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What will goaltender Jack Campbell's next contract look like?

The Leafs netminder is slated to become a UFA this summer.

Michael W.

Goaltender Jack Campbell is the main man in the crease right now for the Toronto Maple Leafs, as Petr Mrazek is currently on the shelf nursing a groin injury suffered during the team's second game of the year against the Ottawa Senators. 

Campbell, who is looking to build upon his stellar 17-3-2 record last season that saw him record a 2.15 goals against average and a .921 save percentage, also happens to be an eligible free-agent at season's end. The two-year contract with an AAV of $1.65 million expires in the summer, and he could command a hefty raise should his numbers continue to be strong. 

During training camp in September, Campbell said that he and the team have yet to enter in discussions as to the possibility of a new deal, something that likely won't sit well with fans. But to play devil's advocate, what could a new deal for Campbell look like? 

An immediate comparison that fans will look at is Los Angeles Kings goaltender Cal Petersen, who was recently re-signed by the team to a three-year pact that carries a cap hit of $5 million, despite his less than massive sample size. In fact, NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman directly referenced Petersen's new deal out west in his latest edition of "32 Thoughts": 

"Morgan Rielly’s free agency gets the attention in Toronto, but it won’t be long before attention swings to Jack Campbell. Cal Petersen’s three-year, $15M extension in Los Angeles raises the bar if Campbell continues to carry the load."

General manager Kyle Dubas will have up until July 1 to work out an agreement for Campbell should he and the Leafs brass decide they want the relationship to continue. And so far, Campbell is picking right up where he left off last season. In three games played so far in the new campaign, he's amassed a record of 2-0-1 with a 1.18 goals against average, good for 5th overall in the NHL. Meanwhile, his .953 save percentage is tied for 6th overall. 

There's no reason to believe that Campbell doesn't want to stick around in the location that's given his NHL career new life - it's just a matter of coming to an agreement that works for both sides. 

Source: Sportsnet