Minnesota Wild trade goaltender Cam Talbot to Ottawa Senators for Filip Gustavsson
It turns out Bill Guerin did have shit to do.
After a public spat between Guerin and Cam Talbot’s agent that broke out during the draft, the Minnesota Wild have dealt the disgruntled goaltender to the Ottawa Senators. Coming back is goaltender Filip Gustavsson in a one-for-one deal.
It didn’t take long after news broke of Marc-Andre Fleury’s two-year extension in Minnesota for Talbot’s agent, George Bazos, to come to his players defence. Through TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, Bazos said “we both stated our positions. Billy has a lot to think about.”
Guerin fired back after day two of the draft.
“I don’t have shit to do. Cam Talbot’s under contract,” Guerin said, as transcribed by The Athletic’s Michael Russo. “George can say whatever the hell he wants. My team’s set right now, and that’s the way it goes. We can have all the discussions we want. Cam’s a member of our team. We really like Cam. All we’re trying to do is win.”
With the earth scorched between the two sides and two years left on a deal for Talbot paying him an AAV of $3.6-million, it was hard to imagine any sort of reconciliation.
And with the move, Cam Talbot will get his request of being a starting goaltender in the NHL — something he deserves after a year that saw him put up a 32-14-4 record with a .911 save percentage and a 2.76 GAA.
For Minnesota, it allows them to go into next season drama free with a decent backup. Gustavsson’s numbers this year were far from pretty boasting a 5-12-1 record, a .892 save percentage and a 3.55 goals against average. But he brings with him draft pedigree as a former 2nd round pick who has won plenty of international medals.
His game has grown from when he first played in North America in 2018-19 and over the last two seasons playing in the AHL, he’s posted a 16-13-2 record and a .910, and .915 save percentages in back-to-back years.
Gustavsson is entering the final year of a two-year deal paying him an AAV of $787,500.
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.