Campbell retires; taking Blackhawks business position
One of the first moves made by Dale Tallon after he was hired to be the Florida Panthers general manager in May 2010 was to convince Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell towaive his no-trade clause and leave the Stanley Cup champions to help bring a similar banner to the BB&T Center.
Campbell agreed and Tallon sent oftinjured forward Rostislev Olesz to Chicago. Olesz played 16 more NHL games while Campbell didn’t miss a game in the next five years with the Panthers, while earning $7.14 million a season as part of an eight-year deal that Tallon signed him to while he was the Blackhawks general manager.
On Monday, Campbell, 38, decided to retire after a sterling 17-year NHL career, to take a position in the Blackhawks’ business operations department.
Although Campbell or Soup as his teammates called him, didn’t get to hoist a Stanley Cup with the Panthers, he did help them win two division titles and earn two playoff berths in five seasons.
A free agent after the Panthers’ franchise-best 103-point 2015-16 season, Campbell turned down a two-year deal and more money to remain in Florida, instead opting to return to Chicago for a one-year, $2.25 million for the sake of his growing Chicago-based family .
“I’m excited to transition into thenext stepin bothmy professional career and life,” Campbell said in a statement Monday. “I’m grateful to the countless number of teammates, coaches, team staff and fans that I have crossed paths with throughoutmy playing career in Chicago, Buffalo, Florida and San Jose. The Blackhawks organization has allowed me to take on this challenge and I’m thankful for thisnewopportunity.”
Campbell, a sixth-round draft pick by the Sabres in 1997, began his career with Buffalo in 1999 and had two stints with the Blackhawks, a short stay with the Sharks and five more seasons with Florida from2011-16.
Campbell, known for his smooth skating skills, mild manner and power-play anchor ability, finished with 1,082 games played, 87 goals and 417 assists. He had 28 goals and 175 points in 376 regular-season games with Florida, as well as 6 points in 13 playoff games.
Campbell also helped mentor young Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad and Alex Petrovic.
While with the Panthers, Campbell played in every possible game, including four 82-game seasons and the 48-game lockout shortened season of 2012-13. He was a four-time All-Star, including the 2011-12 campaign, in which he also earned the team’s only Lady Byng Trophy, given annually to the player who exhibits sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct with a high standard of playing ability.
“Brian is a consummate professional, was a key part of two Panthers playoff teams and played a major role mentoring our young players during his time in South Florida,” Tallon texted the Sun Sentinel. “It’s my honor to congratulate him on an excellent career.”
hfialkov@ sunsentinel.com or Twitter @hfialkov