Campbell ‘always put the game first’ on way to Hall, Bettman says

When Gary Bettman was named the first Commissioner in NHL History on Feb. 1, 1993, Colin Campbell was coaching the New York Rangers’ American Hockey League team in Binghamton, New York. Five years later, after being fired as the head coach of the Rangers, Campbell would interview with Bettman for a position at the NHL. He would get the job as senior vice president, director of hockey operations on July 20, 1998, starting a career at the League and a friendship with Bettman that is still going strong.

With Campbell to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday as a Builder, Bettman, in a special testimonial for NHL.com, writes about his working and personal relationship with Campbell and his impact on the game:

When I think of Colin Campbell and his role in hockey, I think of more than 50 years of dedication to this game at all levels.

I think about the fact that he has been an innovator -- he was one of the first coaches, working with Roger Neilson, to use video.

I think about the fact that the way the game is played, the rules governing it and the contributions that the general managers' group has made over the years all have been channeled by and through Colie. The game simply would not be in the position it is in now without their work and his.

I think about the fact that the video innovation he did years and years ago was an essential element in our creating the first standardized, League-wide video replay system, which has been the model for, and studied by, every other sport that's using it.

I think about even the smaller elements of the game, such as the timing of when the ice is flooded and how long it has to sit and about the uniform way our ice is shoveled.

The clocks in the dasher boards, that was another one of his innovations.

I think about all of that. And that's before I even get to all of the rules changes that have opened up the game to emphasize speed and skill. And that's before I touch on the fact that he has supervised NHL Central Scouting and the officials during his tenure.

The least desirable part of his job was having to mete out player discipline. But that process, too, was transformed and modernized under his leadership and was the precursor to the Department of Player Safety that was set up in 2011.

I also think about the time when I interviewed Colie for this job.

In that interview I said to him, "Before we start, you have to first clarify something for me. I understand that when you were an assistant coach you challenged a then current, bigger, stronger and younger player to a fight.” It seemed like an odd thing to do, and I asked, “Are you crazy or what?"

Now, what was funny about that was I wanted to see his reaction, and by the same token, he couldn't believe that I did that.

Colie and I are basically the same age. We've been together now for 26 years. We know each other's families. We've been through good times and an occasional difficult time together. He has always had my support and he has always been my friend.

The fact -- the most important fact -- is: Colie is a really good person. He's genuine. He doesn't have an edge to him. Whenever he's dealing with managers or other team personnel, it's always about the game.

Colie has always put the game first. Which is why, when you go through the list of things he's done -- and I haven't named them all -- most people aren’t aware of much of it. Nobody is focused on those efforts because he doesn't seek attention; he just always seeks to do a really good job.

He came from coaching and sometimes that can be hard. You're fueled by the competition. The wins and losses drive you in different and unique ways.

Colie knows he can't find that level of competition working for the League office, and I think he went through a transition where not having the competition every night impacted him. But then he realized what he was doing for the game was so important.

Actually, he developed a new competition: getting it right. That competition is internal and sometimes obsessive. And it is that competition has enabled the game to be where it is today, and where it still is going to go.

Colie never has a day off throughout the season. He's always on. Even if he's not in the Situation Room, he's watching from somewhere else and in direct communication.

He has built a great department with Kris King -- and before him Mike Murphy -- and a group of dedicated, talented people. Basically, from the beginning of preseason to the moment I present the Stanley Cup, he's never off. He might sleep, but if there's a problem, he's done sleeping!

Colie has touched every aspect of the game and NHL hockey wouldn't be in the amazing condition that it is without his leadership, his hard work, his tenacity and his countless contributions. And, short of his being selected for and inducted into the Hall of Fame, he has never received the recognition he deserves.

He is my friend and my colleague and incredibly deserving of induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.