[Signing] Flames sign Gillies and Rittich (both 1 yr, 2 way, $725k NHL)

[JFK]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Right now Parsons is the goalie with the most term in the organization.

Well him and Nick Schneider.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

I think your thinking is suspect there (what else is new). Don't see that scenario being likely at all.

I agree it's highly unlikely, nearly impossible, Lack gets beat out of the backup job in camp. But I could see him losing the job by end of year. I don't believe he will have too long a leash.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Originally Posted by JFK

Well him and Nick Schneider.

Yeah, I guess. Should've prefaced it with "pro."

[MarkGio]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

I agree it's highly unlikely, nearly impossible, Lack gets beat out of the backup job in camp. But I could see him losing the job by end of year. I don't believe he will have too long a leash.

Lack was literally one of the worst goalies in the league last year with more than 15 games played. Only 6 other goalies had a worse Sv%. Lack was just brought into the organization after never spending a day here, whereas a guy like Gillies have been in the organization for several years.

It's not like the Flames gave up anything great to acquire Lack, and given that the Flames have seen a rollercoaster in goaltenders these past two years, I'm not convinced Lack was brought in to "solidify" the back-up role. I think it would look bad if the Flames go into the camp without so much as an NHL seasoned player competing for back-up. But if they REALLY thought Gillies or Rittich didn't have a shot, you would think they would have acquired a GOOD back-up, even Johnson.

Besides, how highly I hear Treliving and company speak about the goalies in the system, I think they'll be given an opportunity.

[TheScorpion]

I think some people are discounting the potential of Eddie Lack. He wasn't treated terrifically by the coaching staff in Carolina and he's had a track record of playing well before.

[Zoller]

Anyone have values on these contracts? I'm interested to see if they're matching or not

[Calgary4LIfe]

I am really interested as where Parsons and MacDonald play. In the off-season, Treliving mentioned the ECHL for Parsons. That makes sense, and seems to be the next step in the development of a goalie.

Fitting-in both Parsons and MacDonald in the ECHL might be tough, however. The starter for the Missouri Mavericks for the last couple of seasons at least anyways has been Josh Robinson. He is still in their plans AFAIK.

http://techhockeyguide.com/news/2017...pdate-may-2017

Robinson took a step back this season in the ECHL after a stellar 2015-2016 season where he was named the ECHL goaltender of the year.. Coming off a year where he posted a .931 SV%, Robinson started 38 games and had a poor .897 SV%. The Mavericks were not especially good this year, missing the playoffs and only winning 33 of their 72 games. Robinson surrendered a large portion of his playing time to a pack of younger former NCAA goaltenders, including former Minnesota State netminder Stephon Williams. Considering that Robinson is only a year removed from being the league’s best goalie, expect him to at least be given the chance to win the starting job again next season.

Stephon Williams that is mentioned in the quote above is a NYI draft pick, and the Mavs were their ECHL affiliate last season, so I am assuming he is moving, though he only played a total of 8 games.

I am assuming that the rest of the goalies used last year on the Mavericks will not be returning. That's a total of 7 goalies listed on Elite Prospects, including a guy with zero games played and another that was loaned to another ECHL team.

Robinson I believe will be sticking around. He had a tough season last year, but this is why I think that the Mavericks would put up a fight if the Flames asked them to move this goalie:

Robinson would pitch a 25 save shutout in his first start, and stopped 27 of 28 shots in the Sunday matinee affair with the Aces to lead the Mavs to a series victory. Since then, Robinson has lost once, just once, and it was in a shootout at the hands of the Tulsa Oilers. His record currently stands at 21-0-0-1, which is as ridiculous as it sounds. There have been many noteworthy moments throughout this season, but it is that 21st victory for Robinson that will forever be etched in the history books. That victory was his 17th consecutive win, a new ECHL record.

It will be interesting to see where all the goalies get to play next season.

As for the NHL, I believe that Lack was seen as a good gamble by the Flames in returning his game back to a certain level. As some posters have already illustrated, Lack was already playing much better towards the end of the season after he got 'challenged' by his coach.

Flames were going to make sure they had good depth in net. Lack is a good bet - even if I don't particularly like him myself, I can't argue that he is much further ahead than either Gillies and Rittich at this point. Flames are of course hoping that both Smith and Lack play lights-out and remain healthy all season (and as a Flames fan, I want this to happen as well).

Injuries, however, happen unpredictably, so even though I don't particularly love Lack, I am glad he is here and it allows another cushion at least in case there are injuries. It wouldn't be crazy to think that one of Rittich/Gillies plus one of Smith/Lack have injuries at the same time.

