Former Grand Rapids Griffins forward Colin Campbell finds himself amid a hockey controversy, and all he did was sign his name to a new contract.

Campbell, 34, recently signed a contract with Storhamar of the Norwegian League. However, it’s the team they signed him from – Kunlun Red Star of Russia’s KHL – that is the cause of the turmoil.

There has been a sort of unwritten gentleman’s agreement in some European leagues that clubs wouldn’t sign players who had signed with the KHL following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

This is news to Stein Onsrud, who serves as chairman of the board for Storhamar.

“We believe it is not our job to boycott players who have not done anything illegal,” Stormahamar told Norwegian TV network TV2.

As recently as 2023, the previous board of Storhamar vetoed an attempt by the team to sign KHL player Kodie Curran.

The club’s board has since changed hands, and evidently, changed its opinion on such matters.

https://t.co/AmJFl81KZT#AHL • 2017•JUN•09
Colin Campbell • Griffins
🆚 #grandrapidsgriffins #syracusecrunch
Matt Taormina • Crunch#HFonthisday pic.twitter.com/6ObuLMx6S1

— HockeyFights.com (@hockeyfights) June 9, 2023

“We have made different assessments than the previous board,” Onsrud said. “We believe that it is not our task to boycott players who have not done anything illegal. And we follow the guidelines that the NIF and NIHF have given.

“We have not changed our values, but it is the case that people in the club can have different opinions about how far the club should go in such matters.”

That’s not how some of Storhamar’s Norwegian League rivals are viewing the situation.

“It’s about what signals you send out,” said Vidar Wold, sports director of Frisk Asker. “If you want to stand for good values, this decision is not at the top of the list.”

Campbell Won Calder Cup With Griffins

Campbell signed with the Detroit Red Wings as an undrafted college free agent on March 17, 2014. He spent four years playing NCAA hockey at Lake Superior State.

Colin Campbell makes it 4-1. Griffins on the verge of sweeping the Admirals. pic.twitter.com/bqkRHc5WQC

— Kyle (@KyleWIIM) April 27, 2016

Right-winger Campbell spent six seasons with the AHL Griffins, winning the Calder Cup title in 2016-17. He played 319 games in Grand Rapids, accounting for 50 goals and 58 assists.

He’s played in Europe since 2020. Campbell spent the past three seasons in the KHL with Kunlun Red Star. There, his teammates included former Red Wings Ryan Sproul, Jake Chelios, Tomas Jurco, Teemu Pulkkinen, and Gemel Smith.