Campbell focused on player development and a Calder Cup Playoffs return in 2026-27

When the Belleville Senators removed the interim tag from Andrew Campbell’s title, they handed the team to someone who already knew the organization, the players and the importance of creating the right environment for Ottawa’s prospects.

Campbell took over behind the bench on an interim basis last season and now enters his first full season as Belleville’s head coach. For the 38-year-old, Caledonia, Ont., native, coaching wasn’t necessarily the focus during a playing career that took him from junior hockey to more than a decade in the professional ranks (including 719 in the American Hockey League and 42 in the National Hockey League), but staying in the game always was.

“As a player, I always knew I wanted to stay in hockey,” Campbell told the Belleville Sens Entertainment Network in a recent interview. “When you’re playing, you’re focused on playing … but I always knew I was going to be in hockey, in some capacity.”

Campbell’s path into coaching grew organically.

After his playing career, he volunteered at a camp in Hamilton for the Bulldogs and gradually took on a larger role as an assistant coach. Along the way, Campbell leaned on the relationships he had built throughout his hockey career, including his connection with Matt Turek, the current Belleville general manager. He says that relationship extends further than a simple office water-jug conversation. Rather, it’s a hardworking operation that preaches communication and openness to progression.

“Being around great people that put in the work every day, you kinda just sit, watch and learn. We talk pretty much every day. I probably annoy him with how much I call,” Campbell chuckled.

It’s a theme that carries into Campbell’s own coaching philosophy. For him, building a successful environment in Belleville starts with understanding the players inside the dressing room.

“It’s all about relationships for me. You have to make sure the players are comfortable in that environment, in a good headspace and happy to be here. Just making this a place where they want to get better at, it’s a full team effort.”

That approach will be especially important for a Belleville team tasked with developing the next wave of Ottawa Senators, while also staying competitive in the always-tough AHL North Division. Campbell got his first taste of that as a full-time head coach at prospect development camp in early July, getting familiar with the future stars while also reuniting with some current AHL Senators.

The Senators have seen some great players come through their system, and Campbell has already watched players take steps within the organization, including Phil Daoust, who earned an NHL contract after another strong season.

“He had a phenomenal season and put in the work; he really earned that NHL deal.”

Daoust has spent his entire professional career with the Senators organization after being selected in the sixth round of the 2020 NHL Draft. His journey of leading by example is a true feel-good story of hard work and perseverance.

When it comes to leadership, one of the decisions ahead for Campbell as he prepares for his first full season in charge will be to identify the team’s next captain.

Belleville missed the playoffs last season and is looking to return to the postseason for the first time since 2023-24, when they fell in the North Division Semifinals to the Cleveland Monsters (AHL Affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets). For this roster, having a voice will be huge, and once again, Campbell’s criteria come back to the type of environment he wants to build.

“I’m looking for someone who’s ready to bring it on a daily basis,” Campbell said. “Someone who will look after the young guys and make sure they’re comfortable in the room, just be able to set the right example.”

Nonetheless, a push for the Calder Cup Playoffs gets more interesting this year, as the expansion into Hamilton opens up a sixth spot for postseason contention in the North. That expansion to Ontario’s “Steeltown” also brings a different-looking schedule, creating more short trips and adding another nearby opponent. Campbell says that makes each game inside the division that much more important.

“It’s nice having Hamilton join, five shorter trips compared to Bridgeport or the far East Coast,” Campbell exclaimed. “A lot of Toronto, Hamilton and Laval, which is good for travel but also good for rivalries.”

Campbell added that those playing well in those rivalry contests will be crucial to nabbing points in the competitive North. Belleville will play 56 games this season against divisional foes, with 30 of those games split among Hamilton, Toronto, and Laval.

“The points are critical, the points in the first game here in October are just as important as the last game here in April”.

For Campbell, though, getting Belleville back into the postseason won’t come down to one game in April or a late-season push. It starts with creating the environment he has preached since taking over behind the bench, one built on relationships, communication and a willingness to improve every day.

As the Senators enter their 10th season in Belleville, Campbell will now have a full year to put his own stamp on the team.

“It’s a great place for Ottawa’s prospects to be, and I’m just really excited to get going.”

You can see the full BSEN Sit-Down with Andrew Campbell by clicking here.

The full 2026-27 Belleville Senators schedule is available by clicking here.

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