The 35-year-old goalie was 32-12-4 with a 2.76 goals-against average, .911 save percentage and three shutouts in 49 games (48 starts) last season. He has one season remaining on a three-year, $11 million contract ($3.67 million average annual value) he signed with Minnesota on Oct. 9, 2020.
The trade comes five days after the Wild re-signed Marc-Andre Fleury to a two-year, $7 million contract ($3.5 million AAV). Fleury split time with Talbot after he was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks before the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline on March 21, but started the first five games of the best-of-7 Western Conference First Round, a six-game loss to the St. Louis Blues.
"I just felt what's transpired over the last little while, with the signing of Marc-Andre Fleury, it's probably best to just move in a different direction with Cam," Wild general manager Bill Guerin said. "That way, there's no drama, there's no controversy or anything like that. We just felt that it was best at this time. Like I said, we wish Cam all the luck in the world.
"Cam and I actually had a very good conversation. Him and I have actually gotten to know each other rather well over the last couple years, and sometimes you just know in your gut that things might not work out and somebody might not be happy. I don't want a player to be like that either, and sometimes it's best to just move on."
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Signed by the New York Rangers as a free agent March 30, 2010, Talbot is 201-142-34 with a 2.63 GAA, .915 save percentage and 27 shutouts in 396 regular-season games (381 starts) for the Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames, and Wild. He is 15-16 with a 2.51 GAA, .921 save percentage and six shutouts in 33 Stanley Cup Playoff games (31 starts).
For the Senators, the deal comes one day after they traded Matt Murray to the Toronto Maple Leafs for future considerations. Ottawa also gave up a third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, a seventh-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and retained 25 percent of Murray's salary.
With Murray gone, Talbot will battle for the No. 1 role with Anton Forsberg, who signed a three-year, $8.25 million contract ($2.75 million AAV) with the Senators on March 21. The 29-year-old was 22-17-4 with a 2.82 GAA, .917 save percentage and one shutout in 46 games (44 starts) this season.
"Cam is experienced and provides us with greater goaltending stability heading into next season," Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said. "He was instrumental in helping Minnesota reach the playoffs in each of his two seasons with the Wild. The tandem of he and Anton Forsberg sets us up nicely for the upcoming year."
