Former Oilers goaltender Jack Campbell was, at varying points of his career, the potential savior for three different NHL franchises. Now, the nine-year veteran appears to be putting the NHL and professional hockey in his rear-view mirror. Jack Campbell’s retirement is a reminder of the multitudes contained by the enigmatic netminder. He struggled, he overcame mental health issues and his resilience was ultimately rewarded.
Campbell announced his new career as a coach for Novus Global, a leadership coaching firm. Former Stanley Cup champion winger Andrew Ladd is also a part of the company, according to its website.
Jack Campbell finishes his nine-year NHL career with a record of 93-52-18, a .909 save percentage and a 2.76 goals-against average (GAA). He played parts of nine seasons in the NHL with Dallas, Los Angeles, Toronto and Edmonton. Campbell wrote about his exit from professional hockey on Instagram.
“Walking away from hockey wasn’t easy. It gave me more than I could have ever imagined. But over the last few years, I realized the work that brought me the most fulfillment wasn’t stopping pucks—it was helping people become who they’re capable of becoming.”
Jack Campbell’s Early Career was an Odyssey
Campbell was a standout player in the USHL and with the U.S. Men’s National Team Development Program. Between USNTDP Juniors and the U18 team, Campbell was 28-15-2 in his draft year with a GAA of 2.21.
The Dallas Stars selected Campbell with the 11th overall selection of the 2010 NHL Draft. The American-born netminder never amounted to what the Dallas Stars hoped from that type of early investment in a goaltender in the NHL Draft.
He was just okay during his two seasons in the Ontario Hockey League, split between the Windsor Spitfires and Soo Greyhounds. Campbell’s progress in the AHL was solid but never spectacular. It was during this period that Campbell was struggling with mental health issues, which he later explained. It’s a reminder that hockey isn’t everything, which Campbell proved repeatedly by being honest about his battles.
He ultimately only appeared in one game for the Dallas Stars before they traded him to the Los Angeles Kings in return for fringe defenseman Nick Ebert.
An American Temporarily Solves Toronto’s Goaltending Problems
Campbell developed into a capable NHL backup playing behind Jonathan Quick in Los Angeles. He went 49-20-24 with a .918 save percentage and a 2.51 GAA in four seasons in Los Angeles. The Kings traded Campbell and forward Kyle Clifford to Toronto for Trevor Moore and two third-round draft picks in February 2020.
Jack Campbell emerged as a viable starter during the 56-game 2020-21 season, reduced because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Campbell only started three of the first 31 games. He then started 19 of the final 25 games for Toronto. The Leafs went 14-3-2 in those games while Campbell had a .917 save percentage. It seemed like Campbell had finally found the form that made him a top pick in Dallas a decade earlier.
Warning Signs Begin to Emerge in Campbell’s Play
He started all seven games in Toronto’s shocking collapse against Montreal in the first round of the playoffs. His numbers included a .934 save percentage and a playoff-best 1.81 GAA. The scoring dried up for the Leafs, who scored only six goals in games five, six and seven combined. They lost all three of those games, blowing a 3-1 series lead in the process. Campbell wasn’t without blame, as he allowed 10 goals in those three games compared to just four in the first four games. Still, he had proven to be a capable NHL goaltender on track to become a starter.
That next season, Campbell underwent several difficult stretches, including a 17-game stretch where he labored to just an .882 save percentage between January 1, 2022, and March 8, 2022. When Campbell returned to action in April, he finished with a 7-0-2 record and a .915 save percentage. Campbell earned the starting nod for the Leafs going into a first-round series with Tampa Bay. Ultimately, that series spanned seven games. Campbell had his ups and downs. The Lightning ultimately won Game 6 and Game 7, eliminating Toronto. That was the last game for Campbell in a Maple Leafs uniform.
Edmonton Buys High on Jack Campbell
The Edmonton Oilers bought high on Jack Campbell. After his two-year stretch with Toronto, Campbell hit free agency during the NHL’s flat-cap era. The Leafs, strained by large contracts signed before COVID-19, could not afford to get into a bidding war with Edmonton. There is some evidence that the Leafs wouldn’t have been interested in that bidding war in the first place, considering Campbell’s several concerning stretches during the previous season.
The Oilers’ regrets were almost instantaneous. Campbell’s first 16 games in Edmonton were a mess, going 8-7-1 with an .876 save percentage. He finished with a nightmarish minus-18.28 goals saved above expected, per Puck Pedia. He was better in the playoffs, stopping 49 of 51 (.961 save percentage) shots in one start and three relief appearances for Edmonton.
Campbell labored through five more appearances in 2023-24. He was solid for AHL Bakersfield, going 18-13-1 with a .918 save percentage and 2.63 GAA. The Oilers bought out the remaining three years on his contract in the summer of 2024.
Edmonton’s Cap Charge Remains After Jack Campbell’s Retirement
The Oilers still owe Campbell $4.5 million across the next three seasons ($1.5 million annually) due to the buyout stipulations.
Campbell finished his career on a veteran minimum one-year contract in Detroit, playing 14 games for AHL Grand Rapids in 2024-25. He never appeared for the Red Wings in an NHL game. He entered the NHL/NHLPA assistance program in Oct. 2024.
Jack Campbell’s retirement is a reminder that hockey is fickle. You can be down, up and down again in the blink of an eye. It’s also a reminder that hockey isn’t everything, which Campbell proved repeatedly through his own resilience.
Once a Potential Savior, Former Oilers Goaltender Walks Away