If the Florida Panthers ever attempted to assemble their own Avengers-like superhero squad, the organization wouldn't have to look far to find an Ironman.
Over the past four seasons, defenseman Brian Campbell has quietly earned that heroic distinction, competing in 294 consecutive games, not including seven postseason contests, since being traded to the Panthers at the 2011 NHL Draft.
"I just try and take care of myself on and off the ice," said Campbell, who last missed a game March 20, 2011.
"I've been lucky in my career and have had other (games played) streaks. I think it takes a lot of preparation, and sometimes you don't feel so good. I've played through injuries. I think it's a challenge and try and embrace it. I want to be out there every night. For me to take a night off, it's going to have to hurt pretty good."
A model of durability, Campbell's impressive display of endurance remains an invaluable tool in Florida's arsenal as the team continues to revamp its lineup and usher in new players. He's seen more ice time than any other Panthers skater in each of the last four seasons and always makes sure that every single one of those minutes counts.
"You get paid to play this game and you want to be ready to go every night," said Campbell, who recorded three goals and 27 points this past season. "I feel like being there every night is something that's going to help the team. It's always good to keep plugging away and be as consistent as you can."
As he gets older, Campbell's contributions to the Panthers have also begun to extend beyond the scoresheet. The 36-year-old veteran has also happily embraced the role of mentor in recent seasons, sheltering and guiding many of the organization's up-and-coming defensemen.
"They're making strides," Campbell said of the team's young defensive core. "It's good to see what they're doing. It always goes by quick. Every year it gets quicker and quicker it feels like. I just try to keep going myself and try to compete and be a good teammate."
Nowhere was Campbell's tutelage more apparent than with the development of Calder Trophy finalist Aaron Ekblad. The 19-year-old defenseman spent the majority of last season playing alongside Campbell on Florida's top-defensive pairing and credited a lot of his first-year success to their partnership.
"I've said it about 10 times now, Brian Campbell is one of the most gifted players in the league defensively and offensively," said Ekblad, whom the Panthers selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. "It's pretty awesome to play with a guy like. That's so good, so confident, so poised and likes to take risks and make plays. I love that kind of game."
Although Campbell may soon be passing the torch to Ekblad as the team's top-offensive defenseman in the near future, the Ontario native's reliability likely won't falter. He may lose a step or two with age, but his determination will never falter.
"He's been a consistent guy for us," Panthers coach Gerard Gallant said of Campbell. "He plays the same way every night. Soupy is a good, reliable veteran player. When you play (nearly) 300 straight games, knock on wood for him, it's a great thing."
WHAT HE DID RIGHT
While his 27 points matched his season-low since joining the Panthers, Campbell's puck-moving ability remained an integral part of Florida's offensive attack. He played a pivotal role in helping the Panthers establish themselves in the offensive zone and contributed to numerous goals even when he wasn't credited with an assist.
WHERE HE NEEDS TO IMPROVE
Campbell was on the ice for 54 even-strength goals -- the second most among Panthers defensemen -- as mental lapses in the defensive zone would often lead to scoring chances for opponents. While his offensive upside will always outweigh any defensive concerns, given how often he is on the ice, a few less mistakes in his own zone would certainly help Florida's goals-against average.
BEST GAME
Feb. 17 at Toronto. Campbell registered a season-high two assists to help lift the Panthers to 3-2 victory over the Maple Leafs. He was named the second star of the game and was credited with the primary assist on Jimmy Hayes' game-winning goal in the second-period. The 25:20 of ice time he saw during the contest was also 3:40 greater than the next-highest Panthers skater.
ADVANCED STATS
Campbell is the type of skater that advanced analytics gurus drool over. At even strength, he ranked first on the Panthers in Corsi For (54.50 percent), Corsi Rel (5.02), Fenwick For (53.71) and Fenwick Rel (4.20). He was deployed primarily in the offensive zone (40.7 OZFO%) and in turn allowed the fewest scoring chances per 60 minutes (19.99) among NHL defenseman with at least 50 games played.
GOAL OF THE YEAR
LOOKING AHEAD
Campbell is entering the final season of an 8-year, $57.1 million contract he signed with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2008. He will likely remain alongside Ekblad on Florida's top-defensive pairing next season, giving the budding defenseman a much-needed sense of familiarity during his sophomore campaign. Still, don't be surprised if Campbell has a bounce-back season offensively as he can usually be counted on for at least 30 points.
You can follow Jameson Olive on Twitter @JamesonCoop or email him at JamesonOlive@gmail.com.
