With little prospect of him getting back the starting job for the Bakersfield Condors, and no plans to bring him back to Edmonton, what happens with Jack Campbell? The Oilers goaltender is likely in a state of uncertainty as his recent struggles in the American Hockey League (AHL) have raised questions about his future with the team.
Now, whatever the Oilers decide to do with him, it might have to wait until the offseason.
With prospect Olivier Rodrigue taking over the starting role in Bakersfield, Oilers insider Mark Spector hinted at a potential move by general manager Ken Holland after the 2023-24 season.
This move would finally solve the Jack Campbell problem and get his contract off of the books. That said, it will take assets– assets the Oilers need now.
Spector, in his latest mailbag on Sportsnet, indicated that the Oilers are likely to part ways with Campbell in the upcoming summer.
However, he emphasized that GM Ken Holland may currently prefer to allocate towards acquisitions for a playoff run in 2024. In other words, moving a first-rounder to dump Campbell isn’t worth it when that first-rounder could be used to acquire an important deadline piece
Despite a challenging season for Campbell, Spector said, “Anything is possible, but I see them parting with Campbell this summer.
That acquisition has been an unmitigated disaster.” It’s not clear how or when an opportunity to rejoin the Oilers will come unless the team calls up Rodrigue from the AHL.
That is certainly possible given that the Oilers might like to find out what they’ve got in the player.
Campbell was assigned to the AHL with the intention of regaining confidence. That didn’t happen.
His struggles persisted, allowing at least four goals in six of his 10 starts with the Bakersfield Condors. Now, the move seems to be to say goodbye. That’s not so easy given that no other teams wants his contract.
Spector hinted at the necessity of sweeteners, potentially including players like Philip Broberg, to facilitate Campbell’s exit via trade. Alternatively, the Oilers could explore buying out Campbell’s contract.
Conducting this business in the summer makes sense if the Oilers can manage to handle his contract until then.
Although it’s been a brutal season for the Blackhawks on the NHL level, much of the team’s focus is on the future and its impressive prospect pool, which often ranks among the best in hockey.
That pipeline has flexed its muscles this week at the IIHF’s World Junior Championships, where an incredible six Blackhawks prospects have found their way onto two squads.
Now more than halfway through this year’s group play, the youngsters are making big impacts on their respective teams.
Adam Gajan After earning last year’s best goaltender honors at the tournament, Gajan made a return to Team Slovakia with high expectations. The netminder has been stout in goal throughout his first three appearances.
He kicked off the tournament by stopping all but two goals in his first game, one of which was deflected into the net by his own teammate. Gajan followed that performance just one day later with a 36-save shutout, including a handful of incredible stops.
Although he gave up four goals in a win against Norway early Friday morning, the goalie has guided his team to a 3-0 start in group play.
Frank Nazar III Another prospect with high expectations entering the tournament, Nazar has been prolific in the scoring column with six assists in three games.
He was one of the most notable skaters in Team USA’s 11-3 rout of Switzerland Thursday, picking up four primary assists.
Plenty of Blackhawks fans will be keeping an eye on Nazar throughout the tournament — he’s Chicago’s top prospect after being drafted 13th overall in 2022. As Team USA’s second-line center, he’ll play a big role in their fight for a potential championship.
Martin Misiak Team Slovakia’s other skater making an impact so far is Martin Misiak, who finds himself in his third straight season with the U20 squad. This year’s second-round pick of the Blackhawks has made the most of his high expectations with three assists in three games.
The all-around forward has played well with the OHL’s Erie Otters this season and has certainly caught the attention of Chicago’s front office.
The three young skaters are far from the only Blackhawks making an impact on the international stage — Oliver Moore, Gavin Hayes and Sam Ringer are all having a positive effect on Team USA.
The Blackhawks’ extensive list of high-caliber prospects in this tournament further prove the talent and depth of their impressive pipeline.
