CALGARY—The Flames signed goaltender Cam Talbot to a one-year contract worth $2.75 million U.S. on the opening day of NHL free agency.
Talbot joins David Rittich, who had a breakout season platooning with Mike Smith, in the Flames goalie mix. Calgary finished atop the Western Conference with a 50-25-7 regular-season record, then lost to the Colorado Avalanche in five games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The 37-year-old Smith was Calgary’s starter in the post-season, but tested the free-agent market after two seasons as a Flame and signed a one-year contract worth $2 million with the rival Edmonton Oilers. New Oilers head coach Dave Tippett worked with Smith for six seasons with the Arizona Coyotes.
Talbot, 31, was Edmonton’s starter for three of his four years there, but was supplanted this past season by Mikko Koskinen. The Oilers traded Talbot to the Philadelphia Flyers in February for goalie Anthony Stolarz in a salary dump.
The six-foot-four, 196-pound Talbot, from Caledonia, Ont., was a standout for the Oilers in 2017 when the team reached the second round of the playoffs, posting a .924 save percentage in that post-season.