Welcome to the 2022-23 season review and 2023-24 season preview player-by-player! In this and other articles, we’ll be, well, reviewing the 2022-23 season of Edmonton Oilers players and previewing their 2023-24 season. You can read about the analytics behind my analysis here.
Year one of the Jack Campbell era didn’t go exactly as planned. After signing a five-year, $5-million AAV deal, he massively underwhelmed posting the worst statistical season of his career.
Campbell was the Oilers’ day-one starter, but it didn’t take all that long for him to be usurped in the crease by Stuart Skinner, who had such a great season he was a finalist for the Calder Trophy.
Across Campbell’s 36 appearances, he posted a 21-9-4 record, a .888 save percentage, and a 3.41 GAA. His record and statistical splits remind me of any goalie who played during the 1980s, but as we all know the game has changed. The wins were great, but there’s no denying that few and far between were games where Campbell really helped the Oilers earn that win.
With Campbell in the crease, the Oilers scored 4.53 goals for per hour, while allowing 3.79 goals against per hour.
With Skinner in the crease, the Oilers scored 3.82 goals for per hour and allowed 3.08 goals against per hour.
The numbers paint a stark difference between what happened with each goalie out there. In Campbell’s case, the Oilers were forced to open up their game a bit more and push hard for offence. In Skinner’s case, they were able to pick and choose their spots more playing a tighter defensive game.
As a whole, Campbell’s first year in Edmonton could be nothing short of an anomaly. Goaltenders are voodoo and without a doubt the hardest position to analyze. For Campbell, however, he’s been known as a streaky goaltender in the past dating back to his time with the LA Kings and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Heading into this season, he’s going to be in the backup role behind Skinner and looked to provide the Oilers with 30-odd games this season. His price tag places him right at or around league average for starting goaltender’s pay, while Skinner’s comes in below average for a starter. That means the Oilers, all things considered, are right about where they want to be salary-wise.
For the Oilers, a stronger commitment to their defensive zone play with Campbell in net will be key this season.

CAMPBELL’S CAREER SO FAR

SeasonTeamLeagueGPAPIMMinGAENSOGAAWLTSvsPctPGPAPIM
2011-12
Texas Stars
AHL
12
0
0
677
34
2
1
3.02
4
7
0
353
0.912
–
–
–
2012-13
Texas Stars
AHL
40
1
2
2108
93
2
2
2.65
19
13
3
883
0.905
–
–
–
2013-14
Texas Stars
AHL
16
0
2
966
24
1
4
1.49
12
2
2
391
0.942
4
0
0
2013-14
Dallas Stars
NHL
1
0
0
60
6
0
0
6.00
0
1
0
41
0.872
–
–
–
2014-15
Texas Stars
AHL
35
1
4
1958
99
7
2
3.03
14
14
5
964
0.907
1
0
0
2014-15
Idaho Steelheads
ECHL
7
0
2
417
12
0
1
1.73
5
2
0
208
0.945
–
–
–
2015-16
Texas Stars
AHL
19
0
2
1035
63
3
0
3.65
7
7
5
481
0.884
3
0
0
2015-16
Idaho Steelheads
ECHL
20
0
0
1211
34
3
4
1.68
14
5
1
572
0.944
–
–
–
2016-17
Ontario Reign
AHL
52
1
0
3072
129
5
5
2.52
31
15
0
1365
0.914
5
0
0
2016-17
Los Angeles Kings
NHL
1
0
0
20
0
0
0
0.00
5
1.000
–
–
–
2017-18
Ontario Reign
AHL
26
0
0
1482
70
1
0
2.83
11
10
1
728
0.912
–
–
–
2017-18
Los Angeles Kings
NHL
5
0
0
267
11
0
0
2.48
2
0
2
134
0.924
–
–
–
2018-19
Los Angeles Kings
NHL
31
1
0
1593
61
0
2
2.30
10
14
1
784
0.928
–
–
–
2018-19
Ontario Reign
AHL
2
0
0
123
9
0
0
4.38
1
1
0
71
0.888
–
–
–
2019-20
Los Angeles Kings
NHL
20
0
0
1202
57
0
0
2.85
8
10
2
515
0.900
–
–
–
2019-20
Toronto Maple Leafs
NHL
6
0
0
365
16
0
0
2.63
3
2
1
173
0.915
–
–
–
2020-21
Toronto Maple Leafs
NHL
22
0
0
1284
46
0
2
2.15
17
3
2
539
0.921
7
0
0
2021-22
Toronto Maple Leafs
NHL
49
1
0
2795
123
0
5
2.64
31
9
6
1307
0.914
7
0
0
2022-23
Edmonton Oilers
NHL
36
1
2
2026
115
0
1
3.41
21
9
4
912
0.888
4
0
0
NHL Totals
171
3
2
10
2.72
92
48
18
0.910
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.