Oilers goalie Jack Campbell linked to a new team in trade

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Liam McCormick
February 26, 2024 (11:46)

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Heading into this year's trade deadline, the Edmonton Oilers will be strapped against the salary cap. The team wants to make some high impact additions with a player like Guentzel or Buchnevich, but it will be extremely difficult without clearing salary. That's why despite not playing games for the team in months, the Oilers trade deadline could still revolve around Jack Campbell.

Oilers writer Jonathan Willis of the Athletic recently connected the Oilers to the San Jose Sharks for a deal that would make sense for both teams. According to Willis, the Oilers could send Campbell, along with some high end draft picks and a prospect like Philip Broberg to the Sharks for one of their goaltenders, Mackenzie Blackwood or Kaapo Kahkonen.

In a trade like this, the Oilers would clear themselves of the Campbell contract for the next three years and acquire a competent tandem goalie in return, but having to pay the added price of Broberg and a pick. Making a trade like this could use up the assets the Oilers would need to acquire a top six forward, but clearing themselves of the Campbell contract opens up much more opportunities for the team even next year.

The one other team that's shown interest in Campbell is the Philadelphia Flyers, who could also offer Scott Laughton or Sean Walker, and are in need of a starting goalie through their rebuild with Hart gone.

Blackwood would likely be the cheaper goalie to acquire from San Jose for Campbell, and it could pay off extremely well. Blackwood is signed to a one year affordable contract of $2.3M. He's impressed with his play in San Jose, but his .898 save percentage doesn't reflect the amount of promise he's shown behind a brutal Sharks team. Oilers fans could get excited about moving on from the worst contract on the team, and getting a quality starting goalie insurance for this year's playoffs.