The NHL Draft weekend has come and gone and it brought nothing but craziness and last-minute moves. Some of the cap-strapped teams took advantage of the draft and used it to their advantage. The Toronto Maple Leafs did just that. Today we will discuss Jack Campbell‘s future with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the trade that made it a little more possible. Jack Campbell and his future with the club seem more certain.
Jack Campbell Future with Leafs Seems Secure
Chris Johnston on TSN says now that they have moved Mrazek, Jack Campbell is the priority for Dubas and the Leafs.
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) July 8, 2022
Mid-draft the Maple Leafs traded goaltender Petr Mrazek and a 25th overall pick to the Chicago Blackhawks for a 38th overall pick. Mrazek carries a cap hit of 3.8 million dollars per year for the next two seasons. The Maple Leafs have roughly ten million dollars of cap space to work with. And now with the Mrazek trade, they need a goalie, as well as to sign a couple of free agents. Previously, it was reported that Campbell was looking to get six million a year on a new contract. Before the trade, that was not doable for Toronto.
What Jack Campbell Can Offer Toronto
Last season Campbell went 31-9-6. He finished 14th in the league with a goals-against-average of 2.64. And 15th in the league for save percentage at .914%. He is a relatively solid goalie that has performed well for the Maple Leafs. Campbell’s previous contract from the Maple Leafs was a two-year, 1.65 million AAV deal. He was a steal for Toronto for what they were paying. He has been a consistent goalie throughout his nine years in the league. His career goals-against-average is 2.53 and his career save percentage is .916%.
Despite moving some money and having a little bit more wiggle room, the question for the Maple Leafs is: is Jack Campbell worth six million dollars a year? While he has proven to be reliable, that big of a contract does not allow them to do much with the money left over. With roughly 33 million tied up in three Maple Leaf players, the front office has to spend their money wisely to fill the holes. The Maple Leafs will most likely inquire to see if Campbell will take a discount to remain with the team. It’s possible the two parties can come to some sort of compromise. It is no secret there are other teams that would be interested and would have the money to pay Campbell what he wants.
On this day in 2020, the Maple Leafs acquired Jack Campbell and Kyle Clifford from the Kings in exchange for Trevor Moore, a 2020 third-round draft pick, and a conditional third round pick in 2021 #Hockey365 #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/86RdfG2Vpg
— Mike Commito (@mikecommito) February 5, 2022
