While the Columbus Blue Jackets missed the playoffs for a sixth straight season in 2025-26, there were some positives. One of those positives was finding out that Jet Greaves was ready to be the top netminder. He supplanted Elvis Merzlikins in between the pipes. The Jackets hoped to have the Greaves-Merzlikins combo again for the 2026-27 campaign, but injuries and surgery will keep Merzlikins out of the lineup at the start of the season.

With Merzlikins sidelined, the Blue Jackets needed another netminder to open up training camp this week, and now they have found their man, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.

“Hearing the Blue Jackets will be signing UFA veteran goalie Cam Talbot, 39, to a one-year deal ($950k) later today,” LeBrun posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Talbot's professional career began on an amateur tryout contract with the New York Rangers' AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack. He broke into the NHL with the Rangers in 2013-14 and spent two seasons as the team's backup. The goalie was traded to the Edmonton Oilers ahead of the 2015-16 campaign, playing 140 games over the next two seasons. He was traded during the 2018-19 season and has bounced around the league some since then.

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Talbot has spent time with the Calgary Flames, Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators, Los Angeles Kings, and most recently, the Detroit Red Wings. He played in 34 games last year for the Red Wings, going 12-9-6 with a 3.19 goals-against average and an .883 save percentage.

With Pheonix Copley being the only other netminder with NHL experience on the roster, it was necessary to find a solid backup for Greaves. Copley has played in just ten games at the NHL level over the last three seasons.

The Blue Jackets arrive for camp on September 16, with the first on-ice work being on September 17. They open the preseason against the Detroit Red Wings on September 21 before hosting the Buffalo Sabres on October 1 to open the regular season.