Former Oilers Goalie Cleared To Play, Placed On Waivers

Some good news for a former Oiler out of Detroit.

Elliotte Friedman reports that Red Wings goalie Jack Campbell has been cleared to return from the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, and that the Red Wings have subsequently placed him on waivers so he can join their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids.

Campbell entered the Player Assistance Program just before the season began on October 4th. The program offers help for players dealing with mental health, substance abuse, and similar issues.

The 32-year-old netminder signed a one-year, league-minimum contract with his hometown Red Wings over the summer after the Oilers bought out the final three seasons of the five-year contract he signed with the team in 2022. With Cam Talbot, Alex Lyon, and Ville Husso filling the net in Detroit, Campbell was expected to start the season in Grand Rapids before entering the program.

Campbell has had a rollercoaster of a career. A first-round pick of the Dallas Stars in 2010, Campbell was a highly touted prospect but only ever made one start for Dallas in 2013-14. He then found success as Jonathan Quick's backup in Los Angeles before a trade to Toronto.

Campbell seized the starting job in Toronto in the middle of the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season, posting a .922 save percentage in 22 starts before putting up a heroic effort in the Maple Leafs' seven-game loss to the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the playoffs.

He spent one more year as the starter in Toronto, before the Oilers rewarded him with a five-year, $25 million contract in the summer of 2022. Campbell was a disappointment in Edmonton, with an .886 save percentage in 41 games before being sent down to Bakersfield early last season and eventually being bought out this past summer.

Provided he clears waivers, Campbell will share the net with Ville Husso in Grand Rapids. Husso, in the third year of a contract with $4.75 million annually, was demoted by the Red Wings after a disappointing start to the season.

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