Edmonton Oilers: Was Cam Talbot Snubbed From All-Star Roster
The NHL announced their All-Star rosters for the 2017 NHL All-Star game taking place on Jan. 29. While the Pacific Division does look stacked, it seems to be missing a certain goaltender.
Led by Connor McDavid, the Pacific Division team features names like Bo Horvat, Brent Burns and other solid skaters. However, while the Pacific Division roster does look stacked, there are a few questions when it comes to their situation between the pipes.
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Martin Jones (Sharks) and Mike Smith (Coyotes) will suit up as the two goaltenders for the Pacific. While they are pretty solid netminders, and do a great job for their respective clubs, it does leave a question: was Cam Talbot snubbed?
The Oilers goalie leads the NHL in games started with 37 and has gone 20-11-6, posting a 2.44 GAA and .920 save percentage. He has not only been excellent for the Oilers this season, but is one of the reasons the team is in a race for the Pacific Division lead.
Spotlight: Smith and Jones
Mike Smith is completely deserving of his spot on the All-Star roster. He plays in front of a struggling team and keeps them in every game. In fact, he is often sensational between the pipes, but doesn’t get too much help from his defence or forwards. With his determination, he stands out, making him an easy pick for the ASG.
However, when it comes to Jones, who possesses slightly superior numbers when it comes to GAA, he has a worse save percentage than him and has also played in fewer games. By the same token, they’ve won the same amount of games, and Talbot has definitely faced more shots.
So, in the end, the NHL is obviously ignoring Talbot for a bigger name. Jones is a superb goaltender, one that carried the Sharks to the Stanley Cup Final last season. He’s a solid starter and one of the goalies who worked hard to get where he is.
However, Talbot is carrying his team to new heights after 10 years and is playing an unbelievable amount of minutes. His stamina, will-to-win and star power are just three factors that earned him an all-star spot. Hopefully for Talbot, this snub will motivate him to work hard so he isn’t ignored by the league anymore.
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