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It hasn’t made a difference who has been between the pipes for New York Rangers this season as opposing players have been able to put the puck in the net at an alarming rate. Much of this has to do with the inexcusably bad execution of Rangers’ defensemen. Unfortunately, veteran goaltender Martin Biron wasn’t stopping pucks regardless of the play in front of him. His poor performance led to New York waiving him and bringing up 26 year old Cam Talbot as his replacement.
Talbot has been with Hartford Wolfpack for quite some time now, waiting for his chance to backup star goalie Henrik Lundqvist. His opportunity to take over the job as Rangers’ No. 2 has finally come, and he has to seize the chance to hold onto it.
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Despite Biron’s popularity as a teammate and leader in New York’s locker room, he was not doing enough to hold onto the job. Talbot looked good in the preseason and has played very well so far in Hartford. Lundqvist obviously cannot start every game in net for Rangers and the team cannot afford to be blown out every game he doesn’t start. With Talbot now in the NHL, New York has a chance to win games even without Hank between the pipes.
It’s uncertain if Talbot will stick around with the club for the rest of the season or if he will be sent back to the AHL, but he has a great opportunity to prove he is good enough to be the permanent backup. Right now, Talbot undeniably gives the Rangers a better chance at winning than Biron does, and he will prove that whenever he gets his first start for the team. Rangers fans should feel more secure now with their goaltending situation.
Martin Burns covers New York Rangers hockey for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter for more thoughts and news on the Blueshirts as well as the rest of the NHL!
