NEW YORK, February 18, 2013 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has agreed to terms with goaltender Cam Talbot on a new contract.
Talbot, 25, is 19-19-1 with a 2.52 goals against average, .919 save percentage and one shutout in 39 appearances with the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League (AHL) this season. He leads the team in wins, goals against average and save percentage, and is tied for fourth in the league in wins and 11th in save percentage. Talbot made 26 saves in a 2-1 win against Norfolk on Saturday to extend his current winning streak to a career-high-tying, four games, beginning with a 4-1 win on February 9 at St. John’s. On January 26, he established an AHL career-high with his 15th win of the season, stopping 26 shots in a 3-2 victory against Springfield. Talbot also posted his first shutout of the season, and seventh of his AHL career, with a 25-save effort in a 3-0 win on January 4 against Adirondack.
The 6-3, 205-pounder has appeared in 95 career AHL contests with Connecticut/Hartford, posting a record of 44-43-4 along with a 2.65 goals against average, .913 save percentage and seven shutouts. He established a career-high with four shutouts in 2011-12, which tied for eighth in the league. Talbot posted shutouts in Game 1 (42 saves) and Game 2 (41 saves) of Connecticut’s Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series against Bridgeport in the 2012 Calder Cup Playoffs, to become the first goaltender in franchise history to record back-to-back postseason shutouts. His 42-save shutout in Game 1 on April 19, 2012, at Bridgeport also marked a franchise record for most saves in a postseason shutout.
Talbot made his professional debut in a relief appearance, stopping eight shots in 19 minutes of ice time on April 7, 2010, against Worcester. He posted his first professional win with a 41-save shutout, while making his first professional start on October 17, 2010, at Providence. With the shutout, Talbot became the first Connecticut goaltender to post a shutout in his first professional start, and he tied the Whale franchise record for saves in a shutout victory.
The Caledonia, Ontario native originally signed with the Rangers as an undrafted free agent on March 30, 2010, following a three-year collegiate career with the University of Alabama-Huntsville (CHA). Talbot was named the 2010 CHA tournament MVP and selected to the CHA All-Tournament Team after backstopping the Chargers to their second CHA tournament championship while in his final collegiate season.
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