Four Free Agent Goalies The Washington Capitals Should Look At
By CJ Witt
Cam Talbot
Cam Talbot, the former New York Ranger and Edmonton Oiler “star” goalie is probably the best option on the market. There are bigger, and frankly better guys who are free agents, but those guys will want to remain starters and probably command too much money.
Talbot’s last cap hit and salary was at $2.750m. That’s not too expensive and I’m not sure how much he’ll get from other teams. He’s 33-years-old, so I can’t imagine he’s going to get huge money or a long term deal.
He’s also proven he can be capable, especially in a backup role. His career started in New York with the Rangers. That’s where he burst onto the scene. In his first season he played 21 games, he posted a 1.64 goals against average and a .941 save percentage. The next season he went up to 36 games played and had a 2.21 average and a .926 save percentage.
His performance in NY gave him the opportunity to be a starter in Edmonton where he continued to have success. His first two seasons as a starter in Edmonton looked like this.
56 games played, 2.54 GAA, .917 save%.
73 games played, 2.39 GAA, .919 save%
The next two seasons were not good for Talbot. His GAA went over three and his save percentages were either just over 90% or even under that. But this past season in Calgary he recovered. In 26 games played he posted a 2.63 GAA with a .919 save percentage.
If Talbot could come to the Caps and replicate those numbers it would be huge for this team. His stats this season were way better than Hotlby’s.
He could be the best option for Washington. He won’t be too expensive, he’s proven to be a very good backup, and he has NHL experience and playoff experience. He should be able to help the young Samsonov.