NHL News

Home

Teams

Quizzes

Newsletter

Jack Campbell, Edmonton Oilers (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Oilers Made Huge Mistake Signing Campbell Over Kuemper

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Rupert McDonald | Last updated Apr 29, 2025 4:00 PM ET

It hasn’t been the best series for goaltender Darcy Kuemper, although he has come up with several big saves at opportune times for the Los Angeles Kings, particularly in their wins over the Edmonton Oilers in Games 1 and 2 of the first-round series. On the Oilers’ side, Calvin Pickard has done that to an extent, although the Oilers’ offence over the past two games has been a bigger part as to why they have been able to even up the series. Stuart Skinner, meanwhile, failed to provide any big saves for the group, which is why he has been stapled to the bench for each of the past two outings.

Despite Kuemper’s up-and-down series, Kings fans are confident having him between the pipes. The 34-year-old had an outstanding regular season and was just named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy. It’s an ugly reminder of what could have been for the Oilers.

Oilers Had Opportunity to Sign Kuemper

In 2022, the Oilers went into free agency looking to upgrade their goaltending after their duo of Mikko Koskinen and Mike Smith didn’t work out. It was known that Skinner would be their backup heading into the 2022-23 season, though a starter they could rely on was still needed. They ultimately chose to sign former Toronto Maple Leaf Jack Campbell to a five-year, $25 million deal. It was a risky move since Campbell didn’t have a track record as an NHL starter, and it quickly proved to be catastrophic.

Campbell became the rookie Skinner’s backup in the first season of his deal and into the second. After that second season, he was bought out and hasn’t found an NHL home since. The move is all the more disappointing when you realize the Oilers could have signed Kuemper.

He was also a free agent that offseason and signed a five-year, $26.25 million contract with the Washington Capitals. He also didn’t play particularly well in his two seasons with the Capitals, though his numbers were far superior to Campbell’s. After being traded to the Kings this past offseason, he’s become a reliable starter again, which he was for several seasons with the Arizona Coyotes and Colorado Avalanche.

Had the Oilers signed Kuemper, they would have a starting netminder who is a top-15, if not top-10, NHL starter and with Skinner as his backup, the team would have a much better chance at the Stanley Cup. Maybe they would have won it last season.

Oilers Looking for a Goalie Again

With wins in Games 3 and 4, the Oilers have tied the series 2-2, but many are counting them out because of their goaltending situation. It was a situation many fans had hoped they would resolve at the 2025 Trade Deadline, though general manager Stan Bowman ultimately chose to stick with Skinner. Had they just gone with Kuemper in free agency back in 2022, all of these issues would be out the window.

The Oilers will again have to address their goaltending situation this offseason, regardless of how the playoffs play out. Despite many opportunities, Skinner has failed to prove that he can be a trusted number-one goalie for the organization going forward. He’s capable of putting some great starts together, but his inconsistent play makes him an unreliable starter.

It’s easy to look back on it in hindsight, but you can’t help but question why the Oilers never seemingly had interest in Kuemper. He’s just two years older than Campbell, and had a far better track record. The fact that Kuemper’s five-year deal cost just $1.25 million more over the duration of the contract proves that the Oilers certainly could have afforded to do so, though for whatever reason, they preferred Campbell. That move was clearly a mistake, one that is haunting this fan base, and one that could haunt them even more should the Kings wind up coming out on top of this series.