The goalie trades continue! The Edmonton Oilers have finally acquired a goaltender, receiving Cam Talbot and pick 209 from the New York Rangers in exchange for pick 57, 79 and 184 in the 2015 NHL Draft.
Rangers trade Cam Talbot and pick 209 to Oilers for pick 57, 79, and 184
— Arpon Basu (@ArponBasu) June 27, 2015
The Oilers were connected to several goalies who were believed to be on the market, but little by little each one (Eddie Lack, Robin Lehner and others) were shipped to other destinations. As the list of available netminders dwindled, the Oilers felt the pressure and knew they had to pull a trigger on a deal. The eventual price (three picks for a goalie and a pick) isn’t too bad considering the position the Oilers found themselves in. If they would’ve missed out on Talbot, the options remaining weren’t ideal.
As for the Rangers, the team appeared to be ready to trade Talbot as soon as the 2014-15 season ended. He performed extremely well while Henrik Lundqvist was sidelined, but the Rangers don’t have much use for him when a healthy Lundqvist will suit up in almost every game. Talbot is entering the final year of his contract and the Rangers wouldn’t want to commit additional money for a backup.
The big question for the Oilers is in how they’ll use Talbot. He’s the best option for the team at this time, but is he ready to be the starter? We’ll soon find out.
