- Jack Campbell says alcohol was a major issue throughout his NHL career
- The former goalie believes it cost him a new deal in Toronto
- Read below for what he said about Kyle Dubas and his Oilers exit, plus video
Jack Campbell is opening up about the drinking that followed him through his NHL career.
The former Maple Leafs and Oilers goaltender joined Cam Janssen and Andy Strickland on The Cam & Strick Podcast and said alcohol was a major problem during his playing days. He also believes it’s the reason Toronto didn’t bring him back after the 2021-22 season.
Campbell was asked why he left the Leafs in the 2022 offseason.
“I would’ve given everything to stay in Toronto,” Campbell said. “I loved it, the boys, my connection with them. But they didn’t offer the deal I felt I deserved and played at.”
Looking back, he gets it. The 34-year-old explained how then-GM Kyle Dubas saw what was going on away from the rink.
“Looking back and being real about it, Kyle cares a lot about the people behind how they’re performing on the ice,” Campbell said. “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.”
Watch Campbell talk about his Leafs exit:
Edmonton handed him the contract Toronto wouldn’t, a five-year, $25 million deal in July 2022.
It went sideways fast. Campbell posted an .886 save percentage in 41 games over two seasons with the Oilers, a steep drop from the .914 he had in 49 games with the Leafs in 2021-22. He spent part of his second year in the AHL and was bought out in the summer of 2024.
Asked about how things ended in Edmonton, Campbell didn’t point fingers at anybody but himself.
“I’m grateful for Edmonton a lot,” he said. “The things I get to have in my life now, I’m so grateful. It sucks that it went the way it did. I know what I’m capable of doing on the ice. However, it just wasn’t going to happen with the way I was living.”
Check out the clip:
He also summed up his whole career in pretty blunt terms.
“My whole career was just a matter of when I felt good, I played good. When I decided not to feel good, I didn’t play good,” Campbell said. “It sucks to look back on my career and be like, ‘Man, I did that to myself.’”
After the buyout, Campbell signed with Detroit and entered the NHL’s player assistance program before the 2024-25 season. His last pro action came that year with the Grand Rapids Griffins, and he announced his retirement in July to work as an identity and performance coach.
It’s the second time in a week a former NHL goalie has gone public about his struggles off the ice, after Mike Condon opened up on his mental health battle.
Here’s the full episode:
