[Signing] Flames sign Jonas Hiller (2yrs, $4.5mil AAV)

[Chaparraljam]

Originally Posted by MisterJoji

So sick of this garbage. Try to build a competitive team and let the chips fall. Even the worst team in the league has a less than 20% chance of getting 1st. We should not be emulating the Oilers in any way whatsoever.

Just because Edmonton's #1s have been less than special doesn't mean you shouldn't go for it when you're so close to being #1 or #2 when there are 2 'generational' players available in next year's draft. Finishing last guarantees you'll get one or the other. If we'd started Irving instead of Kipper we'd have MacKinnon instead of Monahan. If we'd tried a little harder we would have had Lecavalier instead of Fata, and Thornton instead of Daniel Tkaczuk. Why do you want a bad year to have no extra prize at the end.

[Badgers Nose]

Not tanking for McDavid if you ask me. This is a good goalie, on perfect term to let Ortio and Gillies get ready.

[Chaparraljam]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

We aren't. We actually have good depth in the prospect pool instead of throwing the good kids to the wolves. However, championship teams always have at least 4 top players on their teams and the easiest way to get them is by picking in the top 5. This draft has 7 or 8 really good players, but two of them look like the best players since Crosby except McKinnon. I want the Flames to be a championship calibre team in 3-4 years. The easiest way to do that is to be terrible. Chicago was. LA was. Pittsburgh was. Boston and Anaheim got lucky getting great players deep in the draft.

Looking back, what would you have done to get Lefleur, Potvin, Lemieux, Lindros, Crosby, Kane, Stamkos, Tavares? If you're not making the playoffs and you have a shot at these kinds of players you have to do whatever it takes.

[djsFlames]

Hiller with media now, saying that he wants to show Anaheim they made the wrong choice and make a difference with the team.

Kind of came in half way through the interview, but sounds like he's really out to prove himself.

[Savvy27]

Hiller on Fan960:
Why Calgary:
-Calgary provides an opportunity. Not so many teams looking for goalies.
-Excited when the offer came through
-Noticed that Calgary is a team that improved in the second half of the season. Happy to be on a team that appears to be on the way up.
-Agent was talking to the Calgary Flames every day
-Didn't seem like any other team was as interested which made the Flames more appealing

What happened in Anaheim:
-Final year in Anaheim was weird, couldn't figure out what was going on
-Thought he was playing well all year and had a couple of bad games and then it seemed like the coach lost confidence in him
-Was very disappointed that the coach went with the Andersen, but that is what happens to goalies... only one net
-Excited for a fresh start

Motivation for this year:
-Hockey is fun and when your feeling confident you are having much more fun. It's fun to contribute to the team winning. Maybe he will find motivation in proving that Anaheim made the wrong decision.
-Pros and cons to playing in a hockey market. Would have been nice if more people were interested in Anaheim but it's nice to be able to blend in on days off.
-There will be adjustments of course but is excited to join a city where people care so much.

On Sven:
-knows him a little bit
-talked to him last season when they played
-thinks it is too bad that he didn't make the team in the Olympics
-glad he'll be able to speak Swiss-German in the dressing room

[Chaparraljam]

Originally Posted by mile

100% agree - it's unlikely we'll be a bottom 3 team next year anyway. Just need to hope for the best while continuing to watch this team compete and our young players improve. Even a pick in the 6-10 range will probably land us an elite talent.

Unlikely to be bottom 3? Who will be lower? BUF, FLA, and EDM all got better since the season ended. We swapped Cammalleri for Raymond (lose big), Bollig for Westgarth (win), Engelland for Butler (win) and maybe Johnny Hockey and Sven for Byron and Galiardi (TBD).

[MisterJoji]

Originally Posted by Chaparraljam

Just because Edmonton's #1s have been less than special doesn't mean you shouldn't go for it when you're so close to being #1 or #2 when there are 2 'generational' players available in next year's draft. Finishing last guarantees you'll get one or the other. If we'd started Irving instead of Kipper we'd have MacKinnon instead of Monahan. If we'd tried a little harder we would have had Lecavalier instead of Fata, and Thornton instead of Daniel Tkaczuk. Why do you want a bad year to have no extra prize at the end.

