Player Discussion Jack Campbell

[DrDrai]

If I was a GM I wouldn't pay more than 4M (2-3 yrs) for any goalie. Its like rolling the dice for most of them. Outside maybe 5 that are consistent year in and year out. Other than that its a crap shoot.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

Looks like two back to backs Yotes and Vegas then LA and Anaheim. I don’t mind giving him those two but outside of that we ride skinner every game.

You're 100% right, I missed the 5th & 6th Cali games. He can have Anaheim for that one too.

As Trafalgar said in response to me as well, I also agree with the position stated where he can get more games in after a spot has been clinched.

 

[Little Fury]

Buyout when?

 

[Heavy Dee]

Look at aggregate save %.

Doesn't fit his narrative.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Nice to see some of you finally come on board, but unfortunately I think it may be a little too late for this season. Hang in there McDrai !!??

Zguy370​

Registered User​

• Wednesday at 12:18 PM
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• #64

I may be in the minority, but we are really overlooking our Goalie situation. I have no faith in Campbell, and putting our faith in rookie Skinner is going to haunt us in the playoffs. Won't be easy with Campbell's contract, would like Korpisalo

I'm on record of saying Korpisalo was a darkhorse add as well. One that I would have loved the team would have grabbed. People here were saying he was an "awful" goalie. Its taken one game for Kings to notice what they weren't getting in goal.

I still thought Campbell could turn it around but I've not felt like we have a guy thats shown to be the clear #1 here.

 

[Zguy370]

I'm on record of saying Korpisalo was a darkhorse add as well. One that I would have loved the team would have grabbed. People here were saying he was an "awful" goalie. Its taken one game for Kings to notice what they weren't getting in goal.

I still thought Campbell could turn it around but I've not felt like we have a guy thats shown to be the clear #1 here.

There was just a handful of us looking at addressing our goalie situation, in addition, and for good reasons, in landing that stud Dman. Adding Ekholm for me was huge, he will help our D big time. Just thought Holland had to prioritize our goaltending just as much. I just had seen enough of Campbell before the Draft, that I honestly had my concerns and doubts about him.

Unfortunately our division rival LA were clever enough to move in on Korpisalo, yep, rewards already reeked in his first game.

 

[Drivesaitl]

There was just a handful of us looking at addressing our goalie situation, in addition, and for good reasons, in landing that stud Dman. Adding Ekholm for me was huge, he will help our D big time. Just thought Holland had to prioritize our goaltending just as much. I just had seen enough of Campbell before the Draft, that I honestly had my concerns and doubts about him.

Unfortunately our division rival LA were clever enough to move in on Korpisalo, yep, rewards already reeked in his first game.

Theres always the thinking that stabilizing the D will be transformative when you get a stud D like Ekholm. Good add for sure, but the goalie question remains. That Skinner is our best goalie in this season is scary in itself. Team went the wrong way but all I heard here last week is how much Korpisalo sucks. Yet he's just the type of goalie that can go on a huge heater, and has shown that in the past. I look at goalie form and their play more than just stats.

Korpi beat us both games this season too. Which is slightly ironic.

 

[Zguy370]

Theres always the thinking that stabilizing the D will be transformative when you get a stud D like Ekholm. Good add for sure, but the goalie question remains. That Skinner is our best goalie in this season is scary in itself. Team went the wrong way but all I heard here last week is how much Korpisalo sucks. Yet he's just the type of goalie that can go on a huge heater, and has shown that in the past. I look at goalie form and their play more than just stats.

Korpi beat us both games this season too. Which is slightly ironic.

Korpisalo is going to be a lot better than most of us thought, he was playing descent on a terrible team, put him on a half descent team or a good team, like for that matter like LA and he could be very surprising.

Agree on Skinner, it's unfortunate that he, as a rookie, has to be FORCED in playing the No.1 role. He will have some bad games coming, hope I'm wrong, through no fault of his own, and will be unjustifiably get thrown under the bus by the media and some fans. He's in a tough spot. Hope he comes through

 

[Drivesaitl]

Korpisalo is going to be a lot better than most of us thought, he was playing descent on a terrible team, put him on a half descent team or a good team, like for that matter like LA and he could be very surprising.

Agree on Skinner, it's unfortunate that he, as a rookie, has to be FORCED in playing the No.1 role. He will have some bad games coming, hope I'm wrong, through no fault of his own, and will be unjustifiably get thrown under the bus by the media and some fans. He's in a tough spot. Hope he comes through

Don't get me wrong. I love Ekholm, but for him to play with the kind of jam he plays with, its mentally sustained by having a team around him that plays ahrd, and the right way, and having the kind of goaltending Nashville have had.

