Since signing Jack Campbell to a five year contract paying him $5M annually, he's been an unmitigated disaster. As the Oilers struggled to start this season and Campbell's play was directly costing the Oilers' wins, he was sent to the AHL to find his game.
Unfortunately for the Oilers and Campbell, his struggles have only continued in the AHL, and now the team seems weary of starting him in the NHL. With the team on a seven game winning streak, they need to keep the momentum going to get back into a playoff spot - and Jack Campbell could end this run with poor goaltending.
Now, one Oilers insider is reporting that Campbell's time in Edmonton could come to a close sooner than anticipated. It was initially believed that the team would call him up before making a final move away from Campbell, but the struggles in the AHL have expedited the need to get rid of his contract.
According to Tom Gazzola of the Oil Stream podcast, the Oilers are being very proactive in finding opportunities to move Campbell and his contract. As cap space is tight for the team, it's not expected to be a buyout, but a trade instead.
It's possible that the Oilers could pay a hefty price to get out from Campbell's contract, including multiple top prospects or draft picks. However, after posting a 3.37 GAA and .887 save percentage in the AHL, it's seriously urgent that the team is able to move him, and make the best use of his salary to contribute to a Stanley Cup in Edmonton.
