May 6, 2022, TAMPA, Florida, USA: Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell 36 makes a stop on the Tampa offense with Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Mark Giordano 55 defending during the third period of Game 3 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Friday, May 6, 2022, at Amalie Arena in Tampa. Copyright: xDouglasxR.xCliffordx
May 6, 2022, TAMPA, Florida, USA: Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell 36 makes a stop on the Tampa offense with Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Mark Giordano 55 defending during the third period of Game 3 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Friday, May 6, 2022, at Amalie Arena in Tampa. Copyright: xDouglasxR.xCliffordx
The 11th overall pick of the 2010 NHL Draft, Jack Campbell, announced his retirement on July 19. Wrapping up his eight-season-long journey in the league, Campbell only carries good memories.
Campbell was selected by the Dallas Stars. He then made stops at the Los Angeles Kings, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Edmonton Oilers. Now that he has decided to part ways from his playing career at the age of 34, he took to his Instagram account to leave a heartwarming message.
“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,” he said as found in the Instagram video. “Super grateful for my days of playing.”
May 6, 2022, Tampa, Florida, USA: Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell 36 is seen on the ice during the first period in Game 3 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning Friday, May 6, 2022 in Tampa. Copyright: xDirkxShaddx
May 6, 2022, Tampa, Florida, USA: Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jack Campbell 36 is seen on the ice during the first period in Game 3 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning Friday, May 6, 2022 in Tampa. Copyright: xDirkxShaddx
Campbell last played professionally with the Grand Rapids Griffins, Detroit's AHL affiliate, during the 2024-25 season. His last NHL appearance came with the Edmonton Oilers in 2023-24.
As he announced his retirement, the goaltender wrapped up his NHL career with 93 wins, starting 164 games and a .909 save percentage. In 2022, Campbell was chosen for the Atlantic Division team, earning the first All-Star selection of his NHL career. However, Campbell was transparent in his retirement speech.
“But you know what a lot of people don't see is the personal battle that I went through throughout my career,” he added in the video posted on Instagram.
After a successful run with Toronto, Campbell signed a five-year, $25 million contract with Edmonton in July 2022. But he struggled to find consistency and eventually lost the starting role to Stuart Skinner, and was bought out in June 2024.
However, the assistance he received in that phase is what shapes Campbell’s next chapter.
Jack Campbell turns life's lessons into a coaching career
In the caption of his Instagram post, Campbell shared that he will be starting his new career as a coach for Novus Global. According to their official site, it is an elite executive coaching and leadership development firm.
Their clients are typically executives, founders, athletes, and organizations with significant influence. Former Stanley Cup champion winger Andrew Ladd is also a part of the company.
However, for Campbell, it is his personal experience that pushed him towards the path of leadership and guiding others.
“Not having somebody to hold me accountable for having a well-balanced life,” he shared in the same Instagram video. “That's when I found four years ago my life coach who's completely changed everything for me, and that's why I'm so excited to share what I've learned with you guys.”
Jack Campbell's retirement serves as a reminder of a career defined by perseverance. Despite on-ice struggles and mental health challenges, he continued to fight and found success through resilience.
Share your thoughts on Campbell’s retirement in the comments.
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Written by
Soheli Tarafdar
Edited by
Soheli Tarafdar