from Jonathan Willis of the Edmonton Journal,

Cam Talbot was brought in from the New York Rangers at significant cost over the summer with the idea that he would establish himself as the Edmonton Oilers’ starting goaltender. Instead, he’s fallen into a tandem situation with nominal backup Anders Nilsson, and the head coach is now stressing the need for development in net.

“We have confidence in both of them,” said head coach Todd McLellan on Tuesday, putting the best spin possible on the situation. “We’re trying to develop two goaltenders that are figuring their way out and trying to establish themselves as starters in the league… It will continue to be our job to develop both, to get them both confident and get them playing.”

McLellan has seen goaltending tandems work in the past. He was an assistant coach on the 2008 Detroit Red Wings team that won the Stanley Cup after splitting starts almost 50/50 between Dominik Hasek and Chris Osgood during the regular season. As an NHL head coach in San Jose, though, he’s mostly run teams with clear-cut No. 1 and No. 2 goaltenders.

He says the situation is different in Edmonton.

“We’re at a different phase, though, in our organization to tell you the truth,” he said. “We’re developing forwards, we’re developing d-men, we’re trying to grow as a team; we’re laying a foundation down. We feel we need to do that with the goaltenders as well.”

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