For instance the Pronger magic wasn't truly had in the W column until we shored up our goaltending. As good as Pronger was the playoff run doesn't happen without Roloson in net. We don't have a Roloson. Weirdly our best hope is Campbell somehow catches fire as he has the best peak game of the two goalies we have. Skinner even while playing better has his own holes that are possible to exploit in a playoff series. We have to hope Campbell figures it out or somehow teams don't spot Skinner weaknesses.

 

[MessierThanThou]

Don't get me wrong. I love Ekholm, but for him to play with the kind of jam he plays with, its mentally sustained by having a team around him that plays ahrd, and the right way, and having the kind of goaltending Nashville have had.

For instance the Pronger magic wasn't truly had in the W column until we shored up our goaltending. As good as Pronger was the playoff run doesn't happen without Roloson in net. We don't have a Roloson. Weirdly our best hope is Campbell somehow catches fire as he has the best peak game of the two goalies we have. Skinner even while playing better has his own holes that are possible to exploit in a playoff series. We have to hope Campbell figures it out or somehow teams don't spot Skinner weaknesses.

The thought of Campbell facing more than one shot in the playoffs utterly terrifies me. Our best hope is that Campbell goes on LTIR for mental health reasons and we can bring back Smitty...which sounds insane, but that's where we're at. I was thinking Pickard at first, but someone here pointed out that in his last 10 or so NHL games, his stats were actually worse than Campbell's...

 

[FlameChampion]

I see that the board has found a successor for Puljujärvi.

You're probably not wrong honestly.

At the same time, I think the organization and fan base have been pretty easy on Campbell this year. I think hes lucky that he hasnt faced more scrutiny. I think if the Oilers get bounced in the playoffs early, its going to get ugly for Campbell (regardless if hes playing or not).

 

[FlameChampion]

Anyone who had anything to do with recommending Campbell needs to be fired post haste.

I honestly thought he was risky. But I thought all of the bigger names were risky. Husso didnt have a ton of experience. Kuemper had an awful playoffs and an eye injury? Campbell was inconsistent (good and bad stretches).

One of the reasons I actually liked Campbell is that I thought him playing in Toronto would help. More pressure on him in Toronto than here. I thought he would be more relaxed here. But seems like hes so relaxed that he cant catch a puck anymore.

I really thought it was a mistake that they didnt give Skinner more time last year to see what he was capable of. Koskinen was never in their plans, so not sure why they were so eager to play him over Skinner anyway.

All and all its a mess.

 

[djbard99]

Korpisalo is going to be a lot better than most of us thought, he was playing descent on a terrible team, put him on a half descent team or a good team, like for that matter like LA and he could I honestly thought he was risky. But I thought all of the bigger names were risky. Husso didnt have a ton of experience. Kuemper had an awful playoffs and an eye injury? Campbell was inconsistent (good and bad stretches).

One of the reasons I actually liked Campbell is that I thought him playing in Toronto would help. More pressure on him in Toronto than here. I thought he would be more relaxed here. But seems like hes so relaxed that he cant catch a puck anymore.

I really thought it was a mistake that they didnt give Skinner more time last year to see what he was capable of. Koskinen was never in their plans, so not sure why they were so eager to play him over Skinner anyway.

All and all its a mess.

Politics. But I’d lie too if I was getting paid millions to manage and botch a signing…i

 

[MessierThanThou]

You're probably not wrong honestly.

At the same time, I think the organization and fan base have been pretty easy on Campbell this year.

That might be an understatement! The media and fans have been far, far kinder to him than any other Oiler goalie who played remotely this bad with this many games, and he's been worse than any Oiler goalie that I can remember!

 

[McDoused]

Everyone was ready to run Mike Smith out of town and Kenny was like "we gotta get Smitty" going and crazy enough it actually worked. Maybe we just "gotta get soupy going".

 

[Zguy370]

That might be an understatement! The media and fans have been far, far kinder to him than any other Oiler goalie who played remotely this bad with this many games, and he's been worse than any Oiler goalie that I can remember!

This is so true. Why though? I think it's probably because they are so embarrassed of the $$ and length of his contract, that they would be ashamed to be bitching for another 4 1/2 more seasons!?

 

[Mr Positive]

Looks like two back to backs Yotes and Vegas then LA and Anaheim. I don’t mind giving him those two but outside of that we ride skinner every game.

I don't think that's unreasonable either. He will still participate in practices so maybe he can regain confidence in his game there. Then I don't mind giving him another go. Broberg was excelling in practices and earned some length on his leash that way. That's where Campbell is at. I don't think the LA solution of sending the slumping goalie down was the answer.

