Campbell shocked by election to Hockey Hall of Fame

Colin Campbell jokes that he’s played the role of villain for more than two decades.

Since 1998, Campbell has often had to be the bad guy as the NHL's senior executive vice president of hockey operations, whether it be enforcing rules infractions, suspensions or other disciplinary decisions.

So, when he received the call from the Hockey Hall of Fame on Tuesday that he’d been elected in the Builder category as part of the Class of 2024, he had one reaction.

“Kind of shocking,” Campbell said.

At the same time, he remembered one particular conversation he’d often had with his friend, the late Jim Gregory, who was the chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame selection committee from 1998-2014.

“I was part of the (Hall’s selection) committee for 15 years,” Campbell said. “And now I get the call.

“I used to always tell Jim Gregory, I’d ask him if I could make that call once because every time I called people in this job they weren’t very happy calls. I’d say: 'Jimmy, could I make one of the calls you make just one time? Just one time.

“I wanted to make the call one time to give people the best news they’d ever heard, next to having a child born.”

Hockey has been Campbell’s life for the past 51 years. 

As a defenseman, he was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round (No. 27) of the 1973 NHL Draft. Over 11 seasons from 1974-1985, Campbell appeared in 636 regular-season games with the Penguins, Colorado Rockies, Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings, getting 128 points (25 goals, 103 assists) and 1,295 penalty minutes.

Following his retirement in 1985, Campbell became an assistant coach with Red Wings, a stint that lasted until 1990. He then joined the  Rangers as an associate coach for parts of three seasons -- he was named coach of Binghamton of the American Hockey League midway through the 1992-93 season -- before being promoted to replace Mike Keenan as coach following New York's Stanley Cup championship in 1994.

Campbell led the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of his first three seasons as coach, including advancing to the Eastern Conference Final in 1997. His record over four seasons was 118-108 with 43 ties.

“Colin Campbell truly has lived a hockey life," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. "Few in the history of our great game have devoted so much of themselves in as many ways to serving it and making it better.

“An accomplished junior player, Campbell forged an 11-year NHL playing career as a rugged defenseman out of relentless dedication to his craft and selfless willingness to battle for his teammates. As an assistant coach, he made essential contributions to building the foundation for what would become a dynasty in Detroit and then partnered with Mike Keenan to lead the New York Rangers to their championship in 1994.

“As head coach of the Rangers, Campbell engineered playoff upsets in each of his first three seasons, guiding New York to the 1997 Eastern Conference Final."

Shortly after he was fired by the Rangers during the 1997-98 season, Campbell joined the League, where he would spend the next quarter century making an impact in hockey operations, officiating and central scouting.

As a result of all Campbell achieved in the sport, Bettman said that "no one more richly deserves the call to the Hockey Hall of Fame."

“I often say that everything we do at the League begins with the game," Bettman said. "And, since 1998, the game has been Colin’s responsibility. He was at the center of the summits with players, coaches and executives that “opened up” the game in 2005. And, he has been central to the crafting of every rule change and technological innovation since -- including, perhaps most notably, modernizing and centralizing video review for both in-game rulings and supplementary discipline -- all of which have focused on promoting offense, speed and skill, while maintaining the game’s physicality. Those changes have transformed hockey at every level around the world.

“I consider myself fortunate to have had Colin by my side over the last 26 years and am proud to call him one of my closest friends. In my time in the game, no one has better defined the term 'builder.'"