One of the great defensemen of the modern NHL is retired and the league is worse off for it.
Brian Campbell has retired after spending his 18-year career playing on multiple great teams. He spent time on the Buffalo Sabres, San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers. Most recently he played for the Blackhawks.
This past season, Campbell played in 80 games and pitched in with 17 points. That includes five goals and 12 assists. While those totals are nowhere near his career average, Campbell helped mentor a Blackhawk team that desperately needed stability on the back end, especially in depth positions.
Campbell played in 1,082 games in his career and posted 504 points. He scored 87 goals and had 417 assists. In 2010, he won a Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks playing just over 19 minutes a game.
He also was one of the more impressive offensive defensemen since he came into the league. From 2005 to now, he only trailed three other players in scoring, Duncan Keith, Shea Weber and Zdeno Chara.
...what if I told you Brian Campbell has the 4th most points among defensemen since 2005? Trails only Keith, Chara, and Weber.
— Chief (@BarstoolChief) July 17, 2017
That is a solid list of players and Campbell never got the same amount of recognition. A reliable, offensive defenseman, Campbell isn't going to be remembered more than any other player but his impact on the modern game will be felt for generations to come.
