Cam Talbot was loving his first season with the Calgary Flames so much that the pending unrestricted free agent is hoping to return for the 2020-21 season.
“I would love a welcome back next season if they have it in their plans. I would love to come back,” Talbot told Sportsnet 960 on Tuesday. “Obviously, with the (COVID-19) situation who knows when those conversations will even come up but if they’re looking for a guy next year then I’d be more than happy to come back.”
Talbot, 32, signed a one-year deal worth $2.75 million with the Flames when free agency opened last summer following a 2018-19 campaign that was statistically his worst season of his NHL career. The netminder went 10-15-3 with a .893 save percentage and 3.36 goals-against average with the Edmonton Oilers before being traded to the Philadelphia Flyers, where he didn’t fare any better.
Talbot only managed to earn one victory in his first two months with the Flames this season, but from December on he went 11-5-1 with a .927 save percentage and two shutouts. He had won four of his past five outings prior to the NHL’s indefinite hiatus.
“Obviously last year I wasn’t where I’ve shown I can be at and this year I wanted kind of a redemption year as you might say,” Talbot said. “I thought throughout the whole season I’ve been pretty consistent. The wins started to come towards the end of the year here so I was gaining more and more confidence as the year went on and obviously that comes with more playing time and stuff like that. Any time you can be in the net a little more often you can get in a bit of a groove and I think once I was able to string a few games together and play a little bit more you can really see my game was starting to turn around.
“It was unfortunate the timing of the break but everyone’s health and safety is at the forefront here so that’s most important right now.”
Talbot shares the crease with David Rittich, who is under contract with the Flames through the 2020-21 season before he’s slated to become a UFA.
The Flames had been holding onto a playoff spot, sitting third place in the Pacific Division, when the NHL paused the schedule.
“Hopefully we can get going again because this has been one of the best groups I’ve been a part of and I’d really like to see it through with this group of guys,” Talbot added.
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