Glad that both Rittich and Gillies are re-signed, and it will be interesting to see how the Flames work them into the NHL this year. I mean, I think they should probably start working them in a few games each at least at some point in the season, just help them continue developing and see firsthand how close they are to the NHL. I think they both have the ability to be legitimate NHL starters anyways.

[killer_carlson]

I believe that one of these two will steal the backup spot from Lack in camp of by christmas

[sureLoss]

Capfriendly has this as the confirmed details for the contracts:

Rittich: $725k NHL salary, $110k AHL salary
Gillies: $725k NHL salary, $95k AHL salary with $110k guaranteed at the minor league level

so technically they both signed identical contracts.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

I believe that one of these two will steal the backup spot from Lack in camp of by christmas

I really hope so. If some of these guys are the future down there, we need to start getting them some games before this Mike Smith experiment ends.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Capfriendly has this as the confirmed details for the contracts:

Rittich: $725k NHL salary, $110k AHL salary
Gillies: $725k NHL salary, $95k AHL salary with $110k guaranteed at the minor league level

so technically they both signed identical contracts.

So both rejected QO's and gave up some NHL salary for a little extra AHL salary?

Both QO's were $874,125 IIRC...

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

So both rejected QO's and gave up some NHL salary for a little extra AHL salary?

Both QO's were $874,125 IIRC...

Prudent IMO. Given that Lack is on the roster, odds are they spend more time there. For sure one of them will.

[Enoch Root]

Also, a lower NHL salary makes it easier to call them up (though only marginally). None the less, lower NHL salary and higher AHL salary is better for both of them.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Capfriendly has this as the confirmed details for the contracts:

Rittich: $725k NHL salary, $110k AHL salary
Gillies: $725k NHL salary, $95k AHL salary with $110k guaranteed at the minor league level

so technically they both signed identical contracts.

For us cap dummies - What's the difference between a $110k AHL salary and $95k AHL salary with a guaranteed $110k minor league salary? I feel like I'm missing something.

[EVERLAST]

This has to be the first time I remember having this much depth and competition for a starters job.
My hopes are that there are no bluffs when it comes to win and your in and losing is not acceptable at all.....unless we play really bad in front of a goalie as a team.

Every goalie needs to know this is a message to play well or your gone. The goalie carousel has to end this year and I finally think we have our solution with so many choices.

I don't know how Lack gets any better if Smith plays well and keeps the net.

I get he's a hard worker and all but he and Smith are so different in ability even if many people see smiths career winding down to an end if he doesn't play well here.

I love this depth and the promise we have something special waiting until his (Parsons) opportunity arrives.

Not knocking the other goalies but I've never heard more people talking as much about a goalie being a sure thing before as I've heard when talking about Parsons .

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by jayswin

For us cap dummies - What's the difference between a $110k AHL salary and $95k AHL salary with a guaranteed $110k minor league salary? I feel like I'm missing something.

Not a lot really.

Rittich will be paid at a $110k salary in the AHL.

Gillies will be pad at a $95k salary in the AHL. If at the end of the season with all his NHL call ups (where he gets his NHL salary) combined with his AHL salary, Gillies hasn't earned at least $110k, the Flames will write him a cheque for the difference.

At the end of the season both are guaranteed to earn at least $110k. Gillies will just make slightly less in the AHL per day.

The guarantee isn't worth a whole lot either.. to make the $15k difference Gillies just has to spend 4 days on the NHL roster.

[JJsChaos]

I bet the Flames organization is hoping both of them have awesome years in the AHL for trade bait. Recovering some draft picks with one of them would be stellar. That way we'd be left with one of them and Parsons.

[UKflames]

I maybe a little short on knowledge here but why do we seem to cast goalies into the wilds at such a young age, I thought goalies where like defencemen in that they reached their peak at an older age? One year prove it deals, as everyone is calling them, feels like we are expecting to give up on both of these way too early, similar to Ortio, especially with the limited playing options.
I am sure some will day that if they cant earn the job with this kind of contract then the flames need to move on but how many times are we going to keep moving on. There is areason we keep picking up older goalies, maybe we need to give some of our goalie prospects the opportunity to become that older goalie.

[jayswin]

These one year deals have literally nothing to do with giving up on them or not seeing them in our long term plans. Not sure why that's your read.

[Freeway]

Two show-me deals, nothing more.

EDIT: And bear in mind the stuff about Josh Robinson was written before the Flames signed on as the Mavericks' NHL parent.