Carter James Camper (born July 6, 1988) is an
American professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
forward currently playing for
IK Oskarshamn
Ishockeyklubben Oskarshamn, commonly known as IK Oskarshamn, is an ice hockey club from Oskarshamn in Sweden. The team plays in the second-highest league, the HockeyAllsvenskan. The 2019–20 season was the team's first season in the top-tier l ...
of the
HockeyAllsvenskan
HockeyAllsvenskan (previously Allsvenskan and SuperAllsvenskan) is a professional ice hockey sports league, league, and the second-highest league in the Swedish ice hockey system, after the Swedish Hockey League, SHL. Since the 2009–10 season, t ...
. In 2010, after four seasons in the
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
, Camper signed with the
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...
of the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
(NHL). Since turning professional, he has played most of his professional career in the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
(AHL). In February 2014, Camper was traded to the
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. The Blue Jackets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern C ...
, and in July 2014, Camper joined the NHL
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. The Senators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Di ...
organization as a free agent. In July 2015, he signed as a free agent with the
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NH ...
.
Playing career
As a youth, Camper played in the 2002
Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament
The Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament () is an annual minor ice hockey event in Quebec City. The tournament was founded in 1960 to coincide with the Quebec Winter Carnival, and give an opportunity for international competition to p ...
with a
minor ice hockey
Minor ice hockey or minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body c ...
team from
Cleveland
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...
.
College
Camper played four seasons of Division I NCAA hockey with the
Miami RedHawks
The Miami RedHawks are the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Miami is a member of the Mid-American Conference ...
in the
Central Collegiate Hockey Association
The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) is a college athletic conference in the Midwestern United States that participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. The current CCHA began play in the 2021–22 season; a previ ...
.
He finished as the active career scoring leader in the United States.
In the 2010–11 season, he was third in the US in assists, third in points per game, and fourth in points.
In 156 career college games, he had 69 goals and 114 assists for 183 points.
He placed second on the school's all-time list for points and career assists, and tied for seventh in career goals.
Professional
On April 7, 2011, following his graduation, Camper was signed as an undrafted free agent by the
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...
.
He was then immediately assigned to the Bruins top AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins, where he made his professional debut the following night in a 5–4 win over the
Portland Pirates
The Portland Pirates were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). Their home arena was the Cross Insurance Arena in downtown Portland, Maine. The franchise was previously known as the Baltimore Skipjacks ...
.
On February 22, 2012, Camper made his NHL debut with the Bruins against the
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...
after being recalled from
Providence on February 20, 2012. He logged a total of 6:21 time on ice. On February 25, 2012, Camper scored his first career NHL goal against
Alex Auld of the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. The Senators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Di ...
in a 5-3 Boston win. It was assisted by Bruins defenseman
Adam McQuaid. This was also his first NHL point. On February 27, 2012, Camper was sent back down to Providence along with two others as the result of two trades the Bruins made, acquiring three players.
On February 7, 2014, Camper was traded by the Bruins to the
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. The Blue Jackets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern C ...
in exchange for
Blake Parlett and he joined the
Springfield Falcons
The Springfield Falcons were a ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) and played in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the MassMutual Center.
In 2016, the Falcons' franchise was purchased by the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Arizona Co ...
. Camper left the Blue Jackets organization as a free agent on July 2, 2014, when he signed a one-year
two-way contract
A two-way contract is a professional sports contract that stipulates that an athlete's salary is dependent upon the league in which the athlete is assigned to play. This is opposed to a one-way contract that would pay the same salary regardless o ...
with the Ottawa Senators.
On July 1, 2015, Camper signed a one-year, two-way contract with the
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NH ...
.
As a free agent for a second consecutive season, Camper signed a one-year, two-way deal with the
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The club w ...
on July 1, 2016. He spent the duration of the
2016–17 season with AHL affiliate, the
Albany Devils, compiling 29 assists for 35 points in 47 games.
Camper left the Devils as a free agent at the conclusion of his contract, signing a two-year AHL contract with hometown club, the
Cleveland Monsters
The Cleveland Monsters are a professional ice hockey team based in Cleveland. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Monsters play home games at Rocket Mortgage F ...
on July 21, 2017. In the
2017–18 season, Camper was leading the Monsters in scoring with 29 assists and 42 points in 53 games before he was traded to the Tucson Roadrunners, alongside an NHL transaction between parent affiliate's the Blue Jackets and the
Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...
on February 26, 2018. Camper found instant success with the Roadrunners, averaging at more than a point-per-game pace to play out the campaign.
