Goaltending: One Spot Left

[thymebalm]

I don't think there was any argument amongst fans that goaltending was the Flames weakness in a big way last season. The closest semblance to an argument was that the goaltending was poor because the overall defensive structure of the team was poor. And even then you had to admit the goaltending was still bad, it was just because of something else.

Treliving obviously agreed with the majority of fans when he took out his big red pen and looked as his goaltending depth chart.

Karri Ramo
Jonas Hiller
Joni Ortio
Niklas Backstrom
Kevin Poulin


We know for certain that two of those goalies (Hiller and Backstrom) won't be back, but after today's exclusion of both Ortio and Poulin from qualifying offers and ZERO mention of Ramo's name as a candidate for the backup role, I'm convinced Treliving is fully blowing it up.

He's already midway through his lightning quick rebuild of the Flames goalie depth chart, adding Brian Elliot as his newly crowned starter and David Rittich as his tandem to work alongside Gillies in the AHL. So suddenly in looks a little more like this:

Brian Elliott
-
Jon Gillies
David Rittich
Mason MacDonald

There is one spot left to fill for Treliving and the top 5 of the depth chart will be completely rebuilt. It's true theoretically that Ortio or Ramo could fill that role...I just can't see it happening after how the goalies simultaneously imploded last year along with a solid market of goalies available through free agency and trade thanks to the upcoming expansion draft.

Names once kicked around for the start's role are now being tossed into the conversation for who will play Elliott's shadow this season. Reimer is a name that seemed to transition smoothly from slight risk as a starter to top tier backup goalie. Darcy Kuemper is another name I've read for both roles as starter and now for backup. There are others as well:

James Reimer
Darcy Kuemper
Chad Johson
Al Montoya
Carter Hutton

Assuming GMBT does add one more piece to the puzzle and completely rebuilds the top 5 on the goaltending chart, who is his finishing piece?

[btimbit]

I think Ortio is still possible, but not qualifying him tells me they'll only take him back on a dirt cheap contract.

Other than that, going after someone like Johnson or Hutton seems like a good move

[Finger Cookin]

Ortio is plan A.

[Poe969]

Carter Hutton would be my choice

[transplant99]

Chad Johnson would be a guy that would fit nicely.

He may want more $$ thn is available here however as he put up some nice numbers on a pretty bad team last year.

[GranteedEV]

Still Ortio.

[JurassicTunga12]

If not Ortio, Chad Johnson or Carter Hutton would be good choices. Johnson put up some good numbers it looks like in Boston and this year for the Preds. Reimer would be nice too of course, but probably a little too rich.

[1991 Canadian]

Sign Ortio for dirt cheap. Give Elliott the majority of the games. Evaluate for a month or two. If Ortio isn't cutting it as a backup, sign a then healthy Ramo.

[Dr. Doom]

Ortio is gonezo, Treliving just being nice

Wild asking too much for Kuemper otherwise it would have been done by now

Enroth is our man

[StrykerSteve]

Johnson, Kuemper or Hutton would all be solid choices. I like Kuemper at 26 years old.

It depends how much $$$ Treliving wants to tie up in a backup. With Elliott making 2.5, it may make more sense to go with someone like Ortio who could be had for close to league minimum.

Kuemper would likely cost 2.5 or more.

Edit - scratch that, for some reason I thought Kuemper was a UFA. Hutton is a UFA and only made 750k last year. He's a natural fit for what Calgary is looking for.

[handgroen]

montoya or johnson please

[getoverit]

If Ramo was ready for Sept which is question mark and 100% good to go, don't flame me, but would be happy to have as back up. Elliot might push him which is always a good thing.

[thymebalm]

I think Jeff Zatkoff could be a steal if he's available behind Murray and Fleury.
www.nhlnumbers.com has him listed as a free agent.

29 years old, and he's never seemingly had a bad season at any level basically ever.

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/p....php?pid=81014

[EVERLAST]

Nvm

[OffsideSpecialist]

I see Jason Labarbera is a free agent.

[thymebalm]

Originally Posted by OffsideSpecialist

I see Jason Labarbera is a free agent.

He has one of the best pre-game rituals I've ever watched, the way he darts his eyes around the rink like a psychopath. Very neat stuff!

[activeStick]

So who's looking for backups?

SJ, ANA, CGY, STL, NSH, FLA, BOS... 7 teams?

[OzSome]

That's because the Flames did not qualify Ortio means they are letting him go. One of the reason is they didn't want to gamble on the arbitrator giving Ortio a salary that is more than what they think he deserves. They can still sign him for a cheaper price. They knew Ortio doesn't really have a lot of options right now but to sign with the Flames. The same goes to Colborne, Arnold and the rest of the players that weren't qualified. Only difference with Colborne is there is a potential they might lose him if he gets a bigger offer than the Flames. I am sure there are other teams who would love to overpay Colborne. Others not so much.

[kyuss275]

It's in Ortio's court. He either signs a dirt cheap contract and the back-up job is his to lose. Or he can try free agency, but i doubt he is going to have as good as an opportunity that the flames are handing him.

I'm sure management won't lose any sleep if Ortio goes the route of free agency. I would bet that they have a back-up signed 2 minutes after July 1st begins.

[Erick Estrada]

Sounds like the backup has been targeted in free agency. Ortio's contract was not prohibitive and he was only due a modest raise at best so not qualifying him tells me the team doesn't want to be stuck with a goaltender that has no place to play. It's possible if the Flames can't sign the guys they want in free agency they can revisit Ortio but it's looking like my contact was right months ago in that the team truly was going clean slate at the position.