Colin Campbell Colin John Campbell ( born January 28 , 1953 in London , Ontario ) , nicknamed " Sheriff " , is a former professional ice hockey defenceman , coach and the former Senior Vice President and current Director of Hockey Operations for the National Hockey League . On June 1 , 2011 he stepped down based on ethical reasons ( his son Gregory Campbell ' s team the Boston Bruins made it to the Stanley Cup Finals ) from his role as the NHL ' s principal disciplinarian . Playing career . Campbell spent his junior career with the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey Association ( later the Ontario Hockey League ) . He was taken in the second round of the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft , 27th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins , and also in the first round of the 1973 WHA Amateur Draft , 5th overall , by the Vancouver Blazers . After one season with the Blazers , Campbell signed on with Pittsburgh . Campbell went on to play for the Penguins , Edmonton Oilers , Vancouver Canucks , and Detroit Red Wings . A scrappy , physical defender , Campbell scored just 25 goals in 11 NHL seasons while accumulating almost 1300 penalty minutes . However , he had a knack for scoring key goals in the playoffs , scoring the series - clinching goal in Pittsburgh ' s first - round win over the St . Louis Blues in 1975 , and posting a two - goal game for the Canucks in a win against the Los Angeles Kings en route to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1982 ( he scored just 1 goal in two full regular seasons for the Canucks ) . In his 11 - year NHL career , Campbell appeared in 636 NHL games , posting 25 goals and 103 assists for 128 points , along with 1292 penalty minutes . He also played 78 games in the WHA , recording 3 goals and 23 points along with 191 PIM . Coaching career . Immediately following his retirement in 1985 , Campbell joined the Red Wings coaching staff under head coach Jacques Demers . During the 1988 Stanley Cup Playoffs , Campbell and assistant general manager Neil Smith discovered several Red Wings players , including Bob Probert and Petr Klima , out past curfew . The incident occurred at a suburban Edmonton bar called " Goose Loonies " , and led to an apology being issued by Demers . Campbell left the Red Wings after the dismissal of Demers in 1990 . Campbell then joined the New York Rangers as an assistant NHL coach for 1991 - 92 , parts of 1992 - 93 , and 1993 - 94 . He was the head coach for the Rangers ' top affiliate ; the Binghamton Rangers of the American Hockey League for half of the 1992 - 93 season . Coaching record . During the 1994 – 95 NHL season , Campbell took over the head coaching job of the Rangers from Mike Keenan , who had a tumultuous relationship with General Manager Neil Smith . Campbell and Smith had previously worked together in the Detroit Red Wings organization in the 1980s . Campbell held the position for the next three and a half years , before being fired late in 1998 . The 1997 – 98 NHL season was the first time Campbell ' s team failed to reach the playoffs . NHL executive . Shortly after being fired by the Rangers , Campbell was hired by the NHL as the league ' s Senior Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations , taking over from the departed Brian Burke . During Campbell ' s tenure , the NHL has faced a number of high - profile incidents that required Campbell ' s attention , most notably the Marty McSorley / Donald Brashear stick - swinging incident , which resulted in a year - long suspension for McSorley , and the Todd Bertuzzi hit on Steve Moore . During the 2004 – 05 NHL lockout , Campbell chaired a committee that looked into adjusting NHL rules , resulting in major changes for the 2005 – 06 NHL season . On November 1 , 2006 , Campbell rejected a 5 year , $ 7 . 5 million offer from the Philadelphia Flyers to be their general manager . There was speculation that he was holding out for the general manager job with the Toronto Maple Leafs ( a position eventually filled by Brian Burke ) after general manager John Ferguson Jr . ' s contract was terminated in January 2008 . On November 15 , 2010 , TSN . ca and various other media outlets reported on a string of emails from Colin Campbell . The email correspondence became a matter of public record in the wrongful dismissal case of referee Dean Warren against the NHL and the emails were entered into evidence in the case , although specific references to names and dates were blacked out . In these emails , Campbell calls Boston Bruins centre Marc Savard a " little fake artist " after Warren assessed Colin Campbell ' s son , Gregory Campbell , a high - sticking minor on Savard and sending further emails to director of officiating Stephen Walkom complaining about the work of referees who gave Gregory a late - game penalty that resulted in a tying goal . In a follow - up interview with TSN , Colin Campbell admitted " it ( the email content ) was inappropriate . But no one told me or maybe told you five years ago that you can take your emails and read them all . " . Despite the controversy and the admission of inappropriate content and accusations of bias , the NHL posted a strong backing of Campbell on their website and he continued in his role as the Senior Vice President until stepping down on June 1 , 2011 , On June 1 , 2011 , Colin Campbell ' s son , Gregory Campbell , and his team ( Boston Bruins ) made it to the Stanley Cup Finals . As his role as senior vice - president for player safety and hockey operations included head disciplinarian , there were questions regarding the ethics of having someone in that position being able to use their power to help a family member ' s team , and Colin Campbell stepped down by his own request , he was replaced by Brendan Shanahan . He currently continues his role as Director of Hockey Operation .