Name: Colin Campbell exposed: Says Marc Savard is "biggest faker going"; berates officials for picking on his son | ProHockeyTalk | NBC Sports
Brand: nbcsports.com
SKU: nbcsports-com-1432
Availability: OnlineOnly

critic

Colin Campbell exposed: Says Marc Savard is "biggest faker going"; berates officials for picking on his son | ProHockeyTalk | NBC Sports

preview

If you’ve ever thought that NHL disciplinarian Colin Campbell might’ve had it out for your team regarding punishment or handled the Marc Savard-Matt Cooke scenario in a highly-questionable manner considering Cooke wasn’t suspended for his hit on Savard, consider today to be your day of vindication.Tyler Dellow of mc79hockey.com has uncovered e-mails between Campbell and former head of NHL officiating Stephen Walkom that outline how Campbell gets in Walkom’s ear in situations when infractions against his son Gregory (then of the Florida Panthers, now of the Boston Bruins) he found to be wrong.We also find out that Colin Campbell doesn’t think very highly of Bruins forward Marc Savard, a dislike that might have roots going back to the days when Campbell coached the New York Rangers and Savard was a young forward he coached. There’s almost too much information here to quote and share with you, but we’ll give you the juiciest bits to chew on. We really can’t recommend highly enough .At the heart of the matter here is Colin Campbell and Stephen Walkom discussing the officiating work of (now former) referee Dean Warren. Campbell was incensed with Warren’s work and sought to get Warren fired for his inconsistent officiating and was in the ear of Walkom to let him know his thoughts on how he’s doing. Warren was saying his work with the NHLOA lead to his dismissal. If you’re wondering how these e-mails were available to be found, it’s because they’re part of the record pertaining to this case. Mike Murphy who is mentioned here is the NHL’s vice president of hockey operations.This e-mail from Campbell to Walkom in particular is ripe for discussion. Names were already removed from it and the only edit we’re doing is to edit some of the colorful language used. We don’t want this post to get nixed by your sensitive work filters for naughty language. Again, .A couple weeks later Mike Murphy or Mr. Walkom (it was not clear which) wrote to Mr. Campbell (and Mr. Walkom) that Mr. Warren had “missed high stick on [player] with 130 left in the game…..hard for a Ref to see….[general manager] will be whining’. Mr. Campbell replied:To Stephen Walkom/Tor/NHL@NHLSubject Re: Delayed Penalties/High Sticks 02/#/2007 4:24 pmA bend in the road is a dead end if you round the corner and Dean Warren is standing there. Your answer re: his high stick calls and the score of the game were horse sh**. The 3rd call on [player] was while they were down 5 on 4 and on a def zone face off vs that little fake artist [player] I had him in [city] biggest faker going. And Warren fell for it when he grabbed his face on a face off. Your supposed to see the act, not call the embellishing act. Dean Warren has to go with [referee] There must be a way to get rid of this guy. Is there a way we can tract (sic) and total minors called by referees this year. We could then get the minors they call per game. … or with 2 [referees on the ice] it is impossible? Warren and [referee] out of [club’s] games. Give them to [referees].Stephen Walkom to: Colin Campbell 02/#/2007 04:39 PMthat’s funny yet not funny….I think we have that data but it may work in his favour….that’s why I’m against data and more about IT….he doesn’t have it, never had it, and is average at best, probably never get it,OK I’m going to stop it….From: Stephen WalkomSent: 02/#/2007 08:09 AMTo: Mike MurphyCc: Colin CampbellSubject: Re: ….. / …….Terry ran into …….after the game who was upset, linesmen…………..viewed the play but no injury could be found therefore no call [player] was saying to Terry that he was injured but the guys didn’t see anything but spit and gatorade residue….therefore no double minor….Re [player]Colin Campbell to Stephen Walkom, Mike Murphy02/#/2007 09:21 AMI know Murph and Kinger like [player] as a player but my view of him is this exactly…he puts his whining ahead of the game. I don’t think this is a regular occurrence (…..getting screwed) and …..exploded ………over the disallowed goal. He may be uncontrollable by ………….and……………..as I think his frustration level has hit a high point. He hates officials as well. He is still pissed off at [referee] for a call he missed in the playoffs years ago as I remember him bugging Murph about it. Let’s give him Warren and [referee] than (sic) he will really have something to whine about.If you’re curious about who in the world Campbell is so hot under the collar discussing, Bruins fans might want to take a keen eye to who Dellow was able to do the detective work to find out which game this was in reference to and who the interested parties were that managed to draw Campbell’s ire. Those of you who have suspected that nepotism and old grudges might rule Campbell’s world, you’re about to get a huge dose of vindication.OK – this one I think we can nail down. We know that Campbell is upset about a situation involving a team that was already down to 5 v 4, on a defensive zone