Dave Cameron (ice hockey)

Canadian ice hockey player

David William Cameron (born July 29, 1958) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former professional player. He is currently the head coach of the Ottawa 67's of the Ontario Hockey League. He was previously the head coach of the Vienna Capitals of the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga (EBEL) and the head coach of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL) from December 2014 until the conclusion of the 2015–16 season. He also played in the NHL as a forward with the Colorado Rockies and New Jersey Devils between 1981 and 1984. Cameron has been involved in coaching in ice hockey since the mid 1990s. From 1995 to 1997, he was head coach of the Detroit Falcons/Port Huron Border Cats franchise in the Colonial Hockey League. He then joined the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) as head coach of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds from 1997 to 1999, followed by being head coach of the Toronto St. Michael's Majors from 2000 to 2004. Cameron joined the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2004 when he became head coach of the Binghamton Senators until 2007, when he returned to the OHL as head coach of the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors until 2011. He then joined the NHL's Ottawa Senators as an assistant coach when Paul MacLean became the team's new head coach, and remained in that position until becoming head coach himself in December 2014. Cameron has also coached in the international setting, including leading the Canada men's national under 18 ice hockey team to gold at the 2004 U 18 Junior World Cup.

Cameron played university hockey with the University of Prince Edward Island from 1976 to 1979, during which he recorded 27 goals and 62 assists (89 points) in 49 games with the Panthers ice hockey team. He was drafted by the New York Islanders in the eighth round of the 1978 NHL Entry Draft. After completing his university career, Cameron split the 1979–80 season between the Fort Wayne Komets of the International Hockey League and the Indianapolis Checkers of the Central Hockey League (CHL). In six games with the Komets, Cameron had three goals and six assists (nine points), and in 70 games with the Checkers, Cameron had 15 goals and 21 assists (36 points). In the playoffs, he had no points in seven games with Indianapolis. Cameron returned to the Checkers for the 1980–81 season, where he had a breakout season, scoring 40 goals and 30 assists (70 points) in 78 games, along with 156 penalty minutes. In five playoff games, Cameron had two goals and three assists. On October 1, 1981, the Islanders traded Cameron and Bob Lorimer to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for the Rockies' first round draft pick in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft, which the Islanders used to select future Hockey Hall of Famer Pat LaFontaine. Cameron spent the 1981–82 season with the Rockies, save for two games with the Fort Worth Texans of the CHL. With Colorado, Cameron recorded 11 goals and 12 assists (23 points) in 66 games as the club failed to qualify for the 1982 Stanley Cup playoffs. During the subsequent off season, the Rockies franchise was relocated to East Rutherford, New Jersey, to become the New Jersey Devils. Cameron struggled in his second NHL season, as appeared in 35 games with the New Jersey Devils in 1982–83, scoring five goals and four assists (nine points). Cameron also spent time with the Wichita Wind of the CHL, scoring 6 goals and 9 assists (15 points) in 25 games. Cameron spent the entire 1983–84 season with the Devils, scoring 9 goals and 12 assists (21 points) in a career high 67 games. Cameron split the 1984–85 season with the Maine Mariners and the Moncton Golden Flames of the American Hockey League (AHL), where he had 8 goals and 17 assists (25 points) in 49 games. After the season, he went back home and played with the Charlottetown Islanders and Fredericton Alpines of the NBSHL. During the 1994–95 season, Cameron made a one game appearance with the Saint John Flames of the AHL.

In 1995, Cameron was named as the head coach of the Detroit Falcons of the Colonial Hockey League. Cameron became the Senators' head coach in December 2014 after former general manager (GM) Bryan Murray announced MacLean's firing on 8 December, making Cameron the fifth head coach of the team since June 2007. With a strong performance by rookie goaltender Andrew Hammond and forward Mark Stone, the Senators would win 23 of their final 31 games of the regular season, allowing the Senators to qualify for the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Senators would lose in the first round to the Montreal Canadiens in six games. Cameron remained as head coach of the Senators for the 2015–16 season. However, the Senators would finish the season eight points out of a wild card spot to miss the 2016 playoffs. On March 22, 2016, Senators owner Eugene Melnyk expressed his disappointment with the team, including Cameron's decision to have backup goaltender Matt O'Connor start the first home game against Montreal, which Ottawa lost. On April 10, 2016, Murray announced that he was resigning as GM and that assistant GM Pierre Dorion would be replacing him. Two days later, Cameron was fired, along with assistant coaches André Tourigny and Rick Wamsley; assistant coach Jason Smith was offered another role in the organization. Cameron finished with a record of 70–50–17 with the Senators.

On July 6, 2016, Cameron was hired by the Calgary Flames to be an assistant coach on Glen Gulutzan's staff. Cameron was fired on April 17, 2018, when Gulutzan was fired.

