Ramo – Hypothetical Question

[The Hendog]

Hypothetical question, if Ramo leads the Flames to the playoffs this year, do the Flames resign him in the summer?

The goalie UFA market in the summer is pretty weak and trading for an upgrade in net is never easy; although there could be some potential trade targets available (Howard in Detroit & Bishop in Tampa Bay).

Curious what people think in this hypothetical situation.

Below is the list of notable UFA goalies
- Cam Ward
- Jonas Hiller
- Karri Ramo
- Niklas Backstrom
- James Reimer
- Anton Khudobin
- Antti Raanta
- Cam Talbot

[Otto-matic]

I'd say we should re-sign him if he has a good second half.

[heep223]

I'm all for resigning him. Not re-signing him.

[SofaProfessor]

If he leads the team to the playoffs then I don't see why you wouldn't re-sign him. As long as there's no 3 headed monster again. This season feels like goalie development has stalled when it should have moved ahead 1 year. Ortio should have got a year as an NHL backup. Gillies has been injured and looks like he will miss out on nearly an entire season of AHL development. Re-signing Ramo next season, letting Hiller go, and moving ahead the way this season should have gone, goalie-wise, is probably the best route.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by The Hendog

Hypothetical question, if Ramo leads the Flames to the playoffs this year, do the Flames resign him in the summer?

The goalie UFA market in the summer is pretty weak and trading for an upgrade in net is never easy; although there could be some potential trade targets available (Howard in Detroit & Bishop in Tampa Bay).

Curious what people think in this hypothetical situation.

Below is the list of notable UFA goalies
- Cam Ward
- Jonas Hiller
- Karri Ramo
- Niklas Backstrom
- James Reimer
- Anton Khudobin
- Antti Raanta
- Cam Talbot

Current Ramo (playing like an average goalie) is better than half of those guys. Improved Ramo would be better than most. So, yeah, I'd sign him.

[CroFlames]

Define "leads Flames to playoffs"

This is probably a thread for Feb/March when playoff pictures become clearer and teams are identifying their needs and futures. We might think Howard and Bishop become available, but maybe they don't. Too early to tell.

[PeteMoss]

You'd probably resign one of the goalies if only because you are unlikely to find two new goalies. But hopefully you aren't spending much.

[Locke]

Its definitely in the conversation. There just isnt an available upgrade.

But I wouldnt sign him for much.

[kyuss275]

No!!!!!!! I don't want to see Ramo or Hiller as part of this team after this year. Flames need to make a trade for a #1 in the off season and get a cheap back-up. No more running with 1b goalies.

[FlamesAddiction]

I like Ramo as a plan B, but I hope we go all in for Raanta this offseason.

Stay away from Reimer, Ward and Talbot.

[Erick Estrada]

NO! NO! NO! NO! At the end of the season this team needs to start from scratch at the position. He's had some okay games of late but we have simply got used to substandard goaltending so much over the past few years that when Ramo has a decent game like last night we are getting threads like this. Ramo is not a good goaltender. Ramo has never been a good goaltender. Ramo will never be a good goaltender. He's mediocre that's what he is and what he will always be. IMO this team can't afford to keep surrounding this rebuilding group of young players with below average goaltending.

[The Hendog]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Define "leads Flames to playoffs"

This is probably a thread for Feb/March when playoff pictures become clearer and teams are identifying their needs and futures. We might think Howard and Bishop become available, but maybe they don't. Too early to tell.

Ha ha ha true what does "leads Flames to playoffs" really mean

There is "Flames make playoffs despite Ramo's play" "Flames make playoffs with average Ramo" and "Flames make playoffs thanks to Ramo"

You are probable right that this is probably a thread for Feb/Mar but with the teams goaltending struggles this year, the fact we are still in the playoff picture somehow and the inability to identify a significant upgrade, I keeping finding myself thinking about the teams short term future when it comes to the protecting the net.

[corporatejay]

What is Ben Bishop's contract status?

[AcGold]

If he plays above .9 maybe, if he plays above .91 definitely. Ramo has room for improvement still I think, he's an athletic guy that's never gotten the shot at starter for a long period of time.

His potential is higher than every other UFA, he has a good attitude and he's never really been injured badly. I think BT has to re sign him pending one of the real 15 starters in the league joins us. Now that he's actually hugging the post I have hope for him, Hiller's washed up and Ortio apparently has attitude problems so maybe we pick up a Cam Ward and re sign Ramo as our starter. If he can maintain his current play he's more than adequate. Look how well Chicago has done with Crawford, a supposed second tier goalie.

[The Hendog]

Originally Posted by corporatejay

What is Ben Bishop's contract status?

2015/2016 & 2016/2017 at a salary & cap hit of $5.95M
Then he is a UFA in Summer 2017
Has a NMC

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by AcGold

Look how well Chicago has done with Crawford, a supposed second tier goalie.

Crawford is a two time Stanley Cup winner and on his worst day is as good as a typical Ramo start. Crawford has played lights out in the playoffs when needed and I can't name a playoff series they lost because of him. Terrible comparison.

[Gaskal]

Right now Ramo is reminding me of Ramo from the latter half of 2013-14, where he really picked up the ball and ran with it. He seems to thrive once he really gets a chance to settle in and own the net for a bit. So yes, if he takes the workload and puts up respectable numbers, I'd go with it. Our goalie situation is unclear in the offseason.

I'd sign Ramo for another year and get a competent cheap 25-30 game backup, like Raanta.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by The Hendog

2015/2016 & 2016/2017 at a salary & cap hit of $5.95M
Then he is a UFA in Summer 2017
Has a NMC

I would love Bishop here for next season. He'd only be on the books for one year at a cap hit that is less than both Hiller and Ramo combined. He's an established veteran goaltender that will give the team a very good chance to win every night. Sign Ortio to be the backup, and if he can't handle the few games he gets, we look to pick up another goalie somewhere...probably off waivers like we've seen this year already. This lets Gillies get a full year in on his repaired hip and also get some pro experience. He'll likely need another year in the minors, but maybe he's close by the end of next season.

This also works for Tampa as they need to free up cap room to re-sign Stamkos (if they still want to do that). They already have Vasilevsky ready very soon for the starting job, and Kristers Gudlevskis waiting in the wings as well as a capable backup. If they were to look at it as a cap dump, we could send a couple of decent prospects their way (Klimchuk, Wotherspoon) and a pick to mitigate their loss. Quite frankly it sounds like a win-win for both sides.

[GreenLantern2814]

Ramo is in his 3rd year with the team. In year 1, the Flames drafted 4th overall. Ramo played 40 games with a 2.65 GAA and a .911 save %.

The next year, the team made it to the second round. Ramo played 34 games (18 fewer than Jonas Hiller) and put up a 2.60 GAA and a .912 save %. I'll say this for him, he's consistent.

He's not the answer. He can stay on reduced salary as a backup who can play 25-30 games and hold the fort if the real goalie gets hurt.

Frederick Andersen, please. Less costly than Bishop, fewer miles, knows how to win at Honda Centre.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

Right now Ramo is reminding me of Ramo from the latter half of 2013-14, where he really picked up the ball and ran with it. He seems to thrive once he really gets a chance to settle in and own the net for a bit...

This has always been my take on Ramo. I think he could be a solid starter if he didn't take so long to settle in after a break.