It was there - NHL goalie retires: "Many did not see my personal struggle"

Former NHL goaltender Jack Campbell has decided to retire from professional hockey. The 34-year-old goaltender, known for his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers, announced his decision in an Instagram video released on Sunday.

In the video, Campbell spoke openly about his personal struggles, which he said had been present throughout his entire playing career.

– I have chased one dream my whole life, and that was playing in the NHL. I was lucky to be able to fulfill that. I played eight seasons in the NHL and was also selected for the All-Star Game. On paper, I had a really great life, to be honest.

– I am immensely grateful for my playing career, but many did not see the personal battle I went through during my entire career, Campbell said.

Campbell also confirmed his retirement in the caption of his Instagram post. He mentioned that he would be leaving hockey behind and moving towards new challenges in his life.

– Giving up hockey was not easy. It gave me more than I could have ever imagined. However, in recent years I realized that the greatest significance did not come from stopping pucks, but from being able to help people grow into the best versions of themselves, Campbell wrote.

At the same time, Campbell announced his intention to become a life skills coach.

Campbell did not play at all last season. His last team was the Detroit Red Wings, and his final NHL game was seen in the 2023–24 season.

In October 2024, Campbell joined the joint player assistance program of the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association. During the season, he also played 14 AHL games with the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Selected 11th overall in the first round of the NHL draft, Campbell represented the Dallas Stars, Los Angeles Kings, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Edmonton Oilers in the league.

He played a total of 176 regular season games in the NHL. Campbell’s career save percentage was 90.9 and his goals against average was 2.76. He was also selected for the NHL All-Star Game during his career.