Los Angeles Kings sign Cam Talbot to one-year, $1 million contract

The Los Angeles Kings have signed goaltender Cam Talbot to a one-year, $1 million contract.

Talbot, 35, was an unrestricted free agent after the conclusion of his three-year contract with a $3,666,667 cap hit, one he originally signed with the Minnesota Wild in 2020. He spent the first two years of that contract with the Wild, and then was dealt to the Ottawa Senators for Filip Gustavsson in 2022 after wanting out of Minnesota when they traded for and signed Marc-Andre Fleury. Talbot’s closest cap hit comparables are Sam Montembeault and Scott Wedgewood.

Talbot dealt with some injuries in 2022-23, but got into 36 games with the Senators, where he had a 17-14-2 record, an .898 save percentage, one shutout, and 0.3 5v5 goals saved above expected. It was just the second time in his career that he’s finished a season with a save percentage below .900, as he had an .892 save percentage in 2018-19 in 35 games with the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Flyers.

Talbot was an undrafted free agent, spending three seasons at the University of Alabama in Huntsville before signing with the New York Rangers in 2010. He’s played for the Rangers, Oilers, Flyers, Calgary Flames, Wild, and Senators over the course of his 10-season NHL career.

Talbot will help solidify the crease in Los Angeles a bit after a shaky 2022-23 season in net for the team, as their goaltending was a big detriment to the team until Joonas Korpisalo and Pheonix Copley solidified the position enough to keep them competitive. Copley is signed for another season, but it’s unknown whether or not the Kings will add another goalie or if Talbot and Copley will play in tandem.

The Kings have also made a few other moves this offseason, dealing Cal Petersen and Sean Walker in a cap dump as part of a three-team trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Flyers, sending Sean Durzi to the Arizona Coyotes, and acquiring Pierre-Luc Dubois for Gabe Vilardi, Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari, and a second round pick. They also signed Dubois to an eight-year extension with an $8.5 million contract after acquiring him.