Oilers, Among Other Teams, Could Target Veteran Goalie

It is abundantly clear that the Edmonton Oilers need goaltending. Calvin Pickard should be done at the NHL level, given his season so far, and Stuart Skinner can't seem to hold down the net as a good enough starter during the regular season and some of the playoffs for Edmonton.

There will be goalies available as there have been during the season and the offseason the last number of years that the Oilers have missed out on. They can't afford to do that anymore if they want to be competitive. The team is tied for second-last in goals against with 75 already.

David Pagnotta said, "Cam Talbot, last year of his deal...no no-trade protection. If I'm the Oilers...maybe that's a call worth making. If I'm another team that's looking to solidify the goaltending position, Talbot will be a candidate later on."

The goaltending situation is interesting in Detroit. John Gibson didn't want to come to Edmonton because he would have to share the net with Skinner, but that's how the season started with the Detroit Red Wings. Gibson has taken control of the starter's net, which leaves Talbot, who's still a good goalie, backing up. The Red Wings have more options in the AHL that can be brought up immediately, such as Sebastian Cossa, who is 4-0-0 with a 1.75 GAA and .939 SV%, or Michal Postava, who is also 4-0-0 with a 2.15 GAA and .936 SV%.

Talbot's cap hit of $2.5 million AAV makes him acquirable for the Oilers, especially if a player or two is moved out. Pickard would definitely be traded or sent down, making it so the Oilers would only have to clear $1.5 million instead of $2.5 million.

As for other teams looking to bring in someone like Talbot. Unless he takes over the starting job in Detroit, there isn't much reason for the team to keep him around if multiple teams are going to have a bidding war for the veteran. The goalie market is weak right now, but Talbot could even be dealt some time before the trade deadline if a team is desperate enough, like the Oilers should be.