In July 2022, the Edmonton Oilers signed Jack Campbell to be the team’s starting goaltender for $25 million. Just four years later, he officially retired from the game at 34.

Campbell didn’t play last season, suiting up in the NHL for the final time in 2023-24 with the Oilers. After Edmonton bought out the struggling backstop, he signed with the Detroit Red Wings and played in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Campbell announced on social media on Sunday that he is walking away, explaining what’s next — becoming a life coach. He is looking to help empower others.

“Most of you know me as a hockey player,” he said on his Instagram. “I grew up my entire life chasing one dream, and that was to play in the NHL. I was fortunate enough to accomplish that goal of playing eight seasons in the NHL, becoming an NHL All-Star, and, frankly, on paper, living a pretty awesome life.

“I was trying to do it all on my own for 30 years of my life, and now, sitting here, I’m just kicking myself. Why couldn’t I have found this sooner?”

In 2010, Campbell was drafted 11th overall by the Dallas Stars and was seen as one of the best goalie prospects in the game, a centrepiece of the United States World Junior Team. He found his place in the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings before getting regular games with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

It was off the back of his efforts in 2021-22, going 31-9-6 with a .914 save percentage, that the Oilers sought out Campbell in free agency. Right off the get-go, the pairing didn’t seem to work, and he lost the starting job to Stuart Skinner.

However, many fans’ best memory of Campbell would be his relief effort in Game 4 of the first-round series vs. Los Angeles in 2023.

With the Oilers down 3-0 in the game, Campbell made several clutch stops, including 27 saves as Edmonton was able to come back on a Zach Hyman overtime win. That evened the series 2-2 as the Oilers wouldn’t look back and win the series in six. He would make three more playoff appearances, all in relief efforts against the Vegas Golden Knights.

After that victory, he’d only play a total of eight more games in an Oilers sweater.

According to PuckPedia, the Oilers have $2.6 million owed on the Campbell buyout in 2026-27, and then $1.5 million in each of the next three seasons.

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