Campbell ranks as one of the finest hockey players ever produced in Newfoundland and Labrador. An extremely talented and skilled center, he was equally adept at scoring goals as setting up teammates, while always demonstrating exceptional defensive prowess. He was an impressive "all-around" player and added greatly to any team of which he was a member and a scoring champion at every level of hockey at which he played.

Leadership was a major aspect of his career. With very, very few exceptions he was captain of the teams on which he played. His effectiveness as a captain was often seen in the gentlemanly and informed manner in which he spoke with officials on the ice. A tireless worker who skated well with both speed and strength, he continuously demonstrated great puck control and exceptional stick handling and was used in a penalty killing role as well as on power plays.

He began his hockey career in 1955 within St. John's peewee hockey when he led his division in scoring. In1957, as a bantam, he was the "Most Gentlemanly and Effective Player" and he played grammar school and junior and senior intercollegiate with Prince of Wales College. During the 1961 season Campbell played senior intercollegiate, junior St. John's and senior St. John's hockey and performed in provincial junior hockey.

His hockey included junior intercollegiate hockey from 1957 to 1959, senior intercollegiate hockey from 1960 to 1961, St. John's junior hockey from 1960 to 1963 and St. John's senior hockey from 1961 to 1971.

While most of his St. John's hockey was for Guards, he led Memorial University to a Boyle Trophy championship in 1965 and skated with the University squad for three seasons, from 1963 to 1966. He was a member of Guards teams that won the Boyle Trophy in 1962, 1963, 1970 and 1971.

He won two St. John's senior scoring titles and was among the top five point getters in both junior and senior St. John's hockey every season that he played. On two occasions he was named junior hockey "Most Gentlemanly and Effective Player" and was awarded the same award for his final season in 1971.

In 1962 the Chicago Black Hawks invited him to the training camp of the St. Catherine's Teepees, their Ontario Junior Hockey League team. He skated center for Dennis Hull and Ken Hodge, two fine National Hockey League players.