Coulda, woulda, shoulda. Every single team in the league would love some do-overs at the draft. Why can't Gaudreau, Monahan, Bennett, Brodie, Ortio be our young core? Throw in Klimchuck, Poirier, Jankowski and Gillies. Losing on purpose is so bush league and I'd be mortified to be a fan if they were pulling an
obvious, intentional tank job. Once the sucking starts it's hard to get it to stop.

[mile]

Originally Posted by Chaparraljam

Unlikely to be bottom 3? Who will be lower? BUF, FLA, and EDM all got better since the season ended. We swapped Cammalleri for Raymond (lose big), Bollig for Westgarth (win), Engelland for Butler (win) and maybe Johnny Hockey and Sven for Byron and Galiardi (TBD).

Perhaps unlikely is the wrong word, but I'm not counting out other teams like Ottawa and Vancouver - I'm not convinced the Flames will finish below those two, in addition the teams you mentioned in. It's not in their nature to lose that badly.

[Atodaso]

Interested to see what his matte red mask will look like.

[FireGilbert]

Good signing. Hiller has to be the best UFA goalie the Flames have ever signed and it is the first time since the short lived Kipper/Turek tandem that the Flames have had two quality goalies.

I'm also wondering about the future of Ramo. Depending on how Ramo, Hiller, and Ortio play I am thinking there are two options. Either Ramo is re-signed and Ortio spends two years starting in the AHL or Ramo is let go and Ortio makes the team next season.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

My bet is that you will see the best hockey Ramo has to offer this year, which is good news for us. Hiller will push him and he has a contract year to make something happen long term. There's no doubt he has a bit of a 1B contract right now and I'm sure he wants a better contract with whoever wants him. I'm glad that we have 2 legitimate NHL options going into this year, and the last time we had that was only midway through a season with Kipper and Turek.

It also gives the goalie prospects PLENTY of time to develop the right way. I think Ortio at least makes it as a backup in the league, but could be better. I also think Gillies is given at least 3 more years before being given a real shot at the big club.

[Coach]

Im excited to see what Hiller does for a mask. His are regularly among the best.

[Regular_John]

I've been enjoying maple coated freedom all day, so I'm late to the party here.

I LOVE this signing, the Ducks/Hiller have been Flame killers the last few years, so getting a piece of a contender is a great signing IMO. Still don't expect playoffs next year, or even the year after, but on paper we should see another season of exciting hockey.

Honestly I couldn't be more excited about having Hiller between the pipes.

[Calgary4LIfe]

I would bet that Hillier gets a start in Anaheim this upcoming season. Hopefully that curse gets broken.

[tvp2003]

Some Hiller mask pron for your viewing pleasure:











Love that he still rocks the Koho gear as well...

[Street Pharmacist]

Love the moustache one. Awesome

[FlamesAllTheWay]

Also late to the party but love the signing. Did not want Ortio rushed into the NHL to backup Ramo and this prevents that. Also might let Ramo continue to develop as he certainly progressed as last year went on IMO.

Good tandem going forward. Ideally one of Ramo or Hiller becomes a high quality tradeable asset when Ortio's ready to make the jump in a year or two as well.

[kirant]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

Some Hiller mask pron for your viewing pleasure:

How can you skip over his Olympic masks?

2010:


2014:

[FAN]

Considering that I am not a fan of Ramo and have been highly critical of him since he signed here, I really like this signing. With all the young players expected to be in our lineup in the upcoming two years, I believe that having a reliable goaltender that players can trust allows players to better develop and play their game. It is kind of like how Washington kept Kolzig when they were rebuilding. With unreliable goaltending it can hamper a player's development because one mistake can lead to a goal against.

[SebC]

This is kind of a "9th place" type of signing. It improves us short term but doesn't help with the rebuild. I still like the term though - at least this contract will never be a boat anchor.