The Detroit Red Wings brought in veteran netminder Cam Talbot as a free-agent signing to stabilize the crease amid some uncertainty regarding who could step up as the number-one guy.
Talbot ended up sharing the crease with Alex Lyon for the bulk of the season. The duo showed flashes of brilliance. I recall Lyon shutting out the New York Islanders early in the season in a brilliant 1-0 win.
Solid numbers and workload
But the bulk of the load was expected to fall on Talbot’s shoulders. And, that was the case. Talbot hit the ice for 47 games this season. He started 43, notching a 21-19-5 record with a 2.93 GAA and a .901 SV%.
While those aren’t Vezina-worthy numbers, they are solid for a 37-year-old goalie who some thought was washed up.
A qiuck footnote
The Wings were Talbot’s fourth different team in four seasons and seventh in eight seasons. Talbot has, surprisingly, become a journeyman goalie even while putting up solid numbers along his various stops.
That being said, the Wings signed Talbot for two years at $2.5 million per season. I think that was a reasonable cap hit for a goalie that many teams passed on last summer. Plus, his relatively productive season gives Talbot a passing grade.
Passing grade contingencies
But that passing grade hinges on two things. First of all, the Red Wings were expected to contend for a playoff spot this past season. Inconsistency derailed that aim early in the season. But it must be said that Todd McLellan’s arrival stabilized much of said inconsistency.
The other issue is that Talbot didn’t get the support he could have expected from his blue line. As I’ve pointed out in my other reviews of Ben Chiarot and Justin Holl, the Wings didn’t necessarily live up to expectations during long stretches of the season.
As a result, Talbot and Lyon were pretty much left to fend for themselves at times. That’s something that will need to change this upcoming season if the Red Wings are to challenge for a playoff spot.
Final Grade: C+
Cam Talbot gets a passing grade despite his good, if underwhelming season. After all, no one expected Talbot to challenge Connor Hellebuyck for the Vezina this season. But, at the very least, the Wings hoped they would get consistency in goal.
The Wings got that for the most part this season.
Moving forward, Talbot’s on the team for one more year as is trade deadline re-acquisition Peter Mrazek. Given Mrazek’s $4.25 million cap hit, the Wings will run with a Talbot-Mrazek duo next season.
That situation leaves Lyon on the outside looking in as he’s a UFA. Lyon made $900K last season. So, I could envisage the Wings signing Lyon to a similar deal this summer and keeping him around as the third-stringer.
That’s key for a reason: Talbot and Mrazek are far from sure bets next season. So, Lyon will be insurance unless the Wings can somehow snag a high-end goaltender this summer.