When Jack Campbell was assigned to the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League (AHL), the prevailing expectation was that he would use the time to return to the high level he had before joining the Edmonton Oilers. While we could spend all day going over everything that went wrong with the Oilers to begin the season, goaltending was a major issue.
Poor goaltending is thought to be the root cause of coaches losing their jobs. Well, Jack Campbell certainly played a role in that as he went 1-4-0 with a 4.50 GAA and.873 SV% to start the season. Ken Holland has an even worse appearance yet has escaped punishment. He signed Campbell to a five-year, $5 million AAV contract after he posted a 3.41 GAA and.888 SV% last season. That brings his career as an Oiler, which is almost certainly over, to a 3.53 GAA and.886 SV%.
Because of his performance in the AHL, I believe his career as an Oiler is done. It’s even worse than it was in the NHL, and the Condors were doing well before Campbell was demoted. They are 0-3 with him in net, and he has given up 13 goals on 72 shots for a.819 save percentage. Campbell, can things get any worse? No, I don’t believe so. The best option is to either get rid of him or sit him and allow Olivier Rodrigue to play. So, as the Oilers’ alternatives for Campbell decrease, these are the final two options for the veteran goalkeeper.
Oilers Somehow Dump Campbell’s Contract
We’ve seen crazier things happen than dropping this lousy of a contract, and we’ve seen worse contracts abandoned. Although this is a difficult proposition to execute, it remains an option for the Oilers. To make dumping the contract worthwhile, whichever team the Oilers settle with must bear the majority or all of the financial risk. Otherwise, buying out Campbell makes more sense.
Despite their slow start to the season, the Oilers showed signs of improvement. They have finally begun to break through, winning two games in a row. The season is still young, and the Oilers are expected to be buyers this season due to their limited (best) Stanley Cup window. The Oilers don’t have any cap space to work with unless someone with a greater cap hit suffers a more significant injury. Campbell is the most obvious player who must leave to make place, but it will not be simple.
After this season, Campbell has three years remaining on his contract at a $5 million annual average value (AAV). While he’s in the minors, his cap hit is $3.85 million.
If this trend continues, the Oilers may be able to limit their payment to a first-round pick and a bit more to transfer him. In San Jose, there is a goaltender on a nice contract who is bouncing back and would make a lot of sense to acquire. Mackenzie Blackwood’s contract is only $2.35 million through next season, the Oilers’ Cup window.
If he is included, I believe the cost will be two first-round picks. While it is certainly conceivable to simply move Campbell to a team like the Sharks and search elsewhere for cheap backup or share time with Stuart Skinner, an all-in-one transaction makes sense for a team that has lately lost trades. It may be considered a gain if it gets Campbell’s cap hit off the books. However, given that Holland caused this situation in the first place, it’s a loss in the grand scheme of things.
Purchase Campbell Out
Looking at their cap cost for Campbell, if the Oilers buy him out, it’s not terrible and is workable. However, if the
