Goaltending

[kehatch]

I remember a 1-month period where fans were ready to anoint the Calgary tower as our next goalie.  Patience is required.  As Cross says, there isn't going to be a bidding war for Berra in free agency.  Nor is he going to get the type of opportunity he has in Calgary on any other team.  There is no rush to sign him to an extension.  Lets see how he does for the remainder of the season.  Lets also see how Ortio continues to play because he might be ready next season.  

[s4xon]

I remember a 1-month period where fans were ready to anoint the Calgary tower as our next goalie.  Patience is required.  As Cross says, there isn't going to be a bidding war for Berra in free agency.  Nor is he going to get the type of opportunity he has in Calgary on any other team.  There is no rush to sign him to an extension.  Lets see how he does for the remainder of the season.  Lets also see how Ortio continues to play because he might be ready next season.  

 

I beg to differ.  If given a chance with the right team, he'd flourish.  As of late he's been pretty damn good between the pipes.  Backstopping a team like Chicago would only inflate his numbers and elevate his game. 

 

They went out and grabbed Labarbera from the Oilers because they are in need.  Yeah Labarbera has experience, but I would rather Berra in net than Labarbera.  The same for Khabi.  He's younger, quicker, and add the fact he's a very good shootout goalie.

 

I'm not saying he'd fetch anything of value at the deadline, but I know for a fact he'd be given the same opportunity on more than one NHL team with goaltending woes this season.  He's made headlines on more than one occasion.  Once for save of the year candidate, and the other for a new NHL record which he earned on a bottom 5 team in the league.  A little hasty to jump to that conclusion.

[kehatch]

I beg to differ. If given a chance with the right team, he'd flourish. As of late he's been pretty damn good between the pipes. Backstopping a team like Chicago would only inflate his numbers and elevate his game.

They went out and grabbed Labarbera from the Oilers because they are in need. Yeah Labarbera has experience, but I would rather Berra in net than Labarbera. The same for Khabi. He's younger, quicker, and add the fact he's a very good shootout goalie.

I'm not saying he'd fetch anything of value at the deadline, but I know for a fact he'd be given the same opportunity on more than one NHL team with goaltending woes this season. He's made headlines on more than one occasion. Once for save of the year candidate, and the other for a new NHL record which he earned on a bottom 5 team in the league. A little hasty to jump to that conclusion.

He might get a contract. But he has a chance to earn the starter role in Calgary. There aren't many teams that will give him that chance.

[swayze67]

Both Ramo and Berra have been playing very well but I think their success has a bit to do with the flames play in there own zone has improved some (not a lot-still needs a lot of work).  If they could sign Berra to a 2 way contract (not sure if that is possible)  then I would jump on it.  Then they would have great options for the next couple of seasons.  Bring up hot goalies and see what they are made of as well as send cold goaltenders down, and it would give them opportunities to see the other 2 goaltenders.

[jjgallow]

Ortio has completed a couple very strong games to put him 6th overall in GAA for the AHL, and 5th overall for save percentage.

 

At this time, I would suggest that he is the most NHL-ready AHL Rookie goaltender in the league.

 

I really hope the Flames leave him with the Heat and allow him to focus for now, but I would not be surprised if they call him up sooner.

 

 

As for Ramo and Berra, there is absolutely no rush.   Nor will there be, unless one of them actually shows up here:

http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?fetchKey=20142ALLGAGAll&sort=savePercentage&viewName=goalsAgainstAverage

[travel_dude]

Ortio has completed a couple very strong games to put him 6th overall in GAA for the AHL, and 5th overall for save percentage.

 

At this time, I would suggest that he is the most NHL-ready AHL Rookie goaltender in the league.

 

I really hope the Flames leave him with the Heat and allow him to focus for now, but I would not be surprised if they call him up sooner.

 

 

As for Ramo and Berra, there is absolutely no rush.   Nor will there be, unless one of them actually shows up here:

http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?fetchKey=20142ALLGAGAll&sort=savePercentage&viewName=goalsAgainstAverage

Funny who is directly ahead of them.

