular-season games in the 2008-09 season, scoring seven goals to go with 45 assists for 52 points as Blackhawks qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2002.
Daniel Carcillo nails Brian Campbell
On March 14, 2010, 68 games into the 2009-10 season, Campbell was injured in a boarding incident caused by Washington Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin. Ovechkin was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for boarding, while Campbell did not return to the game. As a consequence of the illegal boarding hit, Ovechkin was suspended two games by the NHL. Campbell sustained a broken clavicle and broken rib, and was expected to miss seven-to-eight weeks. He ended the season with seven goals and 31 assists for 38 points in the first 68 games before missing the final 14 games and the first three games in the opening round of the playoffs. Prior to the injury, Campbell had played 388 consecutive games.
Campbell managed to return by Game 4 of the first round of the 2010 playoffs against the Nashville Predators, igniting the team to a three-game win streak to knock Nashville out of the playoffs in six games. The Blackhawks would defeat the Vancouver Canucks in six games for the second consecutive year in six games before sweeping the San Jose Sharks in the third round to clinch a spot in the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals.
On October 1, 2010, in a 5-2 pre-season win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, Campbell sustained a sprained knee in a collision with Penguins' forward Eric Tangradi, resulting in him missing the last pre-season game and the first 13 games of the 2010-11 season. He ended the 2010-11 season with five goals and 22 assists for 37 points in 65 games played.
Florida Panthers (2011-2016)
The Panthers made headlines when they picked up Campbell in a trade with the Blackhawks. Florida's coaching staff allows him to roam the ice and start the rush, something he didn't do in his final years with Chicago. Campbell made the most of his transition to South Beach playing in all 82 games and chipping in with a career-high 53 points, good enough for second among NHL defensemen. The veteran defender may not pot the puck on a regular basis, but his ability to rack up assists and his durability at an advanced age makes him an attractive option heading into the 2012-2013 campaign.
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Campbell had another productive season on the Panthers' blue line last season, racking up eight goals and 19 assists while playing all 48 games. He's starting to get to the age where players begin to slow down, but there's no reason to believe the 34-year-old will put up drastically different numbers than last year. He's played every game the last two seasons for the Panthers, so he's been durable as he gets older. The major blemish on his stat line last season was the glaring minus-22 rating, but a big negative number is always a risk when you draft a player from a team like the Panthers.
Campbell had a good season for the Panthers in 2013-14 putting up 37 points, including a dozen on the power play. He will be on their top D-pairing and quarterback the power play again this year. He should be good for another 30-40 points, although with the Panthers youngsters developing he could see a small pop if the team takes a step forward offensively.
While the 36-year-old may not quite have the same pep in his step that he once did, he’s a valuable member of the youthful Panthers. Providing a veteran presence on the blue line, Campbell put up 27 points in 2014-15, but that total was his fewest in a full season since he scored 27 while playing 65 games for the Blackhawks in 2010-11. Playing on the top defensive pairing and on the power play, Campbell still has some gas in the tank even as he prepares for his 16th NHL season.
Return to Chicago Blackhawks (2016-2017)
While the 37-year-old Campbell will never return to the 62-point form he exhibited in the 2007-08 season, the veteran defender showed he's still capable of posting respectable numbers as a member of the Panthers in 2015-16, notching 31 points (six goals, 25 assists) with an impressive plus-31 rating over 82 games. The 5-foot-10 blueliner will now return to the team he won a Stanley Cup with in 2010 - the Chicago Blackhawks - where a top-four role awaits. Campbell will see plenty of ice time with the 'Hawks this season, and should get an opportunity to contribute on the man advantage as a member of one of the team's power-play units.
International Career
Campbell was a member of Team Canada at the 1999 World Junior Championships and was named a First Team All-Star for the tournament.
Post-Playing Career
After retiring, Brian Campbell joined the Blackhawks front office.
Career Statistics
Brian Campbell's career statistics reflect his consistent performance and contributions to each team he played for:
| Season | Team | Games Played | Goals | Assists | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-2000 | Buffalo Sabres | 63 | 3 | 13 | 16 |
| 2005-2006 | Buffalo Sabres | 79 | 12 | 32 | 44 |
| 2007-2008 | Buffalo Sabres/San Jose Sharks | 83 | 8 | 54 | 62 |
| 2008-2009 | Chicago Blackhawks | 82 | 7 | 45 | 52 |
| 2009-2010 | Chicago Blackhawks | 68 | 7 | 31 | 38 |
| 2011-2012 | Florida Panthers | 82 | 4 | 49 | 53 |