Earlier this season, the New York Rangers and their fanbase went into panic mode. Starting goalie Henrik Lundqvist got hurt, and the team had no proven option to hold the fort. Then came an unlikely hero, backup goalie Cam Talbot, who back-stopped the Rangers until Henrik’s return.
Talbot’s performance this season has taken him to the rumor mill as a legit option for teams this summer to fill a hole in net. One of the teams listed? The Edmonton Oilers. Should Edmonton pursue Talbot, who has one more year left with a $1.45 million cap hit.
Why Is He Out There:
Henrik Lundqvist is the starter for New York, and that isn’t likely to change anytime soon. Lundqvist is under contract for another six seasons, and is still playing at an elite level. Talbot will likely want a raise in July 2016, and the Rangers simply will not be able to afford that.
His trade value is at an all-time high right now, and New York can get an asset for him before they lose him for nothing in a year. Like with Craig Anderson and Martin Jones, the situation is right for a potential trade.
What Does He Do Well:
Cam Talbot is an interesting goalie. I got a chance to watch him a handful of times this year, and I must admit that he actually impressed me, at least more than the other unproven options on the market this summer. Talbot was very calm in net, and never really took risks with playing the puck. He always seemed square to the puck, and traffic wasn’t a major issue for him. He handled himself very, very well in net.
Talbot’s stats suggest a goalie with some real potential. In 36 games this season, Talbot posted a .926 SV%, one of the best among the options available this summer. Last year, Talbot was even better, posting a .941 mark in 21 tilts for the Rangers. Yes, that means his workload increased year-over-year and he didn’t implode.
At the AHL level, Talbot was a solid option. In 2012-13, he posted a .918 mark in 55 games, while his rookie year of 2011-12 saw a .913 mark in 33 games. Again, improvement and a larger role year-over-year.
Talbot was a solid AHL goalie for Hartford, and has been even better since making the jump to New York to play for the Rangers. He’s a guy who has shown improvement every single year, and has handled a bigger role each season. Not to mention, he handled the starting job for about a month and a half this year in the Big Apple, that’s a big deal.
Where Will He Play / Where Should He Play:
No debate, if Edmonton trades for Cam Talbot, he will be the starting goalie on opening night. A lot of people view him as a guy ready to take the next step in the NHL, and if Edmonton gives up assets for him it’s a good bet they view it that way too.
Now, where Talbot should play is pretty good question. He can clearly handle a backup’s workload, but is unproven as a starting option. It’s a tough line to tow, but I’ll say he should be handling about 40-50 starts, so we can say he should be a low-level starter in the NHL.
What Will He Cost:
I’m not sure if it’s fair value for the team making the move, but I believe a bidding war will occur here, meaning the price for Cam Talbot could be pretty high. If I was handicapping the market, I’d suggest a mid-to-late first round pick should get this deal done. For Edmonton, that means the Pittsburgh pick, aka number 15 or 16 overall in June’s draft.
Closing Argument:
If Edmonton wants to go with an unproven option and try to find the next good goalie, this is the best bet. Cam Talbot is more than proven at the AHL level, and has emerged as a high-end backup in the NHL. He has shown improvement every year, and history suggests he gets a heavier workload year after year.
Talbot is, in my mind, the best unproven option on the market, and is the guy most ready to make the jump to full-time NHL starter. If Edmonton can get him at a fair price, I’d pull the trigger.
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