Jack Campbell delivered an emotional Maple Leafs message as Jim Hiller begins a new chapter behind Toronto's bench.
The recently retired goaltender called his three seasons with the Maple Leafs the greatest time of his life during an appearance on First Up.
Campbell said he once hoped to remain in Toronto forever. He met his wife there and built friendships that have remained important beyond hockey.
His memories weren't limited to success in the crease. Campbell acknowledged facing some of his hardest personal moments while living in Toronto.
“Toronto, I can't stop smiling. Even though I would've wanted to be there forever, it's just the greatest time of my life,” he said. “I met my wife there, the friendships I have there are incredible. Some of the hardest things I've gone through off the ice were in Toronto, but looking back it just adds to the power of what Toronto means to me because I was able to identify things there and begin to work on it.”
Rather than blaming the market, he said those experiences helped him recognize internal struggles and begin addressing them.
That perspective challenges the usual warning about playing in Toronto. Campbell loved the attention surrounding game days and described the city's hockey atmosphere as special.
“My answer may sound interesting, but it's the truth - I was obsessed with playing in a Canadian market. Playing in Toronto was the coolest thing in the world. Waking up on game day and opening up the blinds, it just felt like Hockey Night in Canada every single game,” he said. “Then Edmonton, another massive market, an amazing team, but the hard part about it isn't exactly what people think. Yes, it's a lot of eyes on you and media and positives, negatives, things like that, but for me it was always what's going on in between my ears. The media or the comments on social media would never be as bad as when I talked to myself. So, in that regard, playing in a Canadian market was never actually that big of an issue.”
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Campbell's strongest Maple Leafs season came in 2020-21, when he finished 17-3-2 with a 2.15 goals-against average.
He also posted a .921 save percentage and set a franchise record with 11 consecutive wins.
His personality made him a fan favourite even when his performance dipped. Campbell rarely hid from difficult results and often directed more criticism toward himself than anyone around him did.
He explained that media pressure and social-media comments were never as demanding as his own internal voice. That battle followed him through both Toronto and Edmonton.
Campbell also praised former teammate Frederik Andersen, calling him a model for how a goaltender should carry himself through difficult stretches.
Their friendship has continued since they last shared the crease. Campbell said they spoke recently and expressed happiness over Andersen's success away from Toronto.
Retirement now moves Campbell into performance coaching with Novus Global after a 15-year professional career.
His final message to Leafs Nation carried no bitterness. Toronto tested Campbell, supported him and became the place where his hockey career connected with the most meaningful parts of his personal life.
Source : Jack Campbell refers to his time with Maple Leafs as ‘the greatest time of my life'
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