Jeff Campbell, who played two seasons with the Strathroy Rockets from 1998-2000, is one of four people being inducted into the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) Hall of Fame in January.
Campbell’s hockey journey began with the Strathroy Rockets, where he played from 1998 to 2000. In his rookie 1998-99 season, he scored 38 goals and 69 points and was named the East Division Rookie of the Year. The following year, he delivered one of the greatest offensive seasons in Western Ontario Hockey League history, leading the league with 62 goals and 117 points—both franchise records and marks that remain tied for the fifth-best seasons in the league between 1979 and 2007. He also hit the 50-goal milestone in just his 39th game.
Campbell continued to dominate in the 2000 playoffs, leading all scorers with 35 points and helping propel Strathroy to the league final. He set multiple franchise records during his time with the Rockets, including most career shorthanded goals (17), most shorthanded goals in a season (10), most career playoff goals (23), and most career playoff points (46). In total, he recorded 100 goals and 186 points across 103 games with Strathroy.
After leaving the Rockets, Campbell spent four seasons in the NCAA with the Western Michigan Broncos before beginning his professional career. From 2004 to 2008, he starred with the ECHL’s Gwinnett Gladiators, posting 90 goals, 164 assists and 254 points in 210 games. He made the All-Rookie Team in 2004-05 and earned All-ECHL First Team honours twice. His standout season came in 2005-06, when he ranked fifth in assists (53) and points (83), led the Gladiators to the Kelly Cup Finals, and was named the league’s Most Valuable Player. In 2007-08, he finished second in assists (65) and points (91), was again named to the First Team, and received the ECHL Sportsmanship Award.
Campbell then spent the final 10 seasons of his playing career in Europe—nine of them in Switzerland—before retiring in 2019. He now serves as head coach of HC Fribourg-Gottéron U21 in the Swiss U-21 Elite League.
In recognition of his accomplishments, Campbell is one of four individuals being inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame in January. The ceremony is scheduled for Monday, January 19, at 12 p.m. CST in Dallas, Texas, as part of the ECHL All-Star Classic.
(Photos – courtesy of ECHL/GOHL)