August 22, 2022 by Eric Friesen

General Manager Ken Holland made arguably his most important move of the off-season, when he signed UFA goalie Jack Campbell to a five-year contract worth $25 million with the Edmonton Oilers on July 13.

Campbell joins the Oilers following a career-year with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2021-22, where he posted an excellent 31-9-6 record with a 2.64 goals against average, a .914 save percentage and five shutouts in 49 games. He was recognized for his strong play by being selected to Team Atlantic in the 2022 NHL All-Star Game in Las Vegas.

Selected 11th overall by the Dallas Stars in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Campbell was touted as a future superstar goalie. However, it took eight long years and a trade to the Los Angeles Kings for Campbell to even get an extended look at the NHL level. And it wasn’t until last season that he became an undisputed starter in the league.

It’s been a long journey to get to this point, but Campbell is thrilled to be joining the Oilers and help them push towards their ultimate goal this coming season.

“I’m just fired up,” said Campbell in an interview on Oilers TV on July 13. “Watching the team in the playoffs with the group they have, and seeing [Evander Kane] and [Brett Kulak] sign today, it’s an exciting day. I just can’t wait to be a part of this group and work hard for their goal of winning a Stanley Cup. They have an amazing fan base. I’ve played games [in Edmonton an as opponent], but I can’t wait to be wearing the blue and orange, and playing with this group.”

After three strong regular seasons in a row and a trip to the 2022 Western Conference Final, the Oilers are now legitimate Stanley Cup contenders. However, inconsistent goaltending has been a serious concern for the Oilers for several years, especially in the playoffs. Enter Campbell.

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Since 2018-19, Campbell has a 2.51 goals against average and a .916 save percentage, which rank 10th and tied for 11th in the NHL, respectively, among goalies with at least 50 games played during that span. That level of goaltending on a team with as much firepower as the Oilers should lead to many wins this winter, and more importantly, next spring. The incredible talent on this club was among the main reasons Campbell chose to sign with Edmonton.

“Everybody in the hockey world knows what they bring,” said Campbell at the Zach Hyman Celebrity Golf Classic in Toronto on July 25. “[Connor McDavid], [Leon Draisaitl], Evander coming back, [Zach Hyman], [Ryan Nugent-Hopkins], so many guys. The offence is there, and all the pieces seem to be right there. And I just can’t wait to join the group and do the best I can to help this team win a Stanley Cup.”

Though he’s coming to a new team, there will be some familiar faces in the Oilers dressing room at training camp. Hyman, who played with Campbell for parts of two seasons with the Maple Leafs in 2019-20 and 2020-21, spoke about how great of a goalie and a human being the Oilers organization is getting in their new netminder.

“[Jack] is just a great person, first and foremost,” said Hyman at his golf tournament in Toronto on July 25. “And then as a goaltender, he’s somebody who tries to push the envelope, and push his abilities as far as he can, just with his work ethic. And I think that will fit really seamlessly into the group that we have [in Edmonton]. Just extremely talented and competitive and just a great addition for us.”

The 30-year-old Port Huron, Michigan native has faced plenty of adversity during his professional hockey career, but the lessons learned have surely prepared him for the biggest opportunity of his life in Edmonton. Campbell needs to give the Oilers at least 50 starts a season, possibly 60, over the next few years. The Oilers are in their Stanley Cup window, and the organization has every reason to have faith in Campbell’s ability to backstop them to a championship.

Sure, he’s never won a playoff series. But his regular season statistics mirror his playoff numbers, and he allowed two or fewer goals in three of seven games against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning in the opening round of the playoffs last year.

In three seasons with Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen between the pipes, the Oilers’ goalies could deliver spectacular performances, or dismal ones on any given night. And when one guy was playing the great, the other would falter, which isn’t ideal in a tandem goalie system.

Campbell might not make as many amazing saves as Smith next season, but he should be a more reliable goaltender overall. He’s also a full decade younger than Smith, and has plenty of tread on the tires after handling backup duty for most of his NHL career. And after playing in another hockey-mad city like Toronto, Campbell will be prepared for the pressure that comes with playing in Edmonton.

While some hockey observers might view signing a goalie with just 135 games of NHL experience as a risky bet, it’s one the Oilers had to make. Campbell was one of the top two free agent goalies this off-season and the Oilers couldn’t afford to go into another season without a clear upgrade a goal. So, they went out and got one.

The Oilers scored 290 goals last season. They will likely score more than 300 goals in a season for the first time 1989-90, if their top offensive players stay healthy, in 2022-23. This is a team that can outscore a lot of their problems. The Oilers don’t need all-world goaltending to win games, they need consistently solid goaltending. And Campbell’s career numbers suggest he can provide that.