faceoff against a “little fake artist” who Campbell had (presumably in New York when he coached the Rangers. We also know that it was that player’s third penalty of the night. We can assume, from the chair’s description of this as being a few weeks after some earlier February emails, that it was in late February.As it so happens, there is . On February 24, 2007, Dean Warren reffed a game between the Bruins and the Panthers. At 13:29 of the second, Alexei Semenov was called for high sticking. Marc Savard, who played for Colin Campbell when he coached the Rangers, came out over the boards. He glided towards the dot where he faced off with Panthers penalty killer…Gregory Campbell. The puck was dropped and Campbell was called for high sticking. His third penalty of the game.This is the only game from February, 2007 that meets the description.So to dumb things down here this is what we’ve got:Dellow’s piece goes on to analyze a few more e-mails from Campbell to Walkom and finds yet another instance when Greg Campbell was wronged by an official and Colin Campbell blew his stack about it to Walkom. I don’t think we need to make it any clearer what an extremely large conflict of interest this is for not just the players on the ice, but also the integrity of the officials working a game where Greg Campbell is playing.Oddly enough, this off-season we saw Greg Campbell end up in Boston, the same city where Marc Savard plays. Did the Bruins feel they got the short end of the stick when Matt Cooke wasn’t suspended after taking Savard’s head off and thought that if they brought Greg Campbell on board they’d get a fairer shake from the league? It’s not likely the main motivation, but having dad peeking over his son’s new team’s shoulder every game can’t hurt. At the very least, when Savard returns to the lineup that first day in the locker room might be a lot more interesting now.Amusingly so, Colin Campbell comes off out of all this looking like a hockey parent out of control doing the sorts of things with his position of power that parents that run their kid’s pee-wee league do to make sure that their child always ends up on the all-star teams. After all, he ends up e-mailing the head of officiating to yell about his kid not getting a fair shake, one of the officials indicated in this whole situation has already lost his job (Dean Warren), and the discussion about Campbell having an extreme conflict of interest in having his job and a relative playing in the league can now no longer be pooh-poohed as not being possible since this is a professional league.Instead, you’ve got a league official ruling the roost with a chip on his shoulder, playing favorites towards his own son, and a grudge towards at least one player he used to coach. There is absolutely zero way for this to look good on the NHL to have a person in a position of power, a man who makes the decisions on who gets suspended or not and for how long, to work with a clear mind and without bias when he’s clearly got some problems with some players and officials. How the NHL decides to answer to this will be fascinating. Regardless of what kind of PR-friendly way they answer to this, the NHL looks horrible because of it.It’s hard to believe that Colin Campbell will keep his job much longer after this. All the chatter and innuendo that was made with a wink and a nod about how Campbell plays favorites is no longer funny when it’s found to actually be true. It’s not as if Campbell has been without controversy already concerning his decisions on virtually everything, the spotlight has been on him for a long time as it is and now those that have been highly critical of him have the smoking gun they’ve been dying to see.In a fun twist, it turns out the one guy who could keep us from talking about Sean Avery all day on Monday is the same guy that decided to sit Avery down for six games for saying nasty things about an old girlfriend. Colin Campbell might very well get a permanent vacation for colorful language of his own.(Update: The NHL has responded to the situation and )The St. Louis Blues signed forward to an eight-year contract extension worth $65 million, the organization’s latest move to keep its top young players in the fold long term.General manager Doug Armstrong announced the deal two months to the day since the Blues extended forward for the identical contract terms. Each player counts $8.125 million against the salary cap from the start of the deal in 2023 through 2031.Kyrou set career highs with 27 goals, 48 assists and 75 points in 74 games last season. He had 47 points in his first 99 NHL regular-season games.Thomas is 23, while Kyrou is 24. St. Louis also has top four defensemen , , and Nicky Leddy signed for at least the next four seasons, and center is under contract for six more years.Armstrong has reshaped the Blues since they won the Stanley Cup in 2019, the first championship in franchise history. Cup-winning goaltender signed long term, while then-captain left in free agency in 2020.Two big questions still face the front office with key members of that title-winning team: Top center and winger are each set to be a free agent after this upcoming season. O’Reilly figures to be part of the long-term core, something that’s far less certain with Tarasenko, who requested a trade in the summer of 2021 but remains with St. Louis.DENVER — The Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche added more depth at forward by signing to a one-year, $2 million deal.The move comes on the heels of losing Nazem Kadri in free agency to Calgary. The Avalanche are banking that Rodrigues can help fill the void.Rodrigues arrives in the Mile High City after a season in Pittsburgh, where he set career highs with 19 goals and 24 assists. Rodrigues was the lone Penguins player to skate in every game last season.