31 Sergei Bobrovsky CBJ 23 23 646 59 2.72 10 11 2 587 .909 1 0 1 2 1,303:15

32 Tim Thomas FLA 21 21 591 54 2.75 9 10 1 537 .909 0 0 1 2 1,176:33

33 Corey Crawford CHI 27 25 667 62 2.47 17 6 3 605 .907 0 0 1 0 1,504:27

34 Jaroslav Halak STL 28 27 653 61 2.40 17 6 3 592 .907 2 0 0 0 1,521:57

35 Antti Raanta CHI 14 12 342 32 2.38 9 1 3 310 .906 0 0 0 0 806:52

36 Martin Brodeur NJD 22 22 542 51 2.31 11 8 3 491 .906 3 0 1 0 1,326:38

37 Henrik Lundqvist NYR 28 27 751 71 2.77 10 15 2 680 .905 2 0 1 0 1,540:28

38 Jonathan Quick LAK 16 16 388 37 2.35 10 5 0 351 .905 1 0 0 0 945:24

39 Karri Ramo CGY 17 15 459 44 2.79 6 6 3 415 .904 0 0 0 8 947:15

40 Reto Berra CGY 16 16 477 46 2.96 5 9 2 431 .904 0 0 0 2 933:32

41 Ondrej Pavelec WPG 32 32 950 93 3.03 11 16 4 857 .902 1 0 0 0 1,843:22

42 Evgeni Nabokov NYI 20 20 570 56 2.88 7 7 5 514 .902 1 0 0 4 1,165:33

43 Craig Anderson OTT 26 26 789 78 3.26 11 9 4 711 .901 2 0 1 2 1,435:22

Doesn't prove much, but at least they are in good company. Both Berra and Ramo had adjustment periods where the Flames were playing a more offense-focused game and GA were always above 3.

[jjgallow]

Looks pretty clearly like two guys in their prime getting outplayed by senior citizens and the injury-plagued.  Very few on that list will be around next year.

[SheriforPM]

Looks pretty clearly like two guys in their prime getting outplayed by senior citizens and the injury-plagued.  Very few on that list will be around next year.

Now you're just being goofy. Quick and Lundqvist? Senior citizens? Really? 

Sorry JJ but you are reaching so far to slam Berra and Ramo that you are digging a deep hole. You are hoping and praying that Ortio or Gillies will be the next saviors and for the teams sake I hope you are right but you can't fault what Berra and Ramo are doing. They finally have some sort of defence in front of them, no offense now though.

Personally I think they are doing a terrific job and if they were on the Kings or Sharks, they would be lights out. On this team they are the stars. Period.

[phoenix66]

Looks pretty clearly like two guys in their prime getting outplayed by senior citizens and the injury-plagued.  Very few on that list will be around next year.

But I though Ramo and Berra were the senior citizens? Wasnt it the big knock that they were past their prime coming to the nhl at such an old age?

[DL44]

Quote

Looks pretty clearly like two guys in their prime getting outplayed by senior citizens and the injury-plagued. Very few on that list will be around next year.

Quote

Now you're just being goofy. Quick and Lundqvist? Senior citizens? Really?

I think he's talking about Quick and Lundqvist (in their primes) having worse numbers than by Brodeur and Thomas(senior citizens)...

(and injury plagued: Crawford, Halak, and Thomas)

[DirtyDeeds]

Now you're just being goofy. Quick and Lundqvist? Senior citizens? Really? 

Sorry JJ but you are reaching so far to slam Berra and Ramo that you are digging a deep hole. You are hoping and praying that Ortio or Gillies will be the next saviors and for the teams sake I hope you are right but you can't fault what Berra and Ramo are doing. They finally have some sort of defence in front of them, no offense now though.

Personally I think they are doing a terrific job and if they were on the Kings or Sharks, they would be lights out. On this team they are the stars. Period.

I am very happy with the play of our goalies through December and a bit of Nov. Even if they don't end up as Future Flames Starters then they are showing enough improvement to make them both valuable assets for us.

[zima]

Does any 1 think that Gillies didn't play to his abilities today or just bad bounces and bad defence in front of him. It seemed to me he really wasn't a game breaker in most games although the coaches must have thought he was the better of the two goalies they had. I know he had to deal with 2 5 on 3's but he really didn't play his best game. I guess you can't win them all 

[dijnn]

Have to admit both Ramo and Berra been solid in net! December has been good month for both, now if they continue this trend and our offense picks up we are good to go!

[Carty]

Ramo will get the start in net tomorrow night against his former team the Lightning...

[phoenix66]

Does any 1 think that Gillies didn't play to his abilities today or just bad bounces and bad defence in front of him. It seemed to me he really wasn't a game breaker in most games although the coaches must have thought he was the better of the two goalies they had. I know he had to deal with 2 5 on 3's but he really didn't play his best game. I guess you can't win them all

It definitely wasn't his best game.

I dont want any one to take this as bashing, as I believe Gillies is the real deal and deserving of all the hype he's received to date, but in this tournament he faced many players he will face in the nhl. most of these players are at the same stage of development, and he looked very human.

This is whats wrong with anointing your goalie prospects years ahead of their arrival. Its one thing to dominate your college foes,but you just dont know what you got until they're in your net.

I have belief he will progress, likely a case of nerves in his first real taste of world class talent, but he certainly didn't look like the messiah some people paint him as.