 

[MessierThanThou]

This is so true. Why though? I think it's probably because they are so embarrassed of the $$ and length of his contract, that they would be ashamed to be bitching for another 4 1/2 more seasons!?

Maybe Holland asked the media to go easy on him? The worse this signing looks, the worse Holland looks. Even at the time, signing Campbell looked like a poor move, especially with that length and salary, and the fact that he choked in the playoffs when we were supposed to find an upgrade over Smith for the postseason.

 

[MessierThanThou]

Everyone was ready to run Mike Smith out of town and Kenny was like "we gotta get Smitty" going and crazy enough it actually worked. Maybe we just "gotta get soupy going".

Smith never played this bad though...

 

[Zguy370]

Maybe Holland asked the media to go easy on him? The worse this signing looks, the worse Holland looks. Even at the time, signing Campbell looked like a poor move, especially with that length and salary, and the fact that he choked in the playoffs when we were supposed to find an upgrade over Smith for the postseason.

That could also be a possibility.

Another scenario I was thinking with the media, is that they are aware of just how bad a signing this was, that they are just taking the high road by avoiding the issue altogether, and praying that he is unloaded, traded bought out etc., in the off season.

 

[FlameChampion]

Everyone was ready to run Mike Smith out of town and Kenny was like "we gotta get Smitty" going and crazy enough it actually worked. Maybe we just "gotta get soupy going".

Unfortunately I think Campbell is a lost cause this year. Hopefully a reset and a summer off helps. Honestly, it just sucks.

 

[Zguy370]

Nice little article, by the Hockey Writers, of which some of you have suggested.

The Hockey Writers
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Oilers May Have No Choice But to Buy Out Jack Campbell​

Story by Colton Pankiw, The Hockey Writers • Yesterday 10:01 a.m.
733538 Comments

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For the sixth straight start, Jack Campbell posted a save percentage (SV%) of less than .900, this time coming Saturday night against the Winnipeg Jets in a game where he allowed six goals on 38 shots. It also happened to mark the fifth straight loss for the 31-year-old, a span in which his team gave him plenty of run support with a combined 23 goals of their own. Safe to say, their supposed No. 1 netminder has been far from solid.

Oilers May Have No Choice But to Buy Out Jack Campbell© James Carey Lauder-USA TODAY Sports
These struggles are nothing new for Campbell in his first season as an Oiler. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find a stretch of games to this point where he has been good. His cringeworthy 3.57 goals-against average (GAA) paired with his .882 SV% prove just that.
While some may suggest that Campbell’s play is reflective of the Oilers’ defensive issues, that argument is proven false rather quickly when considering the fact that his rookie counterpart in Stuart Skinner owns a far better 2.88 GAA along with a .912 SV%. Sure, Skinner’s goals saved above expected (GSAx) of minus-0.3 is far from ideal, but it is far better than Campbell’s minus-20.7, which trails only two goaltenders in the entire league in Elvis Merzlikins and Spencer Martin. As the numbers show, any Campbell start at this point is turning into a scheduled loss, and management needs to take action.

Campbell a True Buyout Candidate​

While the Campbell contract last summer had plenty of detractors, even the most skeptical couldn’t have imagined things turning out as poorly as they have. It isn’t often, if ever, that there is legitimate chatter about a buyout happening after the first season of a five-year deal, but that is exactly where we have ourselves in this situation.

As things stand now, Campbell has four more years remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $5 million. He also has a 10-team no-trade clause in his deal, meaning that trading him would be even more difficult, if not flat-out impossible. This will essentially force the Oilers to decide whether they want to buy him out and look elsewhere for help in the crease, or run it back with a duo of him and Skinner in 2023-24 and pray for better results.
If bought out, Campbell would be on the books for the Oilers for the next eight seasons. His cap hit for those eight seasons would be as follows, according to CapFriendly:

 

[HockeyGuy1964]

Woody!!!!

Please don't start this guy in Toronto!!!

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

IF he keeps struggling I'd send him down to work on his game---maybe sign a NCAA goalie (Ostman? Pavcich?) and ask Campbell to change his role to be more of a mentor to those guys/Rodrigue. Call up Pickard.

He can go enjoy California and try to get his head back in the game. Maybe he comes back around.

IF he loses against Toronto or worse--Arizona/SJ/Anaheim then I dont know if keeping him up helps anyone.

 

[Stoneman89]

Skinner has his issues at times, but holy shit, Campbell cannot see the light of day while we are in a playoff push.