Jack Campbell has officially closed the playing chapter of his hockey career, but retirement has also prompted him to revisit the moments that defined it. As he begins a new role as an identity and performance coach, the former NHL All-Star has spoken openly about the team and city that left the deepest mark on him.
His reflections offer a revealing look at why Toronto remains the most meaningful stop of his professional journey.
Jack Campbell Opens Up on Why Toronto Meant Everything to Him
Speaking on The Sheet with Jeff Marek, Campbell described his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs as the most rewarding period of his NHL career, not simply because of what happened on the ice, but because of the people and experiences that shaped his life away from it.
“It was the greatest days of my life,” Campbell said. “The hockey is obvious. The fan base is electric. The teammates that I had there, I was fortunate enough not only to play with them but to build relationships that hopefully will last forever.”
For Campbell, Toronto represented far more than a career breakthrough. During his time with the organization, he established himself as an NHL starting goaltender, earned his first All-Star selection, and set a franchise record by winning his first 11 starts of the 2020-21 season.
Yet when looking back, his strongest memories centered on the relationships he built rather than the accomplishments.
“I met my wife there. It’s hard to even talk about because the way I was treated was so great,” Campbell said.
Toronto is often viewed as one of the NHL’s most demanding markets, where every performance is dissected, and every mistake becomes a headline. Campbell acknowledged that outside perception but admitted the toughest criticism never came from fans or the media.
“The obvious perception from the outside is like, ‘Man, it must be hard,’” Campbell said. “You know, people call you an awful goalie, or you have a bad night, and you’re in the media. But nothing a fan or the media or anything would say would ever be as bad as the self-talk that I was doing to myself.”
This personal struggle ultimately became a defining theme of his career. Despite compiling a 51-14-9 record, a .916 save percentage, and a 2.50 goals-against average with the Maple Leafs, Campbell revealed that the internal pressure he placed on himself always outweighed anything happening around him.
Even with those challenges, he never questioned where he wanted to play.
“So that question was so easy. It was like, ‘Man, I’d play in Toronto my whole life.'”
Following his success with the Maple Leafs, Campbell signed a five-year, $25 million contract with the Edmonton Oilers in 2022. His time in Edmonton proved far more difficult, eventually leading to an AHL assignment, a contract buyout, and, later, a final season with the Detroit Red Wings organization, where he didn’t play a single NHL game, and ultimately announced his retirement at age 34.
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Campbell has now shifted his focus to helping others through Novus Global, believing that coaching people, rather than stopping pucks, brings him the greatest fulfillment.
His latest comments, however, show that while his NHL career has ended, his appreciation for Toronto remains unchanged, making it clear that the city where he reached his greatest professional heights also became the place he will always cherish the most.
