Dave Cameron (ice hockey)
David Cameron | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 29, 1958 Canada |
| Occupation(s) | Ice hockey coach, former professional player |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Known for | Head coach of Ottawa Senators (NHL), Vienna Capitals (EBEL), Ottawa 67's (OHL) |
David William Cameron (born July 29, 1958) is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former professional player. Currently, he holds the position of head coach for the Ottawa 67's in the Ontario Hockey League. His previous coaching roles include leading the Vienna Capitals in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga (EBEL) and serving as head coach of the Ottawa Senators in the National Hockey League (NHL) from December 2014 through the conclusion of the 2015–16 campaign. As a player, Cameron was a forward for the Colorado Rockies and New Jersey Devils between 1981 and 1984.
Cameron's coaching career began in the mid-1990s with the Detroit Falcons/Port Huron Border Cats in the Colonial Hockey League from 1995 to 1997. He then transitioned to the OHL, coaching the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds from 1997 to 1999 and later the Toronto St. Michael's Majors between 2000 and 2004. Advancing to the AHL, he was head coach of the Binghamton Senators from 2004 until 2007 before returning to the OHL to lead the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors through 2011. Cameron joined the NHL coaching ranks as an assistant with the Ottawa Senators under Paul MacLean and was promoted to head coach in December 2014.
On the international stage, Cameron guided Canada's under-18 squad to a gold medal at the 2004 U-18 Junior World Cup.
Playing career
Between 1976 and 1979, Cameron competed in university hockey representing the University of Prince Edward Island, where he accumulated 27 goals and 62 assists for a total of 89 points across 49 games. He was selected by the New York Islanders during the eighth round of the 1978 NHL entry draft.
During the 1979–80 season, Cameron divided his playing time between the Fort Wayne Komets (IHL) and Indianapolis Checkers (CHL), compiling 18 goals and 27 assists over a combined total of 76 games. The subsequent season with Indianapolis saw him achieve 40 goals and add 30 assists—70 points in total—while also accruing notable penalty minutes. On October 1, 1981, he was traded to the Colorado Rockies, with the Islanders receiving a first-round draft pick that would later be used to select Hall of Famer Pat LaFontaine.
In the 1981–82 NHL season, Cameron appeared in 66 games for Colorado, recording 11 goals alongside 12 assists. Following the franchise’s relocation to become the New Jersey Devils, he played in 35 games during the 1982–83 season, tallying five goals and four assists while also spending time with the CHL’s Wichita Wind. The next year, Cameron reached a career-high with participation in 67 games for New Jersey, contributing nine goals and twelve assists.
The 1984–85 season saw him split time between two AHL teams—the Maine Mariners and Moncton Golden Flames—where he amassed eight goals and seventeen assists over 49 contests. Subsequently, Cameron continued his playing career at the senior level with Charlottetown Islanders and Fredericton Alpines in the NBSHL. He also made a single AHL appearance for the Saint John Flames during the 1994–95 season.
Detroit Falcons/Port Huron Border Cats (1995–1997)
Cameron began his head coaching tenure in 1995 with the Detroit Falcons competing in the Colonial Hockey League. The team concluded that season with a record of 33 wins, 32 losses, and nine ties, placing third in their East Division. They achieved an upset against West Division champions Muskegon Fury in their initial playoff series before falling to the Flint Generals.
After relocating and rebranding as the Port Huron Border Cats in 1996, Cameron’s squad improved their performance to finish with a record of 38–31–5, again securing third place in the East Division. However, their postseason run ended after a five-game series defeat by the Brantford Smoke.
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (1997–1999)
Cameron transitioned to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) as the head coach of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. During the 1997–98 season, the team was undergoing a rebuild and finished with a 20–39–7 record, failing to qualify for the postseason. The following year, 1998–99, they improved to a 31–29–8 record, securing sixth place in the Western Conference, but were eliminated in five games by the Owen Sound Platers in the opening playoff round.
St. John's Maple Leafs (1999–2000)
In the 1999–2000 season, Cameron took on the role of assistant coach for the AHL's St. John's Maple Leafs. The team ended the year with the poorest record in the league at 23–45–8–4 and did not make it to the playoffs.
