DETROIT -- Who should be in goal for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off? The Detroit Red Wings coaches were talking about it in their room recently when they came to this conclusion:
"Like, why not 'Talbs'?" Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said. "… I don't see why he would not be in that mix."
"Talbs" is Cam Talbot, the Red Wings' 37-year-old goalie, who is on his eighth team in 12 NHL seasons and has represented Canada once in his NHL career.
When you look at the situation and the numbers, it makes sense, which speaks to both Canada's goaltending options and Talbot's performance this season.
"I don't know if I'm even in that conversation, to be quite honest with you," Talbot said. "But obviously if I were to be, it'd be an honor just to be even mentioned to wear the Canada crest on my chest for a tournament in any capacity -- starter, backup, practice goalie."
NHL players from Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States will play in the 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal and Boston from Feb. 12-20. It will be the first best-on-best tournament since the World Cup of Hockey 2016 in Toronto.
The favorite is Canada, which has won four of the past five best-on-best tournaments and will be stacked with stars again. But Canada doesn't have a Martin Brodeur, Roberto Luongo or Carey Price as it did then. The United States' options include Connor Hellebuyck, the reigning winner of the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best goalie.
The rosters will be announced Dec. 4.
"Canada hasn't had decisions for a number of years," said St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong, who leads the Canada management group. "… It's a little bit different right now. Obviously, the U.S. has a large number of players at the top of their game. We're going to find three good goalies that can help us win."
Armstrong said Canada has a "different department" to scout goaltending.
"They understand that a little bit better," he said. "If the puck is on the right side of the goal line, I'm happy."
How will Canada weigh body of work against recent performance?
Marc-Andre Fleury of the Minnesota Wild has won the Stanley Cup three times and the Vezina once. Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues and Adin Hill of the Vegas Golden Knights each has won the Cup. Stuart Skinner of the Edmonton Oilers came within a game of the Cup last season.
But Fleury is a 39-year-old backup in what is supposed to be his final NHL season and has a .904 save percentage, and that's the best of that group. Binnington is at .891, Hill .887. Skinner is at .882.
Talbot has a .921 save percentage, tied with Jake Allen of the New Jersey Devils for the best among goalies from Canada who have played more than one game. Logan Thompson of the Washington Capitals is next at .914.
Same story at even strength. Talbot has a .946 save percentage, best among goalies from Canada. Allen is second at .928. Thompson is third at .927. Among goalies who have played more than seven games, Calvin Pickard of the Oilers is next at .925.
The Red Wings give up 31.9 shots on goal per game, fifth most in the NHL, and generally cut down on rush chances and keep shots to the outside. You could argue that inflates Talbot's numbers. But you also could argue that Canada doesn't need its goalie to be a hero. It needs him to make the routine saves.
"When [Talbot] gets his game in order, you know what you're getting, and if you can play the right way in front of him, it's going to be pretty consistent," said Lalonde, who worked under Canada coach Jon Cooper as an assistant with the Tampa Bay Lighting from 2018-22.
What if Canada does need its goalie to be a hero? Talbot has an .870 save percentage on high-danger shots, according to NHL EDGE, the League's Puck and Player Tracking technology. Again, that's the best among goalies from Canada. Darcy Kuemper of the Los Angeles Kings is at .857. Mackenzie Blackwood of the San Jose Sharks is at .850.
"Every game, he's been incredible," Red Wings forward Patrick Kane said of Talbot. "… You can tell he's a hard worker off the ice, tries hard in practice, wants to stop pucks in practices, seems to enjoy the game too, so he's been awesome for us."
The only time Talbot has represented Canada during his NHL career was at the 2016 IIHF World Championship in Russia. He went 7-1-0 with a 1.25 goals-against average, .940 save percentage and four shutouts, including a 2-0 win against Finland in the gold medal game.
"That was just a surreal experience," Talbot said. "I mean, I couldn't believe I even got the call. Again, any time you get a chance to represent your country, it's an unbelievable honor. You know, when I got over there, I fully expected them to bring in another goalie after the first or second round, something like that. I didn't expect them to roll with me the whole tournament. But it was one of the best experiences I've had in hockey."
Why not Talbs? He made the NHL All-Star Game for the first time late in his career, with the Wild in 2022, and returned with the Kings last season.
"There's a lot of younger guys, guys with Stanley Cups, guys that they probably want to get …" Talbot said, his voice trailing off. "Guys with the pedigree that maybe I don't have. Experience maybe counts for something at this point, but I think that's pretty much all I've got over those guys."
That lack of pedigree drives him, though.
"Absolutely," he said. "Yeah, that's what kept me here. As soon as I lose that competitive edge, that competitive nature, that's when I know I'll be done. I still have that fire burning inside me. I want to continue to perform at the highest level."
NHL.com deputy managing editor Adam Kimelman contributed to this report
