Stars’ top draft pick shines at development camp

FRISCO, Texas – Jack Campbell is having the time of his young life – and from here on out, it’s only going to get better. The 18-year old goaltender is in Frisco, Texas attending the Dallas Stars’ summer development camp with several other top Dallas prospects.
 
Thus far, fans and coaches alike are seeing all the right moves from the young net minder who has shown great range and a tremendous ability to stop the puck.
 

Asked how he felt about participating in the camp, his smile broadened as he expressed his enthusiasm.
 
“Oh it’s awesome,” Campbell said. “The facility, the coaches, the players here, the staff – it’s great, you know, just to be a part of the Dallas Stars organization…to come to a high tempo camp like this is awesome. I love being out there and facing shots. They’re giving me a fair share of my work load here.”
 
A goalie since he was 8, after taking up the sport as a 5-year-old, Campbell appreciates the rigors of the week long camp.
 
“Working with coach (Mike) Valley every day…it’s great for my development – my physical tools as well as mental. I’m learning new things every single day.”
 
Selected by the Stars in the first round (11^th overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft just over a week ago, Campbell was the first goalie taken and also the first American player chosen. The Port Huron, Michigan native is considered by many scouts to have all the makings of an elite net minder.
 
“I have to say, right from the get-go, our guys felt most strongly about this kid,” Stars General Manager Joe Nieuwendyk said.  “After Hall and Seguin, the next guy on the list that had a chance to be a franchise impact player was Jack Campbell. He was the number one guy right from the start and when he was there at 11, we took him.”
 
At 6’, 2” and 185 pounds, Campbell has imposing size, but his intense competitiveness and work ethic factored into the Stars’ decision to choose him, despite the fact that two of the top-rated defenseman in the draft were still available in Cam Fowler and Brandon Gormley.
 
“There’s some special qualities about his kid,” Stars Director of Amateur Scouting Tim Bernhardt said. “He’s a special kid, He’s a winner. He’s been able to win. He wants it as bad as any kid I’ve ever seen. And usually those high achievers achieve what they want.”
 
This past season, Campbell posted a 6-3-1 record this season with the U.S. National Development Team in the USHL, recording 2.21 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage.  He gained instant notoriety at the World Juniors this past January, showing what he was made of in a high-pressure situation. Beginning the gold medal game on the bench as five-time defending champion Team Canada, playing on home ice, ran up a 3-0 first period lead. Campbell came on in relief and helped spark the Americans to a comeback, stopping 32 of 34 shots the rest of the way as the U.S. won 6-5 in overtime.  He also helped lead the U.S. to back-to-back gold medals at the 2009 and 2010 Under-18 World Championships, earning Top Goaltender honors at the 2010 tournament with an astonishing 0.83 GAA and a .965 save percentage.
 
Campbell will play for the two-time defending Memorial Cup champion Windsor Spitfires (OHL) next season and is expected to attend the Stars’ training camp in September. It’s likely that he’ll need at least a couple of years before he’s ready to play in the NHL, but he plans to be ready whenever he’s called upon. “Right now it’s up to Dallas,” Campbell said. “I’m going to be working as hard as I possibly can on a day-to-day basis. I’m going to be doing everything I can to be ready. When they call me and want me in there, I’ll be ready.”
 
Contact the author/photographer at robert.keith@prohockeynews.com