from Luke Fox of Sportsnet,
If there is a goalie controversy in Toronto, it’s this: Does Jack Campbell love his teammates more? Or do Jack Campbell’s teammates love him more?
As an end-game buzzer sounded the death of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 1-6 slump and the long-awaited rise of a healthy Campbell, 21 men skated in happy procession to congratulate Saturday night’s first star, one by one.
The final three players lingered at the end of the queue, bringing a tiny bit extra to the celebration.
Third-string goalie Michael Hutchinson had fetched the game puck to hand to Campbell (“He didn’t have to do that; it coulda went to anybody tonight,” Campbell said, forever paying the good vibes forward). And Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner each took a moment to put their hand on Campbell’s head, look him in the eye and relay a message. Plus a hug.
The exact words will remain private, but rest assured they were more than “good game.”
“I appreciate every teammate, of course, and love them all, but those two guys definitely lead our team,” Campbell said. “They shared some really nice things. I’ll just keep it to myself. It was sincere by them. It meant a lot to me.
“It just meant a lot. Basically, about my battling through the adversity. It's been a long road and tough year with the injury. But those guys mean the world to me. I look up to them. So, it just makes me more motivated to play well next week.”
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