Oilers' Campbell getting help from former Stanley Cup winner: report
The Edmonton Oilers are enlisting the help of a former NHL goaltender to help veteran Jack Campbell find his game in the AHL.
Campbell has had a rollercoaster of a time since being waived by the Oilers earlier this month. The 31-year-old has played in five games with the Bakersfield Condors and has a dismal 1-4-0 record with a .873 save percentage. That one win, however, came in a 30-save shutout against the Henderson Silver Knights.
The Oilers are reportedly interested in bringing Campbell back to the NHL at some point this season, and they are not only relying on coaches within the organization to help get the Michigan native back up to NHL speed.
According to a report from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on the latest Saturday Headlines segment, Campbell asked the team if he could enlist the help of former NHL goalie Manny Legace.
“The Oilers granted Jack Campbell permission this week to bring Manny Legace with him for a few days to the American Hockey League,” reported Friedman.
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Legace, who most recently worked as the goaltender coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets, was among the coaches who worked with Campbell over the summer. During that time, the two reportedly developed a rapport with each other.
“Campbell enjoyed the bond and the relationship and wanted to work with Legace while he is working his way back to the NHL,” continued Friedman. “With all the rumours about trades the Oilers could make, I still do believe it’s their first choice to have Campbell re-join the team and improve his play.”
Considering the delicate state of the Oilers, it is a risky move to play the waiting game to see if Campbell can magically rediscover his game. It appears that whatever Campbell and Legace worked on over the summer did not work, as he opened up the NHL season with a 1-4-0 record and a .873 save percentage in five games before being sent to the AHL.
Legace played 365 games in the NHL in stints with the LA Kings, Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues, and Carolina Hurricanes. He won a Stanley Cup with the Red Wings in 2002.
The 50-year-old retired from professional hockey in 2012 and was hired by the Blue Jackets in 2018 as their goaltending coach. The Blue Jackets relieved Legace of his duties in April alongside then-head coach Brad Larsen.