Generally-speaking, the Heat will probably ride the hot hand in net for the year. Ortio is still very young and is getting a LOT of practice time with a dedicated goalie coach. That said, if the Flames really wanted Ortio to be starting, he'd be starting.
Generally-speaking, the Heat will probably ride the hot hand in net for the year. Ortio is still very young and is getting a LOT of practice time with a dedicated goalie coach. That said, if the Flames really wanted Ortio to be starting, he'd be starting.
The heat can't turn away from irving at this point. He's having an even better year then last year thus far and needs the starts to continue to improve. If his numbers stay even close to where they are now all season I don't see how you can't give him a good run at a job with the flames next year.
The heat can't turn away from irving at this point. He's having an even better year then last year thus far and needs the starts to continue to improve. If his numbers stay even close to where they are now all season I don't see how you can't give him a good run at a job with the flames next year.
I don't know if anyone's suggested that the Heāt should turn away from Irving; hopefully he's able to play 65-70+ games this year. I'm just wondering what the plan for Ortio is: play ten-fifteen games in the AHL? Or, play a few games in the ECHL as well?
Another reason they may not send Ortio to Utah is because Engelage has been stellar this season so far (1.98 GAA, .928 SV%, 2 SO).
I say the Heat should keep him as backup. He showed signs that he can do well in games, but at the same time he wasn't very good positionally. In fact, 2 of the 4 goals he let in in his first start, he was on his stomach (very Luongo-esque).
He'll get there. Irving will be a heck of teacher for him and Sigalet seems to be doing a great job with the goaltenders this year. Hiring a goaltending coach was probably one the best thing the Heat did in the offseason.
I say the Heat should keep him as backup. He showed signs that he can do well in games, but at the same time he wasn't very good positionally. In fact, 2 of the 4 goals he let in in his first start, he was on his stomach (very Luongo-esque).
Not sure this is the same thing you were seeing, but I'm finding Ortio's problem to mostly be his lateral movement. Unlike Kiprusoff, who is probably one of the fastest left-right movers in the league his prime, Ortio needs work harder to catch up and ultimately requires a desparation save or two to stop the shot, then ends up out of options for the rebounds.
I don't know if anyone's suggested that the Heāt should turn away from Irving; hopefully he's able to play 65-70+ games this year. I'm just wondering what the plan for Ortio is: play ten-fifteen games in the AHL? Or, play a few games in the ECHL as well?
Well I can't see it hurting him to start only 15-20 games this season. He hasn't been playing anywhere near what we'd consider a full workload while over in europe the last few years as well.
If he spends a lot of time on technique and practicing this season it will pay off in a year or two.
I really hope Granlund works out and becomes a top 6 forward for us. Would be nice to see a little bit of everything taking us into the next generation of Flames hockey. Swede (Backlund), Czech (Horak), Fin (Granlund), Russian (Yakupov), Canadian (Reinhart), American (Gaudreau), Swiss (Baertschi). We are scouting all over the place now aren't we?
Who's excited?
Last edited by Da_Chief; 11-17-2011 at 01:04 PM.
Reason: Forgot Baertschi
Well I can't see it hurting him to start only 15-20 games this season. He hasn't been playing anywhere near what we'd consider a full workload while over in europe the last few years as well.
If he spends a lot of time on technique and practicing this season it will pay off in a year or two.
Fifteen to twenty games for Ortio would probably be significant considering, as you alluded to, he wouldn't be used to playing say 50 games having played in Europe.
It is good that the Flames hired Jordan Sigalet as a goalie coach this year. I think someone suggested earlier that having a goalie coach in Abbotsford may be a reason why he hasn't been sent down to Salt Lake. That instruction is probably doing him well.
good for Dowling, he obviously was quite good in the ECHL. I also liked him when he was with the Heat last year (as well as Tyler Ruegsegger, but the Heat don't have his rights anymore, am I correct?).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Da_Chief
I really hope Granlund works out and becomes a top 6 forward for us. Would be nice to see a little bit of everything taking us into the next generation of Flames hockey. Swede (Backlund), Czech (Horak), Fin (Granlund), Russian (Yakupov), Canadian (Reinhart), American (Gaudreau), Swiss (Baertschi). We are scouting all over the place now aren't we?
The Quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little, and it will fail, to the ruin of all. Yet hope remains while the Company is true. Go Flames Go!
I really liked the Wahl pick, top centre on the Memorial Cup champions. I still hope he can get it together again after his concussion. We have the worst luck with some draft choices.
I really liked the Wahl pick, top centre on the Memorial Cup champions. I still hope he can get it together again after his concussion. We have the worst luck with some draft choices.
While this may be true, I'm of the opinion that maybe it's not about him "getting it together", but rather he just needs some solid top-6 time, which he isn't going to get with the amount of depth the Heat currently have.
Give him top-6 time and he'll find his playmaking touch again. I hope anyways.
While this may be true, I'm of the opinion that maybe it's not about him "getting it together", but rather he just needs some solid top-6 time, which he isn't going to get with the amount of depth the Heat currently have.
Give him top-6 time and he'll find his playmaking touch again. I hope anyways.
Yeah, his 5 goals and two assists in 5 games in Utah seems to say he still has an offensive touch. One thing I noticed is he looks a lot bigger than he did when drafted. The Flames site shows him at 175 Lb.s whereas other sites are showing him at 200 Lb.s and maybe he got a little fat with him missing a year without being able to train properly. He looked a little lethargic with what I saw of him in training camp.