“We are excited to add a two-way player with Evan’s versatility to our group,” Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland said in a statement. “He is coming off his best offensive season and has shown he can play in a variety of roles and help a lineup in many ways.”It’s been a busy offseason for the Avalanche since beating the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final in June as they hoisted the trophy for the first time since 2001. Among the moves, they brought back defenseman , along with signing left wingers and . They also signed right winger to a contract extension, retained forward and traded for goaltender .The 29-year-old Rodrigues has played in 316 career NHL games in his time with Pittsburgh and Buffalo, the team that signed him as a free agent in April 2015. Before turning pro, he played at Boston University, where he helped the Terriers to the 2015 NCAA championship game before losing to Providence.After spending time hanging out with the Stanley Cup all summer, the Avalanche get back to work this week with rookie camp.OTTAWA, Ontario — The Ottawa Senators have locked up another one of their top young players.Center Tim Stutzle agreed to an eight-year, $66.8 million contract extension, the team announced.The deal, which carries an average annual value of $8.35 million and kicks in following the 2022-23 season, is the latest move by general manager Pierre Dorion to solidify Ottawa’s core.Selected No. 3 overall at the 2020 draft with the pick received in the trade with the San Jose Sharks, Stutzle has 34 goals and 87 points in 132 NHL games.The 20-year-old German finished second on the Senators with 58 points (22 goals, 36 assists) in 79 appearances in 2021-22.The Senators previously signed captain , center , winger and defenseman to long-term deals.“Tim is a dynamic offensive player who utilizes an exceptional blend of speed and skill to be a consistent difference-maker,” Dorion said in a statement. “He’s electrifying and has quickly become a fan favorite for good reason.”Ottawa, which has failed to make the playoffs since reaching the 2017 Eastern Conference final and has gone through a major rebuild, made news earlier this summer by acquiring forward in a trade the Chicago Blackhawks and signing veteran forward in free agency.The Senators, who finished with 73 points last season, also traded goaltender to the Toronto Maple Leafs before acquiring from the Minnesota Wild as his replacement.BROSSARD, Quebec — has agreed to a four-year, $13.45 million contract with the Montreal Canadiens.The 21-year-old center, who was a restricted free agent, had 26 points (nine goals, 17 assists) in 70 games with the Chicago Blackhawks last season.Dach’s contract carries an average annual value of $3.625 million per season.In a corresponding move to get under the NHL’s offseason salary cap, Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes told reporters star goaltender would be put on long-term injured reserve.The 35-year-old played just five games last season because of a knee injury after leading Montreal to a surprise berth in the 2021 Stanley Cup Final.Price, who won last season’s Bill Masterton Trophy as the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication, is heading into the fifth season of an eight-year deal that carries an annual cap hit of $10.5 million.“Carey’s knee has not responded to any kind of treatment and rehab that’s been attempted since he had the surgery after the (2021) playoff run,” Hughes said. “We’re not very optimistic that, short of some kind of intervention, that things will change.”Dach, meanwhile, was acquired by the Canadiens on July 7 for first- and a third-round picks at the 2022 NHL draft as part of Chicago’s rebuild that also saw dealt to the Ottawa Senators.Dach had 59 points (19 goals, 40 assists) in 152 games with the Blackhawks after being selected No. 3 overall in 2019.Powered by

If you’ve ever thought that NHL disciplinarian Colin Campbell might’ve had it out for your team regarding punishment or handled the Marc Savard-Matt Cooke scenario in a highly-questionable manner considering Cooke wasn’t suspended for his hit on Savard, consider today to be your day of vindication.Tyler Dellow of mc79hockey.com has uncovered e-mails between Campbell and former head of NHL officiating Stephen Walkom that outline how Campbell gets in Walkom’s ear in situations when infractions against his son Gregory (then of the Florida Panthers, now of the Boston Bruins) he found to be...

Colin Campbell exposed: Says Marc Savard is "biggest faker going"; berates officials for picking on his son | ProHockeyTalk | NBC Sports

No article scores yet.

CRITIC REVIEWS

PUBLIC REVIEWS