According to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia, Ottawa Senators goalie Cam Talbot will miss more than a month with an upper-body injury.
In a lateral piece of news, the Senators picked up goalie Magnus Hellberg on waivers from the Seattle Kraken. In an offseason that has been dubbed “The Summer of Pierre,” Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion went out and acquired three key pieces for the team’s future.
First, he made a splash by trading for superstar goal-scorer Alex DeBrincat from the Chicago Blackhawks. Then, in an unexpected move, he traded former goalie prospect Filip Gustavsson to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for the veteran netminder Talbot.
He capped off the phenomenal offseason with the free agency signing of Claude Giroux to a three-year contract.
Unfortunately for the Sens, they will be without Talbot for roughly the first month of the season. Fellow goaltender Anton Forsberg will be heavily relied on to keep the team afloat until Talbot returns. Forsberg earned the starter job last season, finishing with a record of 22-17-4 and a .917 save percentage.
Talbot played the 2021-22 season for the Wild. He entered the season as the starter but ultimately lost his job to Marc-Andre Fleury, who was traded there at the trade deadline. Through 49 games, Talbot posted a remarkable 32-12-4 record along with a .911 save percentage.
Hellberg is a journeyman 31-year-old goalie who has four NHL games under his belt. Although he doesn’t quite have the NHL pedigree of most other backups, he has a wealth of experience at the AHL and KHL levels. Hellberg has played the last five seasons in the KHL, posting solid numbers every season.
Hellberg’s career record in the KHL is 81-64-14 along with 22 playoff games. He will be the stopgap in Ottawa ensuring Mads Sogaard can continue his development with the Belleville Senators.
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