It’s too soon for the Oilers to recall Jack Campbell

TSN’s Chris Johnston has suggested recalling Jack Campbell from Bakersfield is an option for the Oilers, but this is not the right time for such a move.

While the 5-0 win in Washington, D.C. was extremely enjoyable for Oilers fans, it’s just one game. The team still has plenty to do, if they’re going to turn things around and contend for the playoffs.

In this respect, even a shutout versus the Capitals doesn’t hide the fact the Oilers been horrendous defensively so far in 2023-24. Ahead of Saturday’s slate of games, they are ranked second-last in the NHL in team save percentage and third-worst in average goals allowed per game.

There have been all sorts of reasons and suggestions for why the Oilers have been so awful defending their goal this season. Whether it be changes in the defensive scheme which the team struggled to pick up, injuries, players not performing up to their pay grade, and so on.

In the end, this resulted in Jack Campbell being sent down to the AHL. Certainly his annual $5 million cap hit played a part, but also just the reality he was in general playing poorly for a second consecutive season in Edmonton.

Now, there is a suggestion the Oilers will consider recalling him. As TSN Insider Chris Johnston said:

“I think the Oilers are looking internally in terms of trying to get themselves to play better and I think one option to consider as well is that Jack Campbell, who’s been down in the American Hockey League playing in Bakersfield coming off a shutout there is a potential option to come back up and rejoin the Oilers. So maybe, at least initially here in the short term, that’s the kind of move they might make to try to spark a better outcome.”

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Now reading between the lines, this comes across more as speculation on the part of Johnston, rather than something he’s heard from a source. (Although we could be wrong.) At most, this is more a case of the Oilers performing their due diligence and considering all possible options internally and thoroughly.

However, let’s assume the Oilers are genuinely considering recalling the beleaguered goaltender. If so, this is just not a good idea at all.

Campbell has had a nightmare so far in Bakerfield. In fours starts he has a 1-3-0 record, recording a 3.26 Goals Against Average (GAA) and 87.3 save percentage in the process.

The 31-year-old’s only good performance for the Condors was his last one, stopping all 30 shots he faced in a 2-0 win. However, he just hasn’t done enough overall to inspire confidence that he will now be any better back in Edmonton.

Aside from Campbell himself, consider how the two current Oilers goalies are performing. Stuart Skinner is looking more like the player who finished second last season for the Calder Trophy, while Calvin Pickard has actually looked decent in his limited action. (Pickard was only at fault for one of the four goals he allowed versus the Panthers.)

The thing is, why would you rush to bring Campbell back now anyway, if you’ve sent him down to work on his game and confidence? On some levels, it brings to mind the Blue Jays rushing Alek Monoah back to the Majors, and fans know how that all turned out.

Overall, Johnston’s reference to the Oilers considering all internal options, alludes to what they may ultimately have to do. The reality is they’re trying to do everything possible to delay or outright avoid trading away one or more of a valuable player, prospect and draft pick, in order to bring in a quality goaltending option.