Hawks' Campbell searching for scoring touch

Give Brian Campbell credit for being honest when asked Saturday to assess his first 15 games with the Blackhawks.

"It's gone all right," Campbell said. "I don't think it's been anything crazy. There are going to be times when you're up and down a little bit. Right now I'm just trying to find a few more scoring chances. It can be frustrating, but I'm making headway to where I need to be."

Campbell has 2 goals and 7 assists but no points in the last three games. There were 22 defensemen with more points than Campbell going into Saturday's games.

"You want to be on top of your game, which isn't going to happen every night and all the time," Campbell said. "I think at times this season, I really thought I skated well and moved the puck. Other times, and even right now, I'm fighting it a little bit, but that happens and you just try to get out of those funks as quickly as possible."

Some might have expected crazy offensive numbers from Campbell after the 29-year-old defenseman signed the richest contract in franchise history as a free agent last July.

The Hawks gave Campbell an eight-year, $56.8 million contract - a deal that blew his old team, the San Jose Sharks, and the Atlanta Thrashers out of the water in their pursuit of him.

Campbell claims he hasn't felt the weight of his $7.1 million annual salary on his shoulders as the NHL's third-highest-paid defenseman behind only Boston's Zdeno Chara and Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom.

"Honestly, the first couple games it was kind of in your head, but after that, no, I haven't (thought of it)," Campbell said. "For me with the competitive nature that I have, it doesn't matter about the contract or anything. When things aren't going the way you want them to go it's frustrating whether you make a dollar or whatever you make."

Hawks coach Joel Quenneville sees Campbell as a key contributor to what the team is trying to do offensively.

"I think he's been fine, whether it's the power play or 5-on-5," Quenneville said. "Defensively, I think he's improving.

"He's contributing in a lot of ways and I just think that spark from the back end, be it off the rush or offensive zone cycles, is a great weapon for our team and really enhances our team speed."

Quenneville doesn't see Campbell needing to be a 70-point guy to fill his role.

"I don't put numbers to say this is where he needs to be," Quenneville said. "I just think if we get consistent getting our defense involved in the attack, that's what we're looking for. We'll get some offense off that and score goals, and I think Soupy will be a key guy leading that."

This will be Campbell's first time facing the Sharks since leaving there. He was in San Jose only two months following the trade from Buffalo at the deadline last February.

"They treated me great and this organization is the same," Campbell said. "I know I made the right choice for myself. I knew I was leaving a good team, but this team can be a good team as well. The guys have been great, the organization, the crowds, the fans, everything."

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