Looking Back 37 Seasons Part II

[Cowboy 20]

Looking Back 37 Seasons Part II

The Scotty Campbell Story Part II

                                                                                                                                                                 

Last week we reminisced back to when Scotty Campbell was traded to the Seattle Bears. After things settled down following the trade, the Bears went on a two-season tirade that saw them win back-to-back Continental Cups with unparalleled efficiency. Stopping the surging Boulet-Labatte powered Wranglers proved to be no small feat and required a Bears' roster chocked full of future Hall-of-Famers. Being surrounded by other top-tier talent, Campbell flourished and his legend was solidified in a Bears' jersey. Following their Continental Cup victory in Season Four, Defosse decided to leave in the off season; a move which many attributed to a falling out with Campbell.  

 

A 20 year old Defosse, draft day S2

 

"I've heard at least a hundred different rumors about why I left Seattle. A lot of people thought I was crazy for leaving an in-tact team that was poised to win another cup; maybe I was crazy. Who knows? It's all history now," explains Matt Defosse. "People thought Scotty and I butted heads and, with our growing egos too big for one team, that I wanted out from under Scotty's 'wing' or 'shadow'. Maybe it's true; we were flying pretty high back then. We both just left people believing whatever they were dreaming up. I know Derek (Harland) wasn't happy when I approached him about being traded but I felt I had to look out for number one."

 

Defosse was traded to Helsinki for Brendan Simpson ( 492GP, 217G, 311A, 528P) and two second round picks in the off season - marking the first time Campbell and Defosse had been separated since the latter entered the VHL. Campbell proved that he could soldier on without Defosse on the wing, leading a triumphant Bears team back to Continental Cup glory in Season Five. Defosse on the other hand carried the then budding Titans to meet the Bears in the Continental Cup Finals.   

 

Campbell the cup whore

 

With the Wranglers surging once more, the Bears needing a rebuild, and potentially some other factors that only Campbell would know of; the VHL's "Great One" was dealt once again. This time Campbell landed back in the European Conference with the Helsinki Titans at the trade deadline. The shock wasn't really as big this time around as most people started to figure out that Campbell was a cup whore himself and the obvious target of any team, not named Calgary, looking to win one. This trade was more or less a business deal considering Helsinki had the cap room and needed an edge over the powerhouse Wranglers.

 

"Campbell made any team better and could play with anyone effectively. While most of us were tracking the scoresheet and looking for some media time on the internet or in a newspaper, Campbell was focused solely on the cup. He was the best of our time, but he wanted to be the best of all time," explains HOF defenseman Patrice Reynaud.

 

 

Titans general manager Daric Radmonovic "sold the farm" to acquire Campbell, giving up rookie center Andrei Dubnikov (413GP, 187G, 233A, 420P) and their Season Eight first rounder which turned out to be Zacky Vengeance (431GP, 253G, 352A, 605P). Dubnikov was highly-touted but turned out to be a mediocre-at-best player. In the end the cup went home to Helsinki for the first time as Campbell won his fourth cup with his third team. The price was high though considering Campbell would leave in free agency at the end of the season. Campbell landed in Toronto as a free agent and never captured the elusive fifth title in his final two seasons there.

 

A lot of people, myself included, wonder to this day whether Scotty could have added a fifth and or sixth Continental Cup to his credit had he stayed in Helsinki, or gone to another contending team like Avangard.

[Victor 10,942]

Campbell was involved in two actually very fair trades, it's pretty weird.

[Da Trifecta 1,899]

Content: 3/3 It's good for people to talk about past players to educate the newcomers. I wasn't around for it and this was a great piece. Never knew how impressive the career of Scotty Campbell was.

Grammar: 2/2 Seriously didn't notice anything to deduct points.

Appearance: 1/1

 

FINAL: 6/6