A New Chapter In Belleville For Andrew Campbell

For Andrew Campbell, the opportunity in Belleville was never supposed to be about simply filling an empty seat behind the bench.

When the Belleville Senators promoted Campbell from assistant coach to interim head coach in December 2025, the move came with very little time to prepare Campbell or the team. The former AHL defenseman was suddenly responsible for guiding the team. Guiding that team through the beginning of the thick of the season, while navigating challenges that come in the AHL: Injuries, call-ups, roster turnover, and players that are at different stages developmentally. The interim opportunity became something bigger this past offseason.

On June 23rd, 2026, Belleville signed Campbell to a three-year contract to stay in place as the Head Coach, removing the interim title. This gives him the stability to build his own team, his own system, and his own coaching style.

Campbell came to the Ottawa organization after spending three seasons in the OHL with the Hamilton/Branford Bulldogs. He was familiar with Ottawa’s management going back to his time in Hamiliton. He worked alongside Belleville GM Matt Turek and Ottawa’s GM Steve Staios and owner Michael Andlauer. Those connections helped him get to Belleville, and his performance helped him stay.

On December 17th, Campbell took over for David Bell. Belleville was in the middle of a difficult stretch of games. The Senators had gone 2-8-2-0 when the coaching change came about. Stabilizing a team and learning what it meant to be the person responsible for it was a challenge. His first coaching weekend came with an infamous three-in-three against the Rochester Americans and the reigning Calder Cup Champions, Toronto Marlies. Belleville earned points in the first two games under Campbell before heading home and garnering an eight-goal performance against the Marlies. The belief Campbell had in his players became important that early to his spot behind the bench.

A successful AHL team can lose an important player in the blink of an eye to an NHL recall. A prospect can come in from juniors or college and undertake the responsibility of becoming a professional. Veterans are brought in to stabilize the locker room and the bench, only to find themselves being thrown back and forth between the NHL and AHL. Belleville experienced it all last season.

When January rolled around, Senators had 63 roster transactions, including 21 during that month alone. Only three players on the Belleville roster had appeared in all 44 games by that point. The goaltending group was also cycling between Belleville and Ottawa, creating uncertainty. Being a coach in the AHL with that much volatility in the roster means being required to be flexible.

Before hitting the coaching scene, Campbell spent 11 seasons as a professional player. He played 719 games with the Manchester Monarchs, Portland Pirates, Toronto Marlies, Tucson Roadrunners, and Rockford Icehogs. During his time as an AHL player, he tallied 149 points and had a +92 rating. He also served as captain for four seasons. Campbell also played 42 NHL games. Having that type of playing career gave him an understanding of the uncertainty that comes with trying to reach and stay in the NHL. Now he gets to help his own players navigate that journey.

Helping players navigate that journey is important in Belleville, where the objective is beyond winning AHL games. Belleville is tasked with preparing the Ottawa prospects to become the next NHL forward, defenseman, or goaltender, but also building an environment that can compete for a playoff spot. During his time as the interim coach, Campbell showed that those two objectives do not have to work separately.

Belleville found its footing eventually last season. After struggling through a 4-12-4-0 stretch, the Senators won six of the next eight games and pushed themselves into the North Division playoff race. The team also saw Stephen Halliday get a crack at the NHL, and Arthur Kaliyev stepped up as an offensive player. The season didn’t come without adversity, but adversity is often where the coaching staff gets its information in the AHL.

Roles change for players throughout the season. They have to learn how to handle being scratched, being called up, being sent back down, or being asked to play a different role from one game to the next. Coaches must determine which players can handle those moments. Campbell’s career covered all of that. He wasn’t just a former NHL player who went into coaching. He was a veteran AHL player who spent his years playing, learning how to lead inside the AHL, where development and winning are constantly mixed together. Having that type of experience behind the bench is going to be extremely valuable for players who are figuring out what professional life demands.

The goal isn’t to teach them how to produce; it’s to teach them to become professionals. Having Campbell behind the bench for three years is significant for the team and organization. It gives Belleville continuity and stability, and it gives Campbell time to establish his expectations.

Most importantly, it gives Ottawa a coach who understands the organization’s developmental expectations and the prospect pipeline. The Senators are entering the 2026-2027 season with another group of players to take the next step forward to Ottawa. The organization added talent during the offseason with the additions of William Eklund and Kasper Halttunen in a trade with the San Jose Sharks.

For Campbell, that means this season is tasked with helping players turn their potential into becoming an NHL option. He has three years to build, develop, establish, and create.