The Edmonton Oilers have been an interesting team to watch this season. They started the season terribly but have since turned it around and have found themselves battling back to the top of the Pacific Division. One member of the Oilers who has made headlines and stood out, not in a positive way, is goaltender Jack Campbell. The Oilers chose to send him down to the minors earlier this season after a horrific start between the pipes, and he hasn’t been able to find his game in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Bakersfield Condors either.
Mark Spector, an Oilers insider, referenced Campbell in a recent Sportsnet article and mentioned the long-term contract he signed with the Oilers, which pays Campbell $5 million each season. He branded the Oilers’ decision to sign Campbell a “unmitigated disaster,” which it has been since he arrived. He had a strong season with the Toronto Maple Leafs before leaving to join the Edmonton Oilers, but he has been a disaster in his new role.
The Oilers have decided not to make a trade to improve their goaltending tandem just yet and instead recalled Calvin Pickard from the Condors to play as a backup to Stuart Skinner. They have fared well without Campbell and have fought back to bring themselves back to playoff contention. However, there are still several issues the Oilers need to address including their defensive depth and acquiring a new goalie before they can be considered Stanley Cup contenders like they were before the start of the new season.
What Can the Oilers Do With Campbell?
The Oilers are going to have to make a tough decision with Campbell regardless if they like it or not. There are a few things they can do as far as moving him, but none of them have positive benefits for the Oilers. They could trade him to a team with plenty of cap space, but that would come with having to sacrifice multiple draft picks and prospects for teams to take on his full cap hit for the next several seasons, which is likely something the Oilers aren’t interested in doing at this moment.
Another option for the Oilers would be to buy out Campbell’s contract, but I don’t think that’s something they want to do either. Buying him out in the offseason would mean he would be getting paid until 2030, and counting against the Oilers’ salary cap until 2027. Paying someone to play against you is not something any team wants to do, but it may be something the Oilers consider if they can’t find a trade partner who would be willing to take on his full deal without retention and not want the entire prospect pool.
What Can the Oilers Do In the Meantime?
The Oilers need to make a decision soon as to whether they will be buyers at the deadline or not. Some goaltenders will likely be hitting the trade market as their teams won’t be making the playoffs and they can be traded for some assets, but they need to make a decision sooner rather than later. The Montreal Canadiens have an overabundance of goaltenders so the Habs making a trade would make sense, and the struggling San Jose Sharks may gauge the trade market for Mackenzie Blackwood.
There are a few options for the Oilers and while none of them are going to be easy, they need to try and figure out which path they’re going to go down and fast. They will likely end up in a wildcard playoff spot which isn’t ideal, but it’s better than missing it altogether. Hopefully, the Oilers can continue to play solid hockey and make the proper moves to help push the team to win their first Stanley Cup since 1990.
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