Cam Talbot says he didn’t need to depart Minnesota, however now that it has occurred, he’s setting his sights on being the brand new No. 1 goaltender for the revamped Ottawa Senators.
“I’m extraordinarily excited,” Talbot mentioned, on a Zoom name with reporters on Thursday. “I imply, this group has numerous good, younger core items and you may see with the strikes they’ve made in the previous couple of days (Claude Giroux, Alex DeBrincat), that it’s an thrilling time to be a part of the group and I’m wanting ahead to stepping in and serving to to take this group to the following degree.”
Current strikes and with extra to come back, Talbot says, counsel “the rebuild might be coming to an finish they usually need to make a push” to the playoffs.
Talbot, 35, was the Wild’s beginning goaltender for a lot of the 2021-22 season and had a sensational second half, with a 13-0-3 report in his remaining 16 begins. But, when the playoffs began, the Wild opted for veteran Marc-Andre Fleury because the starter for the primary 5 video games, solely switching again to Talbot in Recreation 6, an elimination loss to the St. Louis Blues. Talbot did lose all three begins to St. Louis within the common season.
When the membership introduced Fleury again with a brand new two-year deal, Talbot and his agent had discussions with basic supervisor Invoice Guerin and people talks didn’t go effectively.
“We didn’t actually need to be moved,” Talbot mentioned on the Zoom name. “It performed out within the media that possibly I had some unwell will towards the group . . . nevertheless it wasn’t like that in any respect. We cherished our time there. We love the followers, the group of fellows, the employees. We made some lifelong friendships there.
“It’s simply a kind of issues the place, you already know, there’s solely room within the web for one man.”
Talbot mentioned he had a “nice relationship” with Fleury final season and that it might have been one other good state of affairs this season.
“That’s between myself and Billy and everybody else,” Talbot mentioned. “We had some conversations and each side form of felt this may be greatest.”
Guerin mentioned of the Tuesday commerce of Talbot to Ottawa for prospect Filip Gustavsson that he didn’t need any extra “drama” along with his goaltending state of affairs. Final week, Talbot’s agent, George Bazos, advised a hockey insider that “Invoice has quite a bit to consider” concerning Talbot and the beginning job. Guerin replied, “I don’t have s— to do. Cam Talbot is below contract.”
Now, that contract, with one 12 months left at $3.66M, belongs to Ottawa and the Senators.
Whereas Talbot says he hasn’t been advised something by the Sens group in regards to the beginning job, he plans to earn it. The incumbent, Anton Forsberg, gained his first beginning job within the NHL final season with Ottawa on the age of 29.
“Actually, I’m undecided what to make of the state of affairs, it’s form of a brand new alternative for me,” Talbot mentioned. “I’m undecided what the coaches, or GM or something form of envision, we haven’t had any of these talks but.
“No matter form of position they need me in is how I’m going to play it, however clearly I need to play,” Talbot mentioned. “I believe I’ve obtained numerous good hockey left in me and I can nonetheless play upwards of 50-55 video games a 12 months and that’s what I’m going to push for. However you by no means understand how issues are going to play out – I nonetheless need the web as a lot as doable and I hope it’s going to be an excellent relationship between Anton and myself.”
Talbot doesn’t know numerous the Sens gamers, however says he was contacted and welcomed by Austin Watson, Brady Tkachuk, Josh Norris and Tim Stützle. The veteran goalie was with Giroux briefly in Philadelphia in 2019 and met Tkachuk on the All-Star recreation final 12 months. He was additionally conversant in the Sens captain through his brother, Matthew, when Talbot was a member of the Calgary Flames in 2019-20.
With loads of expertise of hockey hotbed strain from the Battle of Alberta – Talbot was with the Edmonton Oilers from 2015-19 – Talbot seems to be ahead to being a part of a renewed Battle of Ontario between the Maple Leafs and Senators. Talbot grew up in Hamilton and nonetheless makes his house there. He says he grew up watching Sens-Leafs video games on Hockey Evening in Canada.
“It wasn’t a lot better when Toronto and Ottawa have been enjoying one another,” Talbot mentioned. “I bear in mind having CBC on each Saturday night time, sitting on the sofa watching with my dad and yeah – rising up watching Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza, Marian Hossa and Wade Redden who simply joined the group (improvement coach) and I used to be in a position to play with him in Hartford a little bit bit.”
As a Hamilton child, Talbot took particular discover of the late Ray Emery of Hamilton being the beginning goaltender for the Senators within the 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs and Cup remaining. Talbot, 19 on the time, had simply completed a season with the Hamilton Purple Wings of the OPJHL.
There for Craig Anderson
Senators followers will bear in mind Talbot staying out by the bench post-game to salute then-Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson, following Anderson’s 2016 shutout of the Oilers after Anderson had missed time to are likely to his spouse, Nicholle, battling most cancers.
“I bear in mind it was his first recreation again from a tough time of their lives,” Talbot mentioned. “And you already know, it was a goalie battle the complete night time. I believe it was 2-0 with an empty-netter. Once you see a man on the different finish, and his teammates simply flocking to him after the sport, and he was overcome with feelings – some issues within the recreation are larger than hockey. And I felt the necessity to acknowledge that on the bench – his efficiency and the way powerful that will need to have been, and the way good it will need to have felt to get that win in the way in which they did it.”
Talking of household, Talbot and his spouse, Kelly, have twins Landon and Sloane turning six this fall.
Talbot says he hopes to discover a rental house quickly in Ottawa, near different gamers and their households. Watson, a veteran participant with youngsters, was notably useful providing info to Talbot about housing and faculties.
In the meantime, Talbot is figuring out in his house health club in Hamilton and coaching with longtime goalie coach Pat DiPronio on a tiny ice rink facility in Stoney Creek that the locals check with as ‘The Dungeon.’
