A popular former member of the Toronto Maple Leafs has decided to officially hang up the pads, someone still held in high regard for his personality by fans of the franchise.
Goaltender Jack Campbell , whom the Maple Leafs acquired from the Los Angeles Kings in February 2020, has retired from the NHL after appearing in 176 games, 77 of which came while wearing the Toronto crest.
And in a touching message on social media, Campbell took the time to explain why he decided to step away from the game, along with revealing what he thought about his time with the Maple Leafs.
Campbell, who played in 77 games with the Maple Leafs, spoke candidly about his time with Toronto.
"It was the greatest days of my life," Campbell said while appearing on 'The Sheet with Jeff Marek'. "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.
"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."
However, Campbell said that he would have been comfortable playing with the Maple Leafs for the remainder of his NHL career.
"So that question was so easy. It was like, 'Man, I'd play in Toronto my whole life.'"
While with the Maple Leafs, Campbell racked up a 51-14-9 record while posting a 2.50 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. He also earned a spot in the 2021 NHL All-Star Game.
During his initial announcement on social media that he was retiring, Campbell expressed gratitude for being able to accomplish his stated goal of playing in the NHL.
"I grew up my entire life chasing one dream and that was to play in the NHL. I was fortunate enough to accomplish that goal of playing eight seasons in the NHL, becoming an NHL all-star, and frankly, on paper, living a pretty awesome life." Campbell said in the video.
Campbell also touched on the separate aspects of the game that affected mental health, something that not all fans are familiar with.
"I'm super grateful for my days of playing, but what a lot of people don't see is the personal battle that I went through throughout my career. Not having somebody to hold me accountable for having a well-balanced life," Campbell continued. "That's when I found, four years ago, my life coach, who's completely changed everything for me."
During an 11-game winning streak, he established a new Toronto franchise record for the most consecutive victories by a goaltender. The achievement surpassed the previous mark of 10 straight wins, which had been shared by Jacques Plante, John Ross Roach, and Felix Potvin.
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