By Josh Sweetland/OHL
The Peterborough Petes are in the midst of their 13th appearance in the Memorial Cup presented by Kia, the most by any CHL franchise since the adaptation of the modern tournament format.
NHL Executive Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell remembers the transition from a series between two teams to a three-team neutral site concept in 1972 very well – he was there for it.
“We came up a little short there in Ottawa, but it was an interesting event to be a part of and something I’ll always remember,” said Campbell, who has been an executive in the NHL since 1998. “Playing in Peterborough was an important part of my life and I established some really good life foundations during my time with the Petes.”
The Petes gained entry to the tournament after hoisting the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Ottawa 67’s in five games. After defeating the Cornwall Royals 4-2 and the Edmonton Oil Kings 6-4, the Petes booked a ticket to the Championship Final where they’d fall short against the Orval Tessier-coached Cornwall squad by a score of 2-1.
Campbell returned to Peterborough for the 1972-73 season before being selected by the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins and WHA’s Vancouver Blazers in their respective Amateur Drafts. After one year in the WHA, he moved on to skate 636 career contests in the NHL, reaching the Stanley Cup Final with the Vancouver Canucks in 1982 with former Peterborough coach Roger Neilson behind the bench.
“The old saying used to be it takes two years to teach a guy good defensive habits. Back in the Roger Neilson days, he really emphasized teaching guys how to play responsible defensively, so that when they moved on to the next level, they already had that knowledge. You look at guys like Doug Jarvis, Craig Ramsay and Bob Gainey, all guys who were marquee players in the NHL due in large part to their commitment to defence first.”
The hockey world is a small one, and like the re-established connection with Neilson in 1982, Campbell’s professional path has been full of encounters with former Petes making an impact across the sport. He currently works alongside other Petes alumni in NHL Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations Kris King (1983-87), as well as NHL Goaltending Supervisor Kay Whitmore (1983-87). Campbell also runs into former Petes netminder Greg Millen (1974-77) from time-to-time, who currently works as a colour commentator on Hockey Night in Canada as well as the NHL on Sportsnet.
“The Petes are a truly prestigious organization. There’s a lot of pride that comes with having played in Peterborough,” he said. “Look at the coaches alone with Scotty Bowman, Roger (Neilson), Dick Todd, Mike Keenan, Gary Green – all guys that were successful and all coaches that laid a foundation for their players to become good people, not only hockey-wise, but well-rounded individuals that were prepared for life.”
Campbell, who lives not far from Green in their hometown of Tillsonburg, Ont. today, had the honour of seeing his No. 4 uniform honoured by the Petes on January 11, 2020 at the Memorial Centre.
A man who has just about done it all in the hockey world 🏒 @PetesOHLhockey honoured long-time #NHL defenceman, coach and executive Colin Campbell prior to puck drop. 1994 Stanley Cup champion was also part of the Petes’ 1972 Championship team. pic.twitter.com/oFBXRgonyu
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) January 12, 2020
“That was special,” he recalled. “Normally where I played they retired my sweater, but I was in it,” he laughed.
Among Campbell’s career highlights are his 1994 Stanley Cup title as an Assistant Coach with the New York Rangers. He won it all alongside a pair of former Petes coaches in Mike Keenan and Dick Todd as the Blueshirts bested the Vancouver Canucks in seven games. He also references the achievements of son Gregory Campbell, an OHL graduate who played for the Plymouth Whalers and Kitchener Rangers from 2000-03. He now works with the Florida Panthers as their Vice President of Player Personnel and Development.
“I’ve been fortunate to have a very good boss in Gary Bettman,” said Campbell. “I was able to see a lot of my son’s accomplishments including his 2003 Memorial Cup title as a member of the Kitchener Rangers, his World Junior silver medal with Team Canada, and his 2011 Stanley Cup title as a member of the Boston Bruins.”
For Colin Campbell, a well-travelled hockey career got its start in Peterborough, and has spanned the highs and lows over 11 NHL seasons on the ice, developing players from behind the bench and growing and managing the game from the NHL’s head office.
“There are some tough days in this job where you have to make some tough decisions,” he said. “But like my good friend Jim Gregory, who worked in hockey forever before he passed away used to say – he’s never had to work a day in his life.
“Working in hockey is a lot of fun and it’s very rewarding. I’m thankful for everything I’ve learned and the people I’ve been able to meet along the way.”
For more on the life and career of Colin Campbell, visit gopetesgo.com.
The Petes return to action at the 2023 Memorial Cup presented by Kia in Kamloops, BC on Thursday at 9:00pm ET on TSN, taking on either the Seattle Thunderbirds or host Kamloops Blazers in a tie-breaker game.