In May 2018, Cameron became the head coach of Vienna Capitals of the Austrian Erste Bank Eishockey Liga. He replaced Serge Aubin, who became head coach of Swiss club ZSC Lions.

Cameron was an assistant coach for the Canada men's national under 18 ice hockey team for the 2003 U 18 Junior World Cup held in Slovenia, in which Canada finished fourth. Cameron returned as head coach of the team for the 2004 U 18 Junior World Cup (also held in Slovenia), leading Canada to the gold medal. Cameron was the head coach for Canada's men's national junior ice hockey team during the 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Buffalo, New York, where the team earned the silver medal after losing 5–3 to Russia in the tournament finals. Cameron was an assistant coach for Canada's men's national ice hockey team at the 2016 IIHF World Championship in Russia, with Bill Peters being the team's head coach. On July 21, 2021 he was named the head coach for Team Canada for the 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, replacing André Tourigny.

Cameron was born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and grew up in Kinkora, Prince Edward Island. After his playing career was over, Cameron returned to university to finish his business degree. He went into business with the Bank of Nova Scotia before becoming a guidance counsellor. Cameron and his wife Kelly live in Okotoks. He also has two boys, Connor and Ben.

Team Year Regular season Post season G W L OTL Pts Finish W L Win % Result OTT 2014–15 55 32 15 8 (99) 4th in Atlantic 2 4 .333 Lost in first round (MTL) OTT 2015–16 82 38 35 9 85 5th in Atlantic — — — Did not qualify Total 137 70 50 17 — 2 4 .333 1 playoff appearance

Team Year Regular Season Post Season G W L T OTL Pts Finish ResultSSM1997–986620397 475th in WesternMissed PlayoffsSSM1998–996831298 704th in WestLost in conference quarter finals (1 4 vs. OS)TOR2000–0168352382802nd in CentralWon in conference quarter finals (4 3 vs. PBO) Won in conference semi finals (4 3 vs. SBY) Lost in conference finals (0 4 vs. OTT)TOR2001–0268401981891st in CentralWon in conference quarter finals (4 0 vs. NB) Won in conference semi finals (4 3 vs. OTT) Lost in conference finals (0 4 vs. BAR)TOR2002–0368322475762nd in CentralWon in conference quarter finals (4 3 vs. BEL) Won in conference semi finals (4 1 vs. BRA) Lost in conference finals (3 4 vs. OTT)TOR2003–0468382172851st in CentralWon in conference quarter finals (4 3 vs. SBY) Won in conference semi finals (4 1 vs. BRA) Lost in conference finals (2 4 vs. MIS)MIS2007–08683132 5673rd in CentralLost in conference quarter finals (0 4 vs. NIA)MIS2008–09683926 3812nd in CentralWon in conference quarter finals (4 1 vs. BAR) Lost in conference semi finals (2 4 vs. BRA)MIS2009–10684220 6902nd in CentralWon in conference quarter finals (4 0 vs. PBO) Won in conference semi finals (4 3 vs. OTT) Lost in conference finals (1 4 vs. BAR)MIS2010–11685313 21081st in CentralWon in conference quarter finals (4 0 vs. BAR) Won in conference semi finals (4 0 vs. SBY) Won in conference finals (4 1 vs. NIA) Lost in J. Ross Robertson Cup finals (3 4 vs. OS) Finished second in round robin at Memorial Cup (2 1) Won Memorial Cup semi finals (3 1 vs. KOO) Lost Memorial Cup finals (1 3 vs. SJ)OTT2021–22682831 9654th in EastLost in OHL quarter finals, (0 4 vs. NB)OTT2022–23685112 51071st in EastWon in conference quarter finals (4 1 vs. OSH) Lost in conference semi finals (2 4 vs. PBO)OTT2023–24683624 8806th in EastWon in conference quarter finals (4 2 vs. BFD) Lost in conference semi finals (0 4 vs. OSH)Total 882476313454820124 Division Titles 0 J. Ross Robertson Cups (78 73, 0.517) 0 Memorial Cups (3 2, 0.600)

Team Year Regular Season Post Season G W L T OTL Pts Finish ResultBNG2004–05804721 121061st in EastLost in division semi finals (2 4 vs. WBS)BNG2005–06803537 8785th in EastMissed PlayoffsBNG2006–07802348 9557th in EastMissed PlayoffsTotal 240105106 292391 Division Title 0 Calder Cups (2 4, 0.333)

Team Year Regular Season Post Season G W L T OTL Pts Finish ResultDET1995–96743332 9753rd in EastWon in CoHL quarter finals (4 1 vs. MUS) Lost in CoHL semi finals (1 4 vs. FLI)PHB1996–97743831 5813rd in EastLost in CoHL quarter finals (2 3 vs. BFD)Total 1487163 141560 Division Titles 0 Colonial Cups (7 8, 0.467)