Blast From The Past: Two Forgotten Chicago Blackhawks Prospects

Long before the Chicago Blackhawks shelled out mega millions to free agent defensiveman Brian Campbell in the summer of 2008, there was another Campbell ready to step in for the Hawks at any time.

And long before the name Cristobal Huet was on the lips of Chicago fans, there was a young goalie hoping to make his mark on Chicago's west side.

It's too bad they never got their chance.

In 1992, an electrifying, yet raw, young wing hailing from Aurora, Illinois, fancied himself next to Jeremy Roenick at the Chicago Stadium. Featuring some unorthodox moves and a tendency to abuse the "five-hole" too much, Wayne Campbell was the story of a love-hate relationship with hockey.

Campbell filled his days planning for the popular cable-access television show he created with life-long friend and aspiring goalie Garth Algar. Together, these two dedicated Blackhawk fans would frequently attend the restaurant of their favorite player, Hall of Famer Stan Mikita.

When not working on their television show, these two potential Hawks worked on their secondary craft—hockey. Hours of practice, only occasionally broken up by an intrusive automobile (Game On!), provided the training grounds on which the blood and sweat of these aspiring NHL players.

It was not to be for either of these young phenoms, though. Algar showed an inability to stop pucks hit directly at his body, and a fear of anything hit hard in the direction of his torso. Campbell, meanwhile, never developed a backhand shot and was more comfortable on concrete than ice. His slapshot proved to be more effective with tennis balls than a puck.

Indeed, perhaps the only ability either of these two possessed that was NHL-ready was their mullet-growing ability. The brunette Campbell wore a rough version of the mullet made famous by then-Los Angeles Kings' head coach Barry Melrose, while Algar had flowing blonde locks that would make a lion blush.

But hair doesn't get you a look in professional hockey, so Algar and Campbell took their talents to the music industry. Where they are now isn't quite known, but they are undoubtedly proud that those who are wearing the Indian Head are doing so proudly this season.

Though Wayne Campbell wore the number 32 in his playing days, he has been rumored to own a red sweater featuring Brian's number 51.