All signs are pointing toward Jack Campbell being the future goaltender of the Edmonton Oilers.
Multiple reports have surfaced that the deal is in the range of five years with a $5-million AAV deal and would make the 30-year-old the Oilers’ new starting goaltender.
Campbell is well known to many of the Oilers. Zach Hyman, Cody Ceci and Tyson Barries all were teammates of his out east with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
He joined the Leafs in a Feb. 2020 trade and has appeared in 77 games over the course of the last two and a half seasons. He’s posted a 51-14-9 record, a .916 save percentage and a 2.51 GAA. On top of that, he has saved 10 goals above average.
If the Oilers were to ink Campbell to this deal, I wouldn’t hate it. He’s proven to be a good starting goaltender, and when his game dipped at times this past season with the Leafs, he had been working through some injuries.
A 1-2 punch of Stew (Stuart Skinner) and Soup (Campbell) for the next number of years could be solid.
So long, Kris?
According to The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman, it sounds like Kris Russell will be looking to sign with a new team and a contender.
The writing is more of less on the wall for Russell in Edmonton and this past year played as the Oilers’ seventh defenceman. Far from an ideal spot for a highly competitive player.
The loss won’t be a big one for the Oilers as his game is fairly easy to replace. Philip Broberg is a player who will be on the Oilers roster and is expected to be a regular in the lineup.
What about Dylan Strome?
As they go scorched earth removing nearly anyone of value of the team, the Chicago Blackhawks won’t be issuing a qualifying offer to forward Dylan Strome.
Owed $3.6-million on the QO, the Blackhawks are walking away from a guy who just scored 22 goals and 48 points in 69 games this past season. Granted the first half of the year was slow, but he really turned it on down the stretch.
According to Evolving Hockey, Strome is projected for three-year deal paying him $4.59-million — but I think that number might be a little bit high. Would $3m a year be enough to get him to come to Edmonton and play with his former Erie Otters teammate Connor McDavid?
Oilers in on Connor Brown
It sounds like the Oilers’ interest in Connor Brown remains. According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, the Oilers are among the teams still kicking tires.
Brown’s a solid middle-six winger who is a strong playmaker in the offensive zone. He’s got one year left on a deal paying him a $3.6-million AAV.
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