There's just not any going around it - goaltender Jack Campbell is in a serious funk right now.
He was sent to the minors after a rough start with the Edmonton Oilers, further bringing into question the hefty five year, $25 million deal that he was given by Oilers general manager Ken Holland in 2022 after a mostly successful tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
And since being sent down to the Bakersfield Condors, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Oilers, he hasn't posted impressive numbers. Currently, he sports a pedestrian 4-6-0 record with a 3.46 goals against average and .888 save percentage.
And now, he's reached a new unfortunate low, losing his starting position to prospect Olivier Rodrigue.
The news was essentially confirmed by NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman during an appearance on Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer.
Friedman: “One of the things I’m hearing out in Bakersfield, Jack Campbell might not be the starter there, if he hasn’t lost the job already. Olivier Rodrigue has got to play, so this plan that the Oilers had, that this would be a short trip down for Campbell, it’s going in the other direction. I think it becomes now, how comfortable are you with Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard? And if not, where are you going?”
Satuffer: “Jason Gregor wrote a piece earlier this week and said Ken Holland has until February 6 to get another goalie. At this stage of the game, it doesn’t appear that it’s going to be Campbell.”
It's truly a shame that Campbell is going through this, as he seems to be one of the genuinely good guys in the sports and has always been a popular member in the locker room amongst his teammates.
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