Will they play Ramo next game?

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by edslunch

You'd think the Flames would have learned something after the way they rode Kipper to death. Joey Mac isn't Kipper, why not spread the load a bit more?

....it's 6 games in. Mac has played 5 games in 14 nights.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

....it's 6 games in. Mac has played 5 games in 14 nights.

Well yeah But still I would prefer them to start a rotation regardless of the number of games.

[Redrum]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Mac is what he is. A quality backup. Quality backups tend to give up some not so good goals against, otherwise they'd be regular starters. The Flames really have two quality backups at the moment in Mac and Ramo. We pretty much have to expect shaky goaltending this season and possibly for the next couple years.

The thing is we really don't know what we have in Ramo. He could just be a backup but we have a one game sample size so far. The situation with him is basically the same as Fasth, and that seems to be working out pretty well.

[UKflames]

I think Hartley is just riding the JMac until he falters, which makes sense from a this season perspective. As has been said there are plenty of games left and Ramