Let's talk about the goaltending situation.

[dissentowner]

We have 3 goalies competing for 2 NHL positions

First is Dustin Wolf, waiver exempt but has done everything in the minors he can. I can't see him not being with the big club unless he has a dreadful camp or gets hurt.

Second is Dan Vladar. Is coming off hip surgery and will be pain free for the first time in years. Carries a 2.2M cap hit and will be a UFA at year's end.

Third we have Devin Cooley. Is not waiver exempt and was targetted by Flames as a guy with big potential. Have heard other goalie experts say the same thing, he has a great tool kit. Signed for 2 years at .775.

From what has been said by guys like Steinberg the belief is if the Flames try to sneak Cooley on waivers he will get claimed. Given how high the team is on him I don't see that happening before the season starts. Here is the scenarios I see most likely to play out.

1. The Flames try and trade Vladar. I am not sure he has much value though given his cap hit and coming off surgery which leads to the second one.

2. Dan Vladar is the goalie placed on waivers at the end of camp. Given his cap hit and coming off surgery I think he is much more likely to clear waivers and he can get plenty of starts with the Wranglers to get back his game. If he gets claimed it isn't the end of the world.

3. Calgary carries 3 goalies to start the season. Rotate starts for the first month and if Wolf struggles you send him down. If one of the other two older goalies struggle that is the guy to hit waivers or get traded

What is the thoughts here?

[Enoch Root]

Very much doubt they waive Vladar. If Cooley looks too good to waive, they'll probably run with 3 until they can trade one.

[Ped]

How much is anyone banking on Cooley? 27 years old, middling AHL stats, and his stats compared to actual NHL goalies on the roster in San Jose last year were abysmal. Vladar's weren't great either, but at least he's done something at the AHL level and had flashes in the NHL.


Barring a miracle or an injury, I can't see Cooley making the team over Vladar, and he should pass through waivers pretty easily.

[Reggie Dunlop]

This place will explode when Wolf gets sent down to start the season.

[tony-soprano]

What if Waltteri Ignatjew is absolutely stellar in camp?

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

This place will explode when Wolf gets sent down to start the season.

He'd have to have a terrible camp and start of the season as part of it. Conroy sounds pretty committed to giving him a run

[redmile04]

Originally Posted by Ped

How much is anyone banking on Cooley? 27 years old, middling AHL stats, and his stats compared to actual NHL goalies on the roster in San Jose last year were abysmal. Vladar's weren't great either, but at least he's done something at the AHL level and had flashes in the NHL.


Barring a miracle or an injury, I can't see Cooley making the team over Vladar, and he should pass through waivers pretty easily.

Yes, exactly. I dont see it either, for the reasons you mentioned. He is signed to a league minimum on a 2 way contract for those reasons, if others thought higher of him- a one way contract would have been offered to him.

[FlamesAddiction]

The most obvious result to me is that Vladar will be the 1A and Wolf the 1B. Cooley will be sent down. Nobody is claiming him on waivers.

I think for Cooley to displace either incumbent, he'll need to be more than just a little bit better in camp. I just can't see them going in with a tandem that has only 24 NHL games of experience between the two (Cooley and Wolf), many of which were not full games. Of course, the other option would be to send Wolf down, but I think he really needs more NHL experience to keep developing.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

The most obvious result to me is that Vladar will be the 1A and Wolf the 1B. Cooley will be sent down. Nobody is claiming him on waivers.

You might want to listen to the episode of Flames Talk where they discuss the goaltending then. People more in touch with the organization than any of us are and the goalie expert they bring in to talk are pretty abdamnent the Flames are too high on Cooley to risk him on waivers at the end of camp and they all think he would be claimed if he was. From what I remember there was plenty of interest in Cooley from other teams, he chose Calgary.

[Ba'alzamon]

I'm pretty much completely positive that Cooley would clear waivers with no issues. Every organization has a Devin Cooley equivalent. Some teams have several.

As for the Flames, I'm not even convinced he's the fourth best goalie in the organization, myself. His AHL results are worse than Murphy's.

[Ped]

Yeah but waivers aren't about whether the player is worth grabbing or not. They're about where you see that player. Cooley may have had some interest, but as a backup? Not very likely, although of course I could be wrong Teams would be hesitant to claim him because they probably wanted him as a 3rd/4th stringer, but if you have to put him on waivers to send him even after you claim him, there's no point in claiming him.

[The Fonz]

I just don't see why anyone would claim Cooley. He's 27, and not only has he not shown anything at the NHL level (was below average in 6 total GP), he hasn't even shown himself to be a good goaltender at the AHL level (has only played about 60 games with a .900sv% and .500 win%).

[Enoch Root]

If claimed, he has to remain on their roster, meaning he would replace their backup. Unlikely, unless there is an injury. And if there is, a trade is a better way to go.

[The Cobra]

I can’t believe anyone would claim Cooley and keep him in the NHL. I just can’t see any team thinking he’s their 2nd best option.

[Reggie Dunlop]

It'll be Big Vault and the Cooler with the Wranglers. Murphy will shuffle back and forth into the lineup.

Even if Vladar were to be traded, a reasonably decent journeyman goalie would part of the return.

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by tony-soprano

What if Waltteri Ignatjew is absolutely stellar in camp?

He was great in penticton. Arguably the best player.

[Groot]

Originally Posted by tony-soprano

What if Waltteri Ignatjew is absolutely stellar in camp?

I would hope he has a stellar season carrying Wolf's standards for the Wranglers.

[NegativeSpace]

I listened to Flames Talk, but I just have a hard time that GMs around the league are going to look at Cooley and think anything other than a project. If he's claimed on waivers then the team needs to keep him on the roster or Calgary can reclaim him.

[dammage79]

In the prediction thread I said Vlad will get most of the starts. I think it'll be 60/40 split between Wolf and Vlad barring injuries.

The interesting thing will be the development of Cooley and Ignatjew on the farm.

I'm pencilling Wolf on the big club simply because he's not going to lose a spot in training camp. I'm so certain of his talent that it just won't happen.

[Lewis_D]

Yeah it's a little bit of head scratcher, it's almost as if they brought in Cooley thinking they could trade Vladar before the start of the season.

Ideally Wolf is stellar to start the season, Cooley also overachieves and some other team is in need of a backup early on and we ship Vladar out.