Coach Campbell and staff making the most of training camp time in Ottawa before sprinting into the season

With the 2026-27 season quickly approaching, Belleville Senators head coach Andrew Campbell and his staff are making the most of their time in Ottawa.

Campbell and the Belleville coaching staff have spent the past two weeks working alongside the Senators’ NHL coaching staff, led by Travis Green, through rookie camp, the Prospects Challenge, and main training camp, getting an up-close look at the systems, practices, and video work being implemented at the NHL level.

For Campbell, the time in Ottawa has also provided an opportunity to prepare his staff and put the building blocks in place for what they want to accomplish once they return to the Bay of Quinte.

“We’ve spent a lot of time on that and then, have been sitting in with Travis and his staff just going through what he’s showing in camp, their video packages and their training camp practices, and getting a handle on their systems,” Campbell said. “We want to incorporate a lot of drills in Belleville that they do here in Ottawa, so we get a firm grasp on those and just being sponges. Sitting in and listening, and just trying to take in as much information as we can while we’re here.”

The Belleville staff also had the opportunity to work with Ottawa’s young prospects during rookie camp, which featured one practice and two games played at the Slush Puppie Centre in Gatineau, Quebec. Campbell felt the experience gave the prospects an important opportunity to get their feet wet in a competitive environment before moving into main camp.

“I mean, it’s pro hockey, right? It’s maybe different to what a lot of guys have been used to wherever they played in junior college, and in the next step, it’s only going to be magnified even more in the NHL. So, for them to play in front of management and, you know, the NHL staff and all the media that we’re there, that’s going to be what they’re going to have to endure and go through for the rest of their career.”

Campbell and the Belleville Sens are scheduled to return to the Bay of Quinte on September 28, where they will begin a short training camp ahead of the team’s season opener on October 2.

Despite the limited time in Belleville before the season begins, Campbell believes the groundwork laid in Ottawa will help. With returning players and newcomers spending extended time together through NHL training camp, the group has already begun building the familiarity and relationships that will be important once the team comes together in Belleville.

“Although we don’t get next to any time back in Belleville once we get there before our season starts, these guys have already been around each other for quite a bit of time,” Campbell said. “They’re familiar with each other. And, you know, that helps build the bond that you’re hoping for when our season starts.”

As the clock counts down to puck drop on the 10th season of Senators Hockey in the Bay of Quinte, Campbell admits he’s eager to get back and start the Senators’ preparations.

“Our season’s creeping up here really fast,” Campbell said. “Getting a little anxious to get back there so we can get our stuff going.”

The Belleville Sens open the 2026-27 American Hockey League campaign on Friday, October 2, 2026, against the league’s newest team, the Hamilton Hammers (AHL Affiliate of the New York Islanders). Tickets are available by clicking here.

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

Single-game tickets are now on sale via Ticketmaster. More information on season seat memberships, Sens on Demand ticketing, premium seating, the Business Edge program, and more is available on the Belleville Sens Website. 

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