Ask any coach whose team is hovering around the .500 mark past the midway point of the season what they’d like to see going forward.

The answer would surely be “consistency.”

And sure enough, that was the word from Belleville Senators Interim Head Coach Andrew Campbell when the Gazette caught up with the Caledonia native at the end of the American Hockey League’s All Star Break last month.

Mr. Campbell, who goes by the nickname Soupy, had earned a chance to catch his breath and re-energize for Belleville’s playoff push with a five-day layoff. 

Since being thrown into the deep end by parent Ottawa club in mid-December, Mr. Campbell has been performing.

Belleville is 10-11-5 in the 24 games the interim Coach has skippered since he replaced David Bell behind the bench December 17. With 18 games remaining, the Sens are inching their way back to postseason contention.

A veteran of over 700 AHL games and 42 NHL contests with Los Angeles, Phoenix and Toronto, Mr. Campbell is well aware the games get bigger and the stakes higher this time of the season.

“Consistency is such a big part of success, consistency in your effort and consistency in your preparation process,” he said. “Everyone knows we are in a race now and we can’t afford to give anything away. The key is not getting caught up about what’s happening elsewhere or in the standings and just taking care of the day that’s in front of us one day at a time.”

As both a player and a coach, Mr. Campbell is a product of the Ontario Hockey League, playing for the Soo Greyhounds in the mid-2000’s and cutting his teeth in a coaching role with the Brantford Bulldogs from 2021-23. 

His Major Junior coaching experience started under the Micheal Andlauer-Steve Staios Bulldogs umbrella. Mr. Andlauer owned the Pups while Mr. Staios was General Manager. It’s clear Mr. Andlauer values personal relationships, believes in developing talent, and fostering a collegial aspect to his entire Senators organization.

When an assistant position in Belleville became available, Mr. Campbell was tapped. And when the team needed a change of voice in the dressing room, he proved to be a natural fit.

“Steve and Mike are really great people and they treat everyone with great respect, it’s been a great overall experience working for them and being part of this organization,” he added.

A key part of Mr. Campbell’s skill set is his relatability. A third-round draft pick by the Kings in 2008, the coach knows the pressures on young prospects learning and growing in the AHL. He can look down his bench and see blueliner Jorian Donovan chomping at the bit to get that call to come play for Ottawa. He can also understand the rigours of the grind on someone like NHL veteran Scott Harrington, just finishing up his 12th season of pro hockey.

“I feel like I can relate to today’s player whether they are second-year pros or 12th-year pros. Everyone is on a different part of their hockey journey, but we are walking together on the same path,” he said.

As for mentors, Mr. Campbell pointed to his experiences in Los Angeles where he joined the Kings as a Black Ace for their 2012 and 2104 Stanley Cup championship runs under fiery, no nonsense coach Darryl Sutter. Sheldon Keefe (Toronto Marlies) and Mike Van Ryn (Tuscon Roadrunners) in the AHL ranks are another pair of coaches Mr. Campbell remembers.

“I knew throughout my playing career I wanted to stay in hockey and I had an idea what laid ahead of me. I took a lot of notes, thinking it would lead to something,” he said.

It’s the hope of Sens fans in Quinte that all the preparation, relatability, and consistency is leading towards a surge up the North Division standings and into the AHL’s second season.