Ambition of Stingrays convinces Campbell

The 31-year-old winger, tasted top-flight success with Coventry Blaze in 2010, before repeating the feat with Sheffield Steelers last season.

The Canadian was known to be considering a career outside hockey at the end of the 2010-11 campaign but has decided to help Hull try and break into the top half of the league, making it his fifth team in six seasons in the UK game’s top flight.

“Hull has the potential to break into the top five in this league and the direction they want to go in is really something I want to be a part of,” said Campbell.

“It’s a good fit all round really. My role is probably going to see me take on more responsibility, in terms of producing a bit more offensively than perhaps I have in the last couple of years.

“But I’ll be making sure I retain the physical edge I have to my game - the two go hand in hand really.”

Campbell has gained a reputation among some fans for picking up too many penalties, with last season seeing him take 249 penalty minutes for the Steelers, his biggest tally since arriving in the UK.

He also scored nine goals and 31 assists in 48 games for Ben Simon’s team, and proved to be one of the Steelers’ key players towards the business end of the season which saw them pip Cardiff Devils and Belfast Giants to the regular season title.

“Spending time in the penalty box is never a fun thing to do,” added Campbell. “But if I can help create a bit more freedom for some of my team-mates to play, with them knowing there’ll be somebody there to stand up for them, then so be it.”

Campbell has amassed 253 points (90 goals and 163 assists) and 1089 penalty minutes in 264 regular-season and play-off games in the Elite League.

But the Ontario-born forward’s penalty record is not a concern for Hull player-coach Sylvain Cloutier, who said he had tried to sign the forward twice before.

“He’s a typical power forward, with almost a point a game in the Elite League and he plays a physical game, which we possibly lacked a bit of last season,” said Cloutier.

“Our team will be more physical next season, but ‘Soupy’ will more of a key player for us than he perhaps was in Sheffield or Coventry.

“He’s a leader and has won two championships and that experience will prove vital.

“He cares about playing and I like the passion and intensity that he will bring to the team. Also, I’ve had enough of playing against him for the last few years, so it will be nice to have him alongside me for a change.”

SHEFFIELD Steelers’ player-coach Ryan Finnerty has revealed he is hoping to entice AHL winger Randy Rowe to South Yorkshire following the decision of popular forward Joey Talbot to retire.

Rowe, 31, has played more than 450 games in the ECHL, as well as over 100 in the AHL, North America’s second tier.

Most recently, Rowe has played 64 games in the AHL for the Lake Erie Monsters, although only two of those came last season where he spent most of his time with Toledo Walleye in the ECHL, playing alongside British defenceman David Phillips. His time with Lake Erie saw him post 29 points, including 11 goals,

“Randy is the one I would like to fill that Talbot role,” said Finnerty.

“I think he would be a perfect fit for the Steelers and the Talbot role. He and Jeff Legue would play well together I am sure of that. Randy can play the power play and kill penalties - he is a top all- round player and person.”

Rookie coach Finnerty said he is also closing in on a new starting netminder for the 2010-11 champions.