Oilers' Campbell looks like an entirely different goalie early in camp

Jack Campbell provided the goaltender the Edmonton Oilers have been hoping to get from him in last night’s win over the Calgary Flames.

After signing a five-year, $25 million deal as a free agent last summer, Campbell struggled immensely in his first season with the Oilers. Expected to be their number one all year long, he instead posted a 3.41 goals against average (GAA) along with a .888 save percentage (SV%) in only 36 appearances.

Since returning to the Oilers this fall, Campbell has said on numerous occasions that he put in a ton of work this summer, particularly towards the mental side of the game. While it was only a preseason battle, it certainly looks like that work has paid off after watching last night’s performance.

The Oilers had no reason to be in last night’s game versus the Flames, as they iced very few regulars while the Flames had close to their full NHL roster in the lineup. Thanks to some outstanding play from Campbell, however, they were able to walk away with a rather shocking 2-1 overtime victory. The 31-year-old was able to kick away 34 of the 35 shots he faced, several of which were high-quality chances.

“Frankly, I was a little nervous,” Campbell admitted after the game. “I put a lot of work in this summer, and I wanted to do well. Just really excited to go out and have a good performance, and keep building on the things I’ve been working so hard on.”

As disappointing as Campbell’s play was last season, there is reason to believe he can turn things around. During the 2021-22 season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he was voted into the All-Star Game and ended the year with a solid 2.64 GAA and a .914 SV% in 49 appearances. Those numbers are similar to the career totals he has posted throughout his 171 games at the NHL level, and are why Ken Holland felt comfortable giving him the contract he did.

Joining a new team is never an easy thing, especially when there is the additional pressure of a big contract. Now that Campbell has had time to adjust to his new surroundings, he could be in store for a much better performance in 2023-24.

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