Jim Campbell lost his job in Montreal and was unemployed for much of the first two months of the hockey season. But the newest Blackhawk never lost sight of his goal.
“I want to win the Stanley Cup,” said the 28-year-old right wing, who returned to the NHL in pursuit of that goal Monday night when the Hawks played the Montreal Canadiens. “That’s why I didn’t try to go to Europe to play.”
Montreal was the team that drafted Campbell 28th overall in 1991. He went on to play for Anaheim and St. Louis before winding up with the Canadiens. After scoring 60 goals and assisting on 74 in 274 NHL games, Montreal released him at the end of last season.
“I’d been going to training camp every year since 1991 and it was different this year,” Campbell said. “I was skating at home in St. Louis, working as hard as I could.”
Last month Campbell had a two-week trial with Norfolk, the Hawks’ affiliate in the American Hockey League. Subsequently, he signed a contract and Saturday night–after getting his fourth goal and sixth assist in 12 games–he was recalled by the Hawks.
Coach’s corner: “Jimmy [Campbell] has been very, very good in the American League,” said Hawks coach Brian Sutter, who used the newcomer with rookie left wing Mark Bell and veteran center Igor Korolev on the third line. “We want to put a little bit more speed in the lineup.
“The biggest thing I see [in our slump] is that the puck is not going in for us. Jimmy always has been somebody who can skate and shoot the puck, and he has put up good numbers.”
Campbell was on the ice for 16 minutes 48 seconds but didn’t figure in the Hawks’ scoring in the 3-2 triumph. He was unsuccessful in his two shots on goal, was charged with a holding penalty in the first period and was on the ice for Montreal’s second goal in the third period.
Savard saluted: In a ceremony Monday morning, Hawks assistant coach Denis Savard became the 41st former Montreal player to have his picture placed in the Canadiens’ tradition-steeped dressing room. The criteria for inclusion in this select group is playing in at least 210 games for the Canadiens and being a member of the Hall of Fame.
The Hawks traded the Montreal-area native to the Canadiens in the summer of 1990, and he was a member of the 1993 Stanley Cup champions.
“When I came here to play, one of the first things I looked at was those pictures,” Savard said. “I feel very grateful. It’s such a great honor to be included with Maurice Richard, Jean Beliveau, Guy Lafleur and the list goes on and on.”
Family values: Sutter said he spoke to his brother, Duane, after the Florida Panthers fired him and replaced him with Mike Keenan on Sunday night.
“He’s hurt,” said Brian. “You look at a hockey club and try to make it as good as you can every day. Sometimes it’s not enough.”