[jjgallow]

Does any 1 think that Gillies didn't play to his abilities today or just bad bounces and bad defence in front of him. It seemed to me he really wasn't a game breaker in most games although the coaches must have thought he was the better of the two goalies they had. I know he had to deal with 2 5 on 3's but he really didn't play his best game. I guess you can't win them all 

 

I feel that Gillies had difficulty adjusting to the angles of European ice.

 

He certainly couldn't be blamed for any of the losses.  Nor could he be made out to be innocent.

 

The world juniors is a very short tournament, and players Do often struggle in it, only to become fantastic NHLers.

 

I don't think this has a huge impact on our projections for him.  Do we care if he had some trouble adjusting to European Ice?  

 

No, we really don't care.

 

It would have been great if he could have achieved "Jon Gibson" status, but he is still a fantastic goalie and....Probably....our best goalie prospect.  Ortio is making that less clear-cut all the time.

[travel_dude]

I feel that Gillies had difficulty adjusting to the angles of European ice.

 

He certainly couldn't be blamed for any of the losses.  Nor could he be made out to be innocent.

 

The world juniors is a very short tournament, and players Do often struggle in it, only to become fantastic NHLers.

 

I don't think this has a huge impact on our projections for him.  Do we care if he had some trouble adjusting to European Ice?  

 

No, we really don't care.

 

It would have been great if he could have achieved "Jon Gibson" status, but he is still a fantastic goalie and....Probably....our best goalie prospect.  Ortio is making that less clear-cut all the time.

Just to add to the debate....

http://flames.nhl.com/club/blogpost.htm?id=24629

[s4xon]

Just to add to the debate....

http://flames.nhl.com/club/blogpost.htm?id=24629

 

To be honest there, yeah, a clutch save, but he was way out of position.  More so saving his own arse than making a spectacular save.  Hopefully we don't see more of that from the lowest goalie on the Flames' totem pole, or he'll make a nice home for himself in Alaska.

[DirtyDeeds]

To be honest there, yeah, a clutch save, but he was way out of position.  More so saving his own arse than making a spectacular save.  Hopefully we don't see more of that from the lowest goalie on the Flames' totem pole, or he'll make a nice home for himself in Alaska.

 

 

They have such nice powder blue Jerseys though.

[Carty]

he'll make a nice home for himself in Alaska.

 

They have such nice powder blue Jerseys though.

 

I have to admit, I like their logo though...

 

 

 

[s4xon]

I have to admit, I like their logo though...

 

Yeah the threads look awesome.  But a career there doesn't.  Guess one needs to weigh their options. Tough choice if you ask me...

[SheriforPM]

I feel that Gillies had difficulty adjusting to the angles of European ice.

 

He certainly couldn't be blamed for any of the losses.  Nor could he be made out to be innocent.

 

The world juniors is a very short tournament, and players Do often struggle in it, only to become fantastic NHLers.

 

I don't think this has a huge impact on our projections for him.  Do we care if he had some trouble adjusting to European Ice?  

 

No, we really don't care.

 

It would have been great if he could have achieved "Jon Gibson" status, but he is still a fantastic goalie and....Probably....our best goalie prospect.  Ortio is making that less clear-cut all the time.

He could have been Red Light Gillies and you would defend him lol 

I think it had less to do with European ice and more to do with the calibre of opponent he was facing. Oops

[cross16]

In Gilles defence I thought he played very well in he tournament. Yesterday against the Russians he was good but not great ands many of the goals the Russians scored he had no chance on. I don't think the big ice was it at and i don't think he needs excuses. He played very well just not extraordinarily well which is fine by me. How many goalies have you seen play extraordinary in this tournament and it mean anything tot he it career? Doesn't change anything IMO that Gilles is a top prospect for the flames.

Edit: I'm not making excuses for him but it hink it's worth noting that was not a very good American team they sent this year especially on the backend. Gilles was a big reason they looked so good early on but it caught up to him and them and personally I'm not surprised they are going home. Very different squad then last years.

[SheriforPM]

Okay, I will admit that my post was more in response to a certain members seemingly intolerance of Berra and Ramo's abilities than Gillies at the WJC.

He was IMHO average. Understandable given the scope of this tourney and his relative inexperience. 

I am one of those who will not get excited about someone until I see them play at this stage. As in NHL. I have put my hopes on too many draft picks thinking they were the second coming of this or that star, only to see them slowly slide into obscurity.

If Ortio and Gillies end up being the next Kipper, I will be their biggest fans, but I will wait to see that for myself.

In the meantime I am happy with what we have. After a rocky start, they have proven to me that they belong here.

[cross16]

My post wasnt directed at you entirely it was overall thoughts on Gilles as well.