Edmonton Oilers fans will remember Jack Campbell’s time in Edmonton. What many will remember is that his run with the Oilers didn’t go exactly as planned. After failing to land Jacob Markstrom, GM Ken Holland offered Campbell a five-year, $25 million deal in 2022. Many thought it was a mistake solely because of the small sample size Campbell provided. As expected, he struggled to meet expectations.
The 2023-2024 season was especially tough. He went 1-4-0 with a 4.50 goals-against average. The team eventually sent him to the AHL before the Oilers bought out his contract on June 30, 2024. That freed him up to hit the open market and gave the team some room to figure out their goaltending situation.
Campbell’s play in Toronto fooled the Oilers
Campbell joined the Toronto Maple Leafs after a stint with the Los Angeles Kings. He started the 2020-2021 season with an 11-0-0 record. And in doing so, you set the NHL record for most wins to start a season.
During the 2021-2022 season with the Maple Leafs, Campbell played 49 games, compiling a 31-9-6 record with a 2.64 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage. By the time the Oilers signed him, they believed he would be a reliable goaltender.
But when he landed in Edmonton, things didn’t go quite as planned.
Tristan Jarry also has a strong resume with the Penguins
Feeling the team needed to make a change, the Oilers decided in December that Stuart Skinner wasn’t the right guy and traded for Tristan Jarry. He, like Campbell, brought in a strong resume. But he also had a reputation for being injury-prone. Most of this was recent, but it should have been a warning sign. Even in his short stint with the Oilers, Jarry hasn’t been completely injury free.
When you look at him, it’s hard not to think of Campbell in Edmonton. Campbell and Jarry are nearly identical in size: Campbell is 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, and Jarry is 6-foot-4 and 201 pounds. Both have a lot of talent, but can struggle if the team around them doesn’t suit their style. With Edmonton that’s a big problem. You’ve got Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl doing superstar stuff up front, but when the goalkeeper doesn’t click with the defensive system, it shows – and quickly.
That said, Jarry is a little different than Campbell. When he’s on, he can steal games. He just needs the right setup: minutes, support and trust from the coaching staff. If Edmonton gets that right, this could be a very different story than what happened with Campbell. If they don’t, we could see a repeat.
The bigger picture? Watching Jarry now you are reminded that goalkeepers are not just statistics: they have fit, style and mental toughness. Campbell had the tools, but struggled. Jarry has potential, but he is also struggling. What Edmonton doesn’t need is Jarry to unravel.
Next: Analyst surprised that Team Canada continues to pass on Zach Hyman
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