On June 25, 2018, the Roadrunners traded Camper to the
Grand Rapids Griffins
The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional ice hockey team based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They compete in the American Hockey League (AHL), playing their home games at Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of t ...
in exchange for future considerations. On July 2, 2019, Camper agreed to continue his journeyman AHL career in signing a one-year contract with the
Utica Comets
The Utica Comets are a professional ice hockey team based in Utica, New York. They are members of the North Division in the Eastern Conference of the American Hockey League (AHL) and affiliated with the National Hockey League's (NHL) New Jersey D ...
, affiliate to the
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. The Canucks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conferenc ...
.
After spending nine professional seasons in the AHL, Camper halted his North American career in accepting a two-year contract as a free agent with Swedish club,
Leksands IF
Leksands Idrottsförening is a Swedish professional ice hockey team from the town of Leksand in the region of Dalarna. The team plays in the top-tier league, Swedish Hockey League (SHL), after succeeding through the 2019 SHL qualifiers and thus ...
of the
Swedish Hockey League
The Swedish Hockey League (SHL; ) is a professional ice hockey league in Sweden and the highest level of the ice hockey in Sweden, Swedish ice hockey system. The league currently consists of 14 teams. The league was founded in 1975, and while Li ...
(SHL) on August 7, 2020.
In his third season with Leksands in
2022–23, Camper contributed with 13 goals and 27 points in 41 games before leaving the club to join Swiss team, EV Zug of the NL, for the remainder of the campaign on February 8, 2023.
Personal life
Camper, who was born in
Rocky River, Ohio
Rocky River is a city in western Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. A suburb of Cleveland, it is located along the shore of Lake Erie approximately west of downtown Cleveland. The city is named for the Rocky River (Ohio), Rocky River that for ...
, is Jewish
and is the middle son of Rick and Heidi Camper.
His older brother Ben played college hockey at
Colgate University
Colgate University is a Private university, private college in Hamilton, New York, United States. The Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college was founded in 1819 as the Baptist Education Society of the State of New York ...
before turning professional with the
Tulsa Oilers
The Tulsa Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and play in the ECHL. The Oilers played their home games at the Tulsa Convention Center until 2008 when they moved into the new BOK Center. For many years, the Tulsa ...
of the
Central Hockey League
The Central Hockey League (CHL) was a North American mid-level minor professional ice hockey league which operated from 1992 until 2014. It was founded by Ray Miron and Bill Levins and later sold to Global Entertainment Corporation, which opera ...
in 2008–09, and his brother Jay played junior hockey for the
Alpena (Mich.) Ice Diggers of the
North American Hockey League
The North American Hockey League (NAHL) is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is in its 50th season of operation in 2024–25. It is the only Tier II junior league sanctioned by USA Hockey, and acts as an alternati ...
, the
Lincoln Stars and
Chicago Steel
The Chicago Steel are an ice hockey team that plays in the United States Hockey League since 2000. The Steel have played their home games at Fox Valley Ice Arena in Geneva, Illinois since 2015; previously, the team played at Edge Ice Arena in ...
of the
United States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League (USHL) is the top junior ice hockey league sanctioned by USA Hockey. The league consists of 16 active teams located in the Midwestern United States and Great Plains, for players between the ages of 16 and 21. Th ...
, and now plays for the
University of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire (UNH) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Durham, New Hampshire, United States. It was founded and incorporated in 1866 as a land grant coll ...
. The Camper boys are part of a few families from Northeast Ohio who had multiple children play college and professional hockey.
Carter attended
Rocky River High School in Ohio.
Carter married Erika Fisher on August 25, 2012.
Career statistics
Awards and honors
See also
*
List of select Jewish ice hockey players
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Camper, Carter
1988 births
Living people
AHCA Division I men's ice hockey All-Americans
Albany Devils players
American men's ice hockey right wingers
Binghamton Senators players
Boston Bruins players
Cleveland Monsters players
Grand Rapids Griffins players
Hershey Bears players
Ice hockey people from Cleveland
Jewish American sportspeople
Leksands IF players
Lincoln Stars players
Miami RedHawks men's ice hockey players
People from Rocky River, Ohio
Sportspeople from Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Providence Bruins players
Rocky River High School (Ohio) alumni
Springfield Falcons players
Tucson Roadrunners players
Undrafted National Hockey League players
USA Hockey National Team Development Program players
Utica Comets players
EV Zug players
21st-century American Jews
Jews from Ohio