Jack Campbell reveals how addiction impacted his Edmonton Oilers tenure
Former Edmonton Oilers goaltender Jack Campbell is opening up about the struggles with alcohol addiction that followed him throughout his NHL career.
The 34-year-old last suited up professionally during the 2024-25 season with the Grand Rapids Griffins, the AHL affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings.
Campbell signed with Detroit after being bought out by the Oilers following the 2023-24 season. Before the 2024-25 campaign got underway, he checked into the NHL’s player assistance program. At the time, it was unclear what Campbell was dealing with.
The former goaltender, who has since transitioned into a career as an identity and performance coach, has recently become more open about what he was battling.
During an appearance on the Cam & Strick Podcast earlier this week, Campbell revealed that alcohol addiction was a major issue throughout his career.
He also believes it played a role in the Toronto Maple Leafs ultimately deciding not to re-sign him following the 2021-22 season.
Campbell said he would have given anything to remain in Toronto, where he had established himself as the team’s starting goaltender.
Looking back, however, he understands why then-general manager Kyle Dubas didn’t give him the long-term contract he was seeking.
“Looking back and being real about it, Kyle cares a lot about the people behind just how they’re performing on the ice,” Campbell said. “He really cared about me and saw me struggling off the ice, especially with the booze.”
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Campbell said Dubas tried to help him at the time, but he “just wasn’t ready.”
The contract Campbell ultimately received came from the Oilers, who signed him to a five-year, $25 million deal ahead of the 2022-23 season.
Things didn’t go according to plan in Edmonton.
Campbell struggled during his first season with the Oilers and was eventually sent to the AHL during his second campaign before being bought out. Despite how his time in Edmonton played out, Campbell isn’t placing the blame anywhere but himself.
“I’m grateful for Edmonton a lot,” Campbell said. “The things I get to have in my life now, I’m so grateful.
“It sucks that it went the way it did. I know what I’m capable of doing on the ice. However, it just wasn’t going to happen with the way I was living.”
Campbell acknowledged that he was capable of more during his NHL career, but his struggles away from the rink ultimately affected what he was able to do on it.
“My whole career was just a matter of when I felt good, I played good. When I decided not to feel good, I didn’t play good,” he said. “It sucks to look back on my career and be like, ‘Man, I did that to myself.'”
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Now retired from professional hockey, Campbell appears to be in a much different place as he looks back on his career and the struggles that accompanied it.
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