Report: Flames in negotiations with former Oilers goaltender

After the team’s most successful regular season in 30 years, you might expect that the Calgary Flames would make few changes this offseason. But, without either of their goaltenders from 2018-19 with a contract, it appears that big time changes are coming for the Flames, at least between the pipes. Veteran Mike Smith is a pending unrestricted free agent who has had discussions with Flames management, but there’s no guarantee that he’ll return. In fact, TSN insider Frank Seravalli reports that Smith has had discussions with other teams around the league as he prepares to hit the free agent market:

It’s also worth noting that the Flames’ other goaltender, David Rittich, is a pending restricted free agent. One option for the Flames though, should they not come to an agreement with Smith, is former Edmonton Oilers goaltender Cam Talbot. The 31 year old is slated to become a free agent on July 1st and Seravalli reports that Talbot may in fact return to Alberta as a member of the Flames.

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Interesting. This would certainly make the Battle of Alberta a LOT more intriguing. Talbot, however, struggled for the second consecutive season in 2018-19 and ultimately ended up on the scrap heap in Edmonton. He was moved to the Philadelphia Flyers and ended up playing just four games in limited time with the Flyers.