Craig Cameron

Craig Cameron (born July 19, 1945 in Edmonton, Alberta) is a retired professional ice hockey forward who played 552 games in the National Hockey League. He played for the Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues, Minnesota North Stars, and New York Islanders.

Cameron won the Memorial Cup with the Edmonton Oil Kings in 1966, but that didn't stand him in good stead when he tried out for the NHL. He played just one game with the Detroit Red Wings the following year and then was traded to the St. Louis Blues at the start of the 1967-68. With the Blues, he established himself as a reliable, fourth-line checker.

His time in St. Louis was divided into two. First, he played 1967-69 with the team. Then, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, claimed by the Los Angeles Kings, claimed by the Buffalo Sabres, and traded back to the Blues in the space of a year (1970-71). After a second stint of a year, he was claimed by the Minnesota North Stars and then by the New York Islanders. It was on Long Island that his career took an upturn.

He started off as a fourth-line player, but when his checking linemates (Brian Lavender and Terry Crisp) were both traded, Cameron started to play more offensively. He had a career-high 19 in his first season (1972-73) with the Isles, but the production was short-lived. The drought set in, but fortunately he could fall back on his defensive abilities.

As it was, New York traded him back to the North Stars for Jude Drouin, and he retired after a year in the minors in 1977.