Ex-Oilers goalie Jack Campbell takes indefinite leave from hockey
Former Edmonton Oilers goalie Jack Campbell is taking a bit of an absence from the NHL.
Campbell, who spent the past two seasons with the Oilers, checked into the league’s player assistance program, a step available to players who are prioritizing their mental health.
“The National Hockey League Players’ Association and National Hockey League announced today that goaltender Jack Campbell of the Detroit Red Wings will be unavailable to his Club for an indefinite period while he receives care from the player assistance program of the NHL and NHLPA,” the league wrote in a statement today. “Under the terms of the joint program, he will return to the Club when cleared for on-ice competition by the program administrators.”
The NHLPA states on their website that the program offers help for “anything from alcohol or drug abuse to mental health issues, sleeping problems or a gambling addiction.”
Campbell was bought out by the Oilers in June, two years into his five-year contract. Though he initially signed a deal worth $25 million throughout the contract, he was never quite able to live up to the expectations placed on him as the team’s starting goalie when the contract was signed.
He played just five games with the Oilers in the 2023-24 campaign, while also suiting up for 33 AHL games with the Bakersfield Condors. He did not feature at all in the Oilers’ run to the Stanley Cup Final last season, playing just 41 total NHL games over two years during his time in Edmonton.
Campbell then signed a one-year deal with the Red Wings worth $775,000, which he will continue to be paid while in the program.
Prior to his time in Edmonton, Campbell had also spent time with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings, and Dallas Stars organizations.
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