Veteran Chicago d-man says Blackhawks or Bust

Brian Campbell may return for another season in the NHL, but only if it’s with Chicago.

At 37-years-old, Campbell knows he’s in the twilight of his career, and if he decides to come back for another season it'll only be to play for the Blackhawks.

Who can blame him? Despite suffering a shocking 4-game series sweep against the Nashville Predators that knocked out the Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Playoffs opening round, Campbell is determined to stay with the team he won a Stanley Cup with in the 2009-10 season.

Campbell wasn’t totally committed to returning for another season in the NHL, weighing his desire to play against his body’s ability to perform at the highest possible level:

He knows just as well as anyone how disappointing the finish to the season was for Blackhawks fans. Campbell didn’t offer up any excuses, but acknowledged that the team wasn’t ready for the Playoffs.

If Campbell only wants to play for the Blackhawks next season, then his return may well be out of his own hands. The salary cap is always an issue for Chicago, the juggling act between keeping young players and moving out veterans will be as interesting as ever to watch this offseason.

Campbell played in 80 games this season, scoring 5 goals and 12 assists for 17 points. He recorded a +/- of plus-12 while averaging over 18 minutes of ice time per game. 

Chicago could do a lot worse if they’re looking to keep a veteran around on defense, but time will tell if Campbell has played his last NHL game as a Blackhawk.