Toronto St. Michael's Majors (2000–2004)
Cameron returned to the OHL in 2000 as head coach of the Toronto St. Michael's Majors. The 2000–01 campaign saw a significant improvement of 38 points, with the squad finishing at 35–23–8–2 and making their first playoff appearance since 1997, advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.
The upward trend continued in 2001–02 when the Majors topped the Eastern Conference with 89 points. They reached the Conference Finals again after defeating North Bay Centennials and Ottawa 67's but were swept in four games by the Barrie Colts.
In 2002–03, St. Michael's dropped to fourth place with a 32–24–7–5 record but managed to reach their third consecutive Eastern Conference Finals by overcoming the Belleville Bulls and upsetting second-seeded Brampton Battalion. Their run ended in a seven-game series against Ottawa.
During Cameron’s final season with Toronto (2003–04), the Majors achieved an Eastern Conference-best record of 38–21–7–2 totaling 85 points. They advanced to their fourth straight Conference Finals after playoff victories over Sudbury Wolves and Brampton Battalion but were defeated by the Mississauga IceDogs in six games.
Binghamton Senators (2004–2007)
Following four seasons with the Majors, Cameron accepted the head coaching position for the AHL's Binghamton Senators. In his debut season, Binghamton improved by 26 points, finishing atop the East Division with a 47–21–7–5 record (106 points). Despite this success, they were unexpectedly eliminated in the first round of the 2005 Calder Cup playoffs by Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
The aftermath of the 2004–05 NHL lockout led to many Binghamton players being promoted to NHL’s Ottawa Senators, resulting in a downturn during the 2005–06 season with a 35–37–4–4 record and missing postseason play by seven points. The difficulties persisted in 2006–07 when Binghamton registered a franchise-low 23–48–4–5 record (55 points), finishing last in the league and prompting fans to call for Cameron’s removal.
Mississauga St. Michael's Majors (2007–2011)
Cameron returned to coach the Majors following their relocation from Toronto to Mississauga in 2007. The team improved by 20 points in 2007–08, finishing fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 31–32–2–3 record (67 points), but were swept by Niagara IceDogs in their first playoff series.
Progress continued during the 2008–09 season as Mississauga posted a 39–26–1–2 record (81 points), securing fourth place. They won their initial playoff round against Barrie Colts but fell to Brampton Battalion in six games during round two.
In 2009–10, Mississauga climbed to third place with a strong 42–20–4–2 record (90 points). They swept Peterborough Petes and defeated Ottawa 67's before being ousted by Barrie Colts in the Eastern Conference Finals.
As hosts of the 2011 Memorial Cup, Mississauga led the OHL with an impressive 53–13–0–2 record (108 points), capturing the Hamilton Spectator Trophy. They swept both Belleville Bulls and Sudbury Wolves before defeating Niagara IceDogs to claim the Bobby Orr Trophy. However, they lost Game 7 of the J. Ross Robertson Cup final in overtime against Owen Sound Attack.
At the Memorial Cup tournament, St. Michael's posted a 2–1 record in round-robin play, won their semi-final matchup against WHL’s Kootenay Ice by a score of 3–1, but ultimately fell to QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs with a final score of 3–1 in championship game.
Ottawa Senators (2011–2016)
In 2011, Cameron joined the Ottawa Senators' coaching team as an assistant alongside Mark Reeds under head coach Paul MacLean. Following MacLean's dismissal by GM Bryan Murray in December 2014, Cameron was promoted to head coach, becoming the franchise's fifth head coach since June 2007. The Senators experienced a resurgence late in the 2014–15 regular season, largely due to standout contributions from rookie goaltender Andrew Hammond and forward Mark Stone, winning 23 of their last 31 games and clinching a playoff berth. Their postseason run ended in the first round after a six-game series loss to the Montreal Canadiens.
Cameron continued as head coach through the 2015–16 campaign; however, the Senators failed to qualify for the playoffs, finishing eight points shy of a wild card position. On March 22, 2016, team owner Eugene Melnyk publicly expressed dissatisfaction with Cameron’s choice to start backup goalie Matt O'Connor in a home match against Montreal. Subsequently, on April 10, Bryan Murray stepped down as general manager, with assistant GM Pierre Dorion taking over the role. Two days later, Cameron was relieved of his coaching duties along with assistants André Tourigny and Rick Wamsley, while assistant coach Jason Smith was reassigned within the organization. Cameron concluded his tenure with a coaching record of 70 wins, 50 losses, and 17 overtime/shootout defeats.
