Chicago Blackhawks’ Brian Campbell Nets Underwhelming Grade In 2016-17

Brian Campbell, a member of the 2010 Stanley Cup-champion Chicago Blackhawks, has been known around the league as a high-scoring defenseman. It was that reputation that brought him back to Chicago this past season. His lack of production offensively, however, is why he earns underwhelming marks for the season.

Since the 2003-04 campaign, Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell, 37, has not earned fewer than 20 points in a season with any team. This year, Campbell amassed just 17 points in 80 games.

For a lot of defensemen, especially a team’s Nos. 4-6 blueliner, a 17-point season would be nothing to get angry about. However, for Campbell it is. He was brought back to give the Blackhawks some scoring support on the back end.

While he came here on a heavily discounted salary, Campbell needs to find a way of convincing GM Stan Bowman he will find the back of the net next season if he has any hope for a contract extension.

For the next portion of our site-wide grading of every Blackhawks player who saw the ice for significant time this season, we’ll take a look at Campbell and what went right and wrong for the aging journeyman.

2016-17 regular-season statistics: 80 games, 5 goals, 12 assists, 17 points, plus-1

Chicago Blackhawks

2016-17 postseason statistics: 4 games, 0 goals, 0 assists, 0 points, minus-2

Season overview

Last season, the Blackhawks were shallower than a kiddie pool on the back end, and Campbell gave them an immediate fix. When Campbell came back, he returned to the system and the locker room without much in the way of a learning curve. This provided the stability the Blackhawks needed to rank in the top half of the league for team defense.

For all of Campbell’s flaws offensively this season, he did score a very big goal against the Nashville Predators in a February game that was essential for the Blackhawks’ rise to the top of the Central Division.

Campbell ended the regular season with a plus-12 mark, and while that stat may be a little outdated, it still provides an idea for what Campbell contributed to the Blackhawks this season. While he wasn’t himself scoring, he gave the Blackhawks sound defense that tilted the ice against the opposition.

Grade: B-

I hate giving defensemen bad grades because they typically lack offense, so I had trouble giving Campbell anything lower than a B-. However, I understand that he was brought here for offense and he didn’t deliver.

I do believe the Blackhawks should bring Campbell back next season, as he will definitely be willing to play for cheap and his performance this year doesn’t warrant even as much as he got this year. He’s a player who loves the city and organization and will play hard for them. The Blackhawks also lack the depth to lose both him and Johnny Oduya, and potentially Brent Seabrook too due to salary cap constraints.

Next: Chicago Blackhawks’ Dennis Rasmussen Earns Average Marks In 2016-17

However, it sounds like Campbell is ready to call it quits if he doesn’t get a contract extension. If his performance in Soup and a Sandwich is any indication, he’s certainly comfortable in front of a camera, and I’d love to see him on the broadcast crew next fall.