Sharks also interested in Cam Talbot, Robin Lehner

Craig Anderson isn’t the only goalie the Sharks have inquired about as they search for a new starter; in fact, he isn’t even the only Ottawa Senators goalie they’ve reportedly shown interest in. Per ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun, the Sharks have also had discussions with the Senators regarding 6’4″ 23-year-old Robin Lehner and are one of at least two teams that have talked to New York about Henrik Lundqvist’s backup Cam Talbot.

Lehner was a highly-touted prospect out of Sweden who burst onto the scene in 2011 when he led Ottawa’s AHL affiliate to the league championship and was named playoff MVP after posting a .939 SV% in 19 games. Lehner also started his NHL career on fire with a .929 SV% over his first 1,150 shots before cooling down significantly over the second half of last season and into this year before suffering a concussion that kept him out of action down the stretch and into the playoffs. Appearing in just 25 games during an injury-hampered season, Lehner’s .905 SV% in 2014-15 was one of the worst marks among qualifying goalies this year. Lehner’s a bit of a wild card at this point; he has the size and talent to be a NHL starter but concerns about his concussion, as well as his sub-par 11-month stretch prior to that injury, are legitimate. Again, the Sens are seeking a top-six forward in return for either Lehner or Anderson.

Talbot’s future career trajectory seems even more uncertain than Lehner’s. The 6’3″ Rangers backup has appeared in just 57 NHL games to date but he’s been fantastic in that small sample. Among goalies who have played at least 2500 minutes over the past two seasons, Talbot is 3rd in 5-on-5 SV% behind a couple of guys named Carey Price and Tuukka Rask. Because Oilers makes a compelling case that Talbot compares favorably to Devils star Cory Schneider at the time he was traded from Vancouver to New Jersey. Again, though, Talbot has played in just 57 NHL games ever and will turn 28 in July. League history is littered with goalies who have looked unbeatable for a season’s worth of starts before descending into mediocrity, or worse. Talbot’s unspectacular AHL resume doesn’t scream “future NHL star” either but with just a $1.45 million cap hit and a likely Rangers asking price of little more than a second round pick, he’s probably still a bet worth making.