[Freeway]

With hockey season winding down and the NHL Entry Draft approaching, I thought I'd provide some notes on the Flames current minor pro, college and junior prospects. Hopefully this can foster some discussion as we hit the draft and free agent season.

Goaltenders:

IRVING, Leland
-Vitals: 23 years old, from Barrhead, Alberta
-Drafted: 2006 first round choice
-Status: Restricted Free Agent
-Skinny: Bounced back from iffy 09-10 season with very strong 10-11. Among AHL leaders in most goaltending categories despite playing on young team with consistency issues. Arguably Abbotsford's MVP.
-Potential: Likely targeted for another AHL season mentoring Joni Ortio, although he could put a scare into Flames back-up Henrik Karlsson with a strong showing at training camp.

KEETLEY, Matt
-Vitals: 25 years old, from Medicine Hat, Alberta
-Drafted: 2005 fifth round choice
-Status: Unrestricted Free Agent
-Skinny: Strong junior performer never fully brought his game to the pros, due to injury and being stuck behind more high-profile netminding prospects (Curtis McElhinney, Leland Irving).
-Potential: Joni Ortio's North American arrival might put Keetley on the chopping block. Slight chance he gets kept on as ECHL depth goalie.

LAMOUREUX, Jean-Phillipe
-Vitals: 26 years old, from Grand Folks, North Dakota
-Drafted: Undrafted
-Status: Free Agent (had AHL contract)
-Skinny: Signed to have an extra netminding body in the minors, Lamoureux put up good numbers in limited action in ECHL Utah (11-7-1, 2.49 GAA) and AHL Abbotsford (8-4-3, 2.20 GAA).
-Potential: Unlikely to be anything more in Calgary's plans than a back-up in the minors that can show guys the ropes, but with Joni Ortio joining the organization he might find himself back in the same role as this year.

ORTIO, Joni
-Vitals: 20 years old, from Turku, Finland
-Drafted: 2009 sixth round choice
-Status: Three years left on current (new) contract
-Skinny: Positionally strong netminder, patterned after Miikka Kiprusoff and trained by same coaches on same club team. Didn't look amazing in only AHL outing (but then again, it was behind a Heat team that was eliminated from playoff contention and playing out the string).
-Potential: Almost definitely slated for Abbotsford, but amount of starts will depend on Leland Irving's play and how well Ortio acclimates himself to North America.