Ottawa 67’s will hoist No. 44 at ‘retirement party’ for Brian Campbell
As Brian Campbell walks the red carpet Friday night at TD Place arena, on his way to pull the cord and unfurl a banner, before his No. 44 is raised up on the south wall alongside those of 67’s immortals Denis Potvin, Doug Wilson, Peter Lee and Bobby Smith, the memories are sure to flow. How could they not? The red-headed Campbell, who played 260 regular season games in a 67’s uniform and 50 more in the playoffs, might reminisce about how a third-round draft pick from Strathroy almost called it quits after just one practice at training camp in 1995.
He may look up and laugh about how he became “44” in the first place.
Maybe he will look across the blue-line and envision his longtime defence partner Nick Boynton, ready to defend while Campbell took off with the puck up ice. Perhaps he might sneak a look at where the 67’s bench used to be and think about Brian Kilrea offering some tough encouragement.
Or he may recall a lap around the then Civic Centre ice on May 23, 1999, hoisting the Memorial Cup above his head.
Campbell has so many 67’s memories, and now, at age 38, months after calling it a day on an illustrious 1,082-game NHL career and 18 years after his final junior game, he gets one more.
Campbell took the call this past summer from 67’s governor Jeff Hunt.
“I was surprised,” said Campbell, set to join a select class of just five players to have their numbers retired in the 50-year history of the franchise.
“Then I felt like this is pretty cool and pretty special.
“Obviously with the names up there already, this is a big honour and I feel honoured that it was Jeff who called after all he’s done for the 67’s.”
Campbell’s parents, Lorna and Ed, will be there, just as they were many Friday nights in the 1990s. If Campbell has one regret, it’s that wife Lauren, who he met while a Chicago Blackhawk, and daughters Harper, four, and Everly, two, can’t make it. Lauren is expecting the couple’s third — a son — in January and doctors have ruled out flying.
Hunt offered Campbell an option on many dates but it was either do it early or leave a newborn behind, so he chose now.
“Kids get in the way I guess,” he joked.
As for the memories, the first was his first day in Ottawa’s camp. He didn’t plan on there being a second, and was all set to go back and play another season with the Petrolia Junior Bs with older brother Darryl under coaches Mark Hunter (presentday Toronto Maple Leafs GM) and former NHLer Bobby Gould.
“I think I took my skates home the first night,” said Campbell.
“I wasn’t even sure I was coming back to the rink the next day. I didn’t play in the first exhibition … I just wasn’t sure.
“My parents drove down and we went over to Killer’s house to talk. Brian said he wanted me to stay and it was an exciting time for me. It was a big step for a young lad, though maybe not as big a step as I thought. Still, it was nerve-racking.
“My dad wanted me to stay and try it. He always said, ‘Nothing ever changes at home. You can always come back.’ ”
Kilrea remembers the conversation well — with a twist.
“He was going home when he came to the house,” said Coach. “His dad said, ‘Just try it.’ Brian said he didn’t think he was ready. I said I thought he was.
“So we’re talking and Nick Boynton calls, and he was living with Patty and Carl Dowsett as his billets. He and Brian had met at some under-17 tournament. He said he had talked to Patty and Carl, and they said Brian could stay there. Brian’s mom and dad said, ‘Let’s go’ (to visit the Dowsetts) on the way home, and the Dowsetts convinced him to stay.
“He played an exhibition game the next day (in Belleville) and I think he was the first star. That was the end of it.”
And then there’s the story about how he landed No. 44. It wasn’t Campbell’s first choice.
“I had worn No. 14 in Petrolia so I asked for it,” said Campbell.
“They told me it was retired (Lee).
“The same thing happened (when he got to the NHL) in Buffalo. I asked for 14 and they said a guy with the French Connection (Rene Robert) had it retired. So I said 44 and they said it was Alexei Zhitnik’s. So I ended up with 51.”
While in Ottawa, Campbell played almost his entire four years with Boynton. The two were on the second power play unit as rookies and the first from Year 2 on.
“We had a drill where you could pick who you would race against and Boynton would always pick Brian to race against because he knew he could beat him,” said Kilrea. “But put a puck on their sticks and Brian would beat Nick every time. He never lost a step carrying the puck where other guys would slow down.”
And the 67’s career that almost never happened was capped with a Memorial Cup win in 1999, the players hoisting their sticks as Kilrea left the ice in what he calls his best day ever.
“Obviously I am glad I stayed,” said Campbell. “Everything just worked our perfectly.
“I think I may have got to the place I wanted to get to eventually but this worked out great.”