Former Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell announces retirement

“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.” Campbell said in the video.

Campbell’s struggles with confidence, self-belief, and mental health as a whole were made public at points during his career, which has become more and more common as the NHL and the culture around mental health continues to evolve. He went on to credit a life coach for helping him keep an even keel perspective on life and revealed that he would be heading down that same path.

“I’m super grateful for my days of playing, but what a lot of people don’t see is the personal battle that I went through throughout my career. Not having somebody to hold me accountable for having a well-balanced life,” Campbell continued. “That’s when I found, four years ago, my life coach, who’s completely changed everything for me.”

Campbell was a member of the Maple Leafs between 2019 and 2022, first serving as a backup goaltender to Frederik Andersen before shifting to a tandem goalie in 2021-22. His Leafs tenure had some ups and downs, but his authentic personality and lovable personality made him a fan favourite among Leafs fans. His best season was the 2021 COVID campaign, when he finished the year with a record of 17-3-2 along with a goals-against average (GAA) of 2.15 and a save percentage (SV%) of .921. He also set a Maple Leafs franchise record for consecutive wins by a goaltender with an 11-game win streak, breaking the previous record of ten held by Jacuqes Plante, John Ross Roach, and Felix Potvin.

The Michigan native then signed a six-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers but struggled immensely, only playing in 41 total games before having his contract bought out by the Oilers. He signed a one-year contract with his hometown Detroit Red Wings in 2024-25 and appeared in 14 AHL games before hanging up the skates.