Calgary Flames (2016–2018)
On July 6, 2016, Cameron was appointed assistant coach for the Calgary Flames under head coach Glen Gulutzan. His stint ended on April 17, 2018, when both he and Gulutzan were dismissed from their positions.
Vienna Capitals (2018–2021)
In May 2018, Cameron took over as head coach of the Vienna Capitals competing in Austria’s Erste Bank Eishockey Liga. He succeeded Serge Aubin, who departed to join the Swiss club ZSC Lions.
International
Cameron served as an assistant coach for Canada’s men’s national under-18 team at the 2003 U-18 Junior World Cup, where Canada finished in fourth place. The following year, he returned as head coach and guided Canada to a gold medal victory.
He led Canada’s men's national junior ice hockey team as head coach during the 2011 World Junior Championships held in Buffalo, earning a silver medal after falling to Russia in the final. Additionally, Cameron was an assistant coach for Canada’s men’s national team at the 2016 IIHF World Championship under Bill Peters.
On July 21, 2021, Cameron was named head coach of Team Canada for the upcoming 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, taking over from André Tourigny.
Personal life
Born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Cameron grew up in Albany and Kinkora on Prince Edward Island. After retiring from playing hockey professionally, he completed his business education and worked at the Bank of Nova Scotia before transitioning into a career as a guidance counsellor. He currently lives in Nepean, Ontario with his wife Kelly and their two sons, Connor and Ben.
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1976–77 | University of Prince Edward Island | CIAU | 20 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977–78 | University of Prince Edward Island | CIAU | 16 | 13 | 30 | 43 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1978–79 | University of Prince Edward Island | CIAU | 16 | 13 | 30 | 43 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | Fort Wayne Komets | IHL | 6 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | Indianapolis Checkers | CHL | 70 | 15 | 21 | 36 | 101 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | ||
| 1980–81 | Indianapolis Checkers | CHL | 78 | 40 | 30 | 70 | 156 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | ||
| 1981–82 | Colorado Rockies | NHL | 66 | 11 | 12 | 23 | 103 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981–82 | Fort Worth Texans | CHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982–83 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 35 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 50 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982–83 | Wichita Wind | CHL | 25 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1983–84 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 67 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 85 | |||||||
| 1984–85 | Maine Mariners | AHL | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 32 | |||||||
| 1984–85 | Moncton Golden Flames | AHL | 37 | 8 | 16 | 24 | 82 | |||||||
| 1985–86 | Charlottetown Islanders | NBSHL | 15 | 9 | 16 | 25 | 54 | |||||||
| 1986–87 | Charlottetown Islanders | NBSHL | 11 | 5 | 17 | 22 | 69 | |||||||
| 1989–90 | Fredericton Alpines | NBSHL | 14 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 30 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 7 | |||
| 1990–91 | Charlottetown Islanders | NBSHL | 25 | 23 | 21 | 44 | 69 | |||||||
| 1994–95 AHL season | Saint John Flames | AHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||
| NHL totals | 168 | 25 | 28 | 53 | 238 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
NHL
| Team | Season | Regular Season | Playoffs | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | Standing | W | L | Win % | Outcome | ||
| OTT | 2014–15 | 55 | 32 | 15 | 8 | 99 | 4th in Atlantic | 2 | 4 | .333 | Eliminated in first round (MTL) |
| OTT | 2015–16 | 82 | 38 | 35 | 9 | 85 | 5th in Atlantic | — | — | — | Did not reach playoffs |
| Total | 137 | 70 | 50 | 17 | — | — | 2 | 4 | .333 | One playoff appearance | |
Ontario Hockey League
| Team | Season | Regular Season | Postseason | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | Ranking | Result | ||
| SSM | 1997–98 | 66 | 20 | 39 | 7 | - | 47 | 5th in Western Conference | Did not qualify for playoffs |
| SSM | 1998–99 | 68 | 31 | 29 | 8 | - | 70 | 4th in West | Defeated in conference quarter-finals (1-4 vs. OS) |
| TOR | 2000–01 | 68 | 35 | 23 | 8 | 2 | 80 | 2nd in Central Division | Advanced past conference quarter-finals (4-3 vs. PBO) and semi-finals (4-3 vs. SBY); eliminated in conference finals (0-4 vs. OTT) |
| TOR | 2001–02 | 68 | 40 | 19 | 8 | 1 | 89 | 1st in Central | Won conference quarter-finals (4-0 vs. NB) and semi-finals (4-3 vs. OTT); lost conference finals (0-4 vs. BAR) |
| TOR | 2002–03 | 68 | 32 | 24 | 7 | 5 | 76 | 2nd in Central Division | Triumphed in conference quarter-finals (4-3 vs. BEL) and semi-finals (4-1 vs. BRA); defeated in conference finals (3-4 vs. OTT) |
| TOR | 2003–04 | 68 | 38 | 21 | 7 | 2 | 85 | 1st in Central | Won conference quarter-finals (4-3 vs. SBY) and semi-finals (4-1 vs. BRA); eliminated in conference finals (2-4 vs. MIS) |
| MIS | 2007–08 | 68 | 31 | 32 | - | 5 | 67 | 3rd in Central Division | Lost conference quarter-finals (0-4 vs. NIA) |
| MIS | 2008–09 | 68 | 39 | 26 | - | 3 | 81 | 2nd in Central | Won conference quarter-finals (4-1 vs. BAR); fell in semi-finals (2-4 vs. BRA) |
| MIS | 2009–10 | 68 | 42 | 20 | - | 6 | 90 | 2nd in Central Division | Captured victories in conference quarter-finals (4-0 vs. PBO) and semi-finals (4-3 vs. OTT); defeated in finals (1-4 vs. BAR) |
| MIS | 2010–11 | 68 | 53 | 13 | - | 108 | 1st in Central | Secured three playoff series wins; lost J. Ross Robertson Cup finals (3-4 vs. Owen Sound Attack) Participated at Memorial Cup, finishing second during round-robin; reached final but lost to Saint John Sea Dogs | |
| OTT | 2021–22 | 68 | 28 | 31 | 9 | 65 | 4th in East Division | Eliminated in OHL quarter-finals (0-4 vs. North Bay Battalion) | |
| OTT | 2022–23 OHL season | 68 | 51 | 12 | 5 | 107 | 1st in East | Won conference quarter-finals; exited in semi-finals | |
| OTT | 2023–24 OHL season | 68 | 36 | 24 | 8 | 80 | 6th place in East Division | Advanced through conference quarter-finals; lost semi-final series | |
| OTT | 2024–25 OHL season | 68 | 24 | 34 | 10 | 58 | 9th place East Division | Failed to qualify for playoffs | |
| Career Total | 950 | 500 | 347 | 45 | 58 | 2070 | Four division titles | No J. Ross Robertson Cups won (78-73, .517) No Memorial Cups won (3-2, .600) | |
American Hockey League
| Team | Season | Regular Season | Playoffs | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | Standing | Outcome | ||
| BNG | 2004–05 | 80 | 47 | 21 | - | 12 | 106 | East Division Champions | Eliminated in division semi-finals (2-4 vs. WBS) |
| BNG | 2005–06 | 80 | 35 | 37 | - | 8 | 78 | 5th place East | Did not qualify for playoffs |
| BNG | 2006–07 | 80 | 23 | 48 | - | 9 | 55 | 7th place East | Did not qualify for playoffs |
| Aggregate | 240 | 105 | 106 | - | 29 | 239 | 1 Division Title | 0 Calder Cups (2-4, 0.333) | |
Colonial Hockey League
| Team | Season | Regular Season | Playoffs | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | Standing | Outcome | ||
| DET | 1995–96 | 74 | 33 | 32 | - | 9 | 75 | 3rd place East | Advanced past quarter-finals (4-1 over MUS) Eliminated in semi-finals (1-4 vs. FLI) |
| PHB | 1996–97 | 74 | 38 | 31 | - | 5 | 81 | 3rd place East | Exited in quarter-finals (2-3 vs. BFD) |
| Aggregate | 148 | 71 | 63 | - | 14 | 156 | 0 Division Titles | 0 Colonial Cups (7-8, 0.467) | |