Former Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell dealt with some personal off-ice issues throughout his NHL career. He opened up about what he went through and what that was like while in Toronto.
Former Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell opened up about some of the struggles he endured behind the scenes in his NHL career, specifically during his time with Toronto.
As a guest on the Cam and Strick podcast, Campbell was asked to provide details about his time with the Maple Leafs. More specifically, he was asked why he didn't re-sign with the team in the 2022 off-season.
"I would've given everything to stay in Toronto," Campbell said on the podcast. "I loved it, the boys, my connection with them. But they didn't offer the deal I felt I deserved and played at."
Instead of remaining with the Maple Leafs, Campbell signed a five-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers at $5 million per season. That was around the price starting goaltenders would earn at that time, and by far the biggest contract Campbell signed in his career.
That agreement didn't pan out, and Campbell wasn't the same goalie he once was with Toronto, posting a .886 save percentage in 41 appearances for the Oilers between the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. Those numbers came after he registered a .914 SP in 49 games with the Leafs in 2021-22.
Though he was performing at a high level for Toronto, he began struggling off the ice toward the end of his Leafs tenure. Kyle Dubas, the Maple Leafs' GM at the time, really cared for him and wanted to help him get better, Campbell revealed.
"However, looking back and being real about it, Kyle cares a lot about the people behind how they're performing on the ice," Campbell recalled. "And so, he really cared about me and saw me struggling off the ice, especially with the booze, tried to help me and I just wasn't ready. Therefore, looking back, it was totally clear why they probably wouldn't sign me to that same deal."
Campbell added that his problems with alcohol while representing the Maple Leafs weren't related to depression. In fact, he couldn't stop reminiscing about the good times that came with playing in Toronto, in his experience.
"I was really comfortable there with my teammates, so it wasn't a depressed state, I was just having fun, but it was a lot," he admitted. "But it was amazing, the fans and everything. They love saying hello, telling you how great you are.
"Even when things weren't good, I was talking to myself way worse than they were ever talking to me. So that part didn't affect me that much."
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