Cam Talbot is about to join his ninth NHL team.
After spending two seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, Talbot will be signing a one-year, $950,000 contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He'll be part of a goaltending trio that includes Jet Greaves and Phoenix Copley; Elvis Merzlikins is also part of the Blue Jackets' roster, though he is out of action for the moment following an offseason shoulder surgery.
Drought-slayer? Columbus is in position to make a move up the standings
As part of the Edmonton Oilers, Talbot helped the team end what was a 10-year playoff drought. That 2016-17 season saw Talbot put together a campaign that included 42 wins, a 2.39 goals against average, a .919 save percentage, and seven shutouts.
Besides that 2016-17 campaign, Talbot played another two-and-a-half total seasons with the Oilers before being traded to the Philadelphia Flyers.
Given that the Blue Jackets are currently enduring a six-season playoff drought, which is tied with the Chicago Blackhawks for the third-longest absence, Talbot has the opportunity to continue the legacy he left behind in Edmonton and establish himself as a drought-slayer of sorts should he help Columbus get back into the playoffs.
On that note, there is a decent chance that Talbot can end a second longstanding playoff drought. Rick Bowness' arrival as the organization's head coach sparked a surge that nearly ended Columbus' playoff drought last season; they were in control of a postseason spot for much of the final two months of the season before losing out to the Flyers. While the Blue Jackets lost a few core pieces heading into the new campaign, there is nonetheless some degree of familiarity in the locker room. On top of that, Talbot's experience should complement the momentum from last season.
But he's going to have to find a way to get past his struggles in Detroit
Speaking of teams with longstanding playoff droughts.
The Red Wings have spent the past handful of seasons trying to end their postseason drought, which dates back to 2016. Talbot was part of their two latest attempts.
During the 2024-25 season, the first of those two attempts, Talbot did post some decent statistics. He finished with a 21-19-5 record, a 2.93 goals against average, and a .901 save percentage. His numbers would decline in 2025-26; while he still put together a winning record (12-9-6), his goals against average rose to 3.19, while his save percentage dipped to a .883 measure.
The latter numbers will have to improve if Talbot is to help take Columbus back to the postseason. After all, in his first full season in the NHL, Greaves put together a 26-19-9 record in addition to a 2.60 goals against average and a .908 save percentage.
But given that the split Merzlikins is leaving behind isn't that big - a 14-11-3 record, a 3.40 goals against average, and an .883 save percentage - Talbot will have somewhere to start when the puck drops on Columbus' season on October 1.
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