Jack Campbell responds to whether or not he would like to remain in Toronto long-term
William Nylander, Mitch Marner, Zach Hyman, Frederik Andersen. Every year there's a Leaf with an expiring contract and writers like myself trip over themselves to project his next contract, speculate whether they'll stay or not, and generally whip the fanbase into a neurotic frenzy. Jack Campbell is the latest to join the list.
Jack Campbell went on Sportsnet 590 The Fan's "Real Kyper and Bourne" on Tuesday to chat with the guys about a variety of topics, including the COVID situation, Jack's journey to Toronto and his «nice guy attitude,» then they finally asked the question we all desperately want to know the answer to.
«What's are the things that will keep you here long-term that stand out in your mind?»
Campbell obviously didn't give a dollar figure, or reveal what kind of term he's after, as those things will be discussed in private by his agent and Leafs GM Kyle Dubas. Instead, he professed his love for the city of Toronto, the team, the staff, and of course the fanbase.
According to Soup, being in Toronto gives him a «different feeling» than anywhere else he's played. He called Toronto the Hockey Mecca, and made it clear how much it means to him to play in Toronto. You can hear the full clip below.
While it may sound like a standard «player asked a question he really shouldn't answer» answer, there's a real sincerity to Jack's words here. He's obviously loved his time in Toronto, and by the sounds of it, he wants to stay. I think I speak for an entire rabid, capricious fanbase when I say we would all LOVE to have him stay as well.
Early projections on Campbell's next contract likely fall somewhere in between $4.5M and $6M, as that seems to be the range from low to high that pundits have been discussing this season. $4.5M on a long-term deal if he takes a discount to stay, or as much as $6M on a shorter term deal if he and his agent push for market value.
We have to remember that there are a lot of factors to consider here. First and foremost, the Leafs are limited as to what they can spend. Everyone knows this, including Jack. He doesn't seem like the type of guy who would push for max money when he knows it will cost one of his friends their spot on the team.
Second, Campbell does not have as much NHL experience as a lot of the middle-aged goaltenders who have signed deals in recent years. He's not in a strong position to negotiate from in that regard.
Third, the Leafs believed in Campbell when nobody else did. Their loyalty to him may go a long way at the negotiating table - especially if the Leafs are offering term that he may not get elsewhere.
There are other factors to consider, but one thing is for sure. There seems to be a mutual interest between the team and the player in keeping Campbell in Toronto.
