I didn't feel right about Brian Campbell's departure from Florida, and soon it was clear I was not the only one sensing it.
In today's world, whether right or wrong, athletes from all sports thank their previous teams for all their love, support, faithfulness, etc. before they move on to their new team. Of course this is not mandated, but in this hyper-scrutinized world it's in everyone's best interests if players pay their respects to those that have supported them over a long period of time.
It was rumored Campbell and Florida were nearing an extension, but in the end Campbell decided to go back to Chicago for a lot less money.
His decision to return was not surprising. He considers Chicago home and won his first Cup in the Windy City. As someone who also lives in Chicago I understand the allure. Despite all the bad press it is still one of, if not the best city in the country. It is the #1 destination for American travelers, and for good reason.
But the reality is he spent the last 5 years in South Florida. He was a fan favorite and thousands of fans were hoping he'd return for another year or two, despite the fact he played quite poorly in the playoffs last season.
Before going after Keith Yandle, GM Tom Rowe offered Campbell a one year $4 million base salary with a $1 million bonus or two-years at average $3.75 million. Rowe said Campbell said he'd play in Florida for another year but changed his mind.
Obviously the Panthers wanted him to stay. Campbell obviously wanted to leave. The reasoning for his decision is very easy or complicated, depending on who you talk to. Regardless his decision started the dominoes into revamping the blue line in Florida in a very positive way.
One of the most interesting tweets from the day he signed in Chicago:
This is where Florida fan's radars starting going up. Say what you want about current Blackhawks ownership, but the Wirtz name in general is not a popular subject in Chicago. For some people, Bill Wirtz was one of the worst owners in Chicago history and is largely blamed for their 49-year Cup drought. By the time Wirtz died in 2007 the Hawks were only averaging 12,500 per game largely due to his frugal nature and alienation of fans.
Certainly that changed since with three Stanley Cup championships, but those that know hockey history know that calling any Wirtz the "best" owner in sports will draw the ire of many fans, especially in Chicago.
The more obvious message here was the shot take at Panthers ownership, who has had to overcome so much adversity in turning this franchise around. If they do come through on their promise of a Cup over the next 3 years perhaps they should be considered the best ownership I the league, all things considered. But that is a discussion for another time.
Campbell clearly loves Chicago, but people were wondering where was the traditional "thank you" to the Florida fans that spent the last 5 years with him? How about a special thank you to former Chicago and Florida GM, Dale Tallon, who signed him to a ridiculous 8-year, $57,123,000 contract back in 2008 (the same contract Blackhawk fans lamented...until his play was integral to winning the first Cup)?
While Campbell had already won the Cup before coming to Florida, it's not as if all his years in Florida were bad. They included two playoff appearances and mentoring one of the best young teams in the league.
He likely talked to Tallon privately and of course not everything needs to be public, but his silence upon departure was deafening. He has spent more time in Florida than Chicago during his professional career to this point.
Yes, he had to endure ownership changes, and as early as a few months ago he witnessed a house cleaning and management reshuffling that was and is still a bit unsettling. But in terms of on-ice product, many experts have the Panthers and Blackhawks trending in different directions.
Chicago is and should be a good team next year, but roster erosion and lingering cap concerns might have them slipping down a bit in the West before they're back to full strength.
The Panthers on the other hand are garnering a lot of deserved press after their most successful season in franchise history. Instead of accepting the status quo as "good enough" they went out and made many changes that have many considering them as one of the most improved teams since the season ended. Whether that plays out as true remains to be seen, but when Campbell turns down more money in a state with no state income tax and says nothing as he walks out the door, perhaps there is more than meets the eye.
A few days passed by after the Chicago news, and Panther fans were grumbling as to why Campbell hadn't said anything about Florida and his throngs of fans there. Finally, he tweeted this:
By that point Florida fans were more insulted than pleased and it seemed like a forced tweet that was only a result of someone saying, "hey, you better say something because this isn't looking good on you."
Perhaps it was heartfelt and this is all just a misunderstanding. But in today's world where everyone can communicate in an instant to the world, self-awareness is very important.
In my dealings with Campbell, he was always very gracious and a good interview. Like most hockey players he was genuine and extremely polite with the media. He was definitely one of the more demonstrative Panthers when things weren't going well, and I know the middle 3 years of his time in Florida were hard on him because the teams weren't very good. There were grumblings then that he wanted out.
No one could blame an aging player at that point, but now Florida is on the cusp of being a perennial contender. Either what ownership/management has done really irked him, or he just wanted to return to Chicago. Maybe both.
But for what it's worth it was a strange lack of appreciation for a growing Florida fan base that wanted him around to reap the rewards of his time and leadership. Personally I felt it flew in the face of how Campbell conducted himself while a Panther.
The Panthers have already been the punchline for so many jokes over many years, and deservedly so. Now that the corner is turned and fans can finally take pride in what is here and coming, they were hoping Campbell would be part of completing the process.
I wish him all the best and time will tell if he made the right decision...
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