Quote:
Originally Posted by 1qqaaz
If our number 5 prospects cleared waivers, we might have to worry about our drafting/prospect pool.
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If that prospect was a defenseman or a forward then yes. But goalies are handled differently because there is a limited number of spots for them at the NHL level and at the minor league level.
Ortio clearing at this point only means that mid-season no team was willing to take him and have to waive their backup. It's not as simple for them as just claiming him, they have to make room for him as well. And some teams may be close to the contract limit and thus don't want to handicap themselves by adding a contract without ensuring they can drop one.
Ortio has the potential to be a backup or even starting goalie. All him clearing means is that nobody league wide thinks he's ready to be an everyday NHLer YET and has the means to clear room for him. Markstrom was similar to Ortio in that he was highly regarded and had dominated the AHL and yet he has cleared previously as well.
You'd probably be shocked at the list of goalies who've cleared waivers earlier in their careers. It's more a matter of how goalies have to be handled with only 60 spots for them in the NHL than it is a slight on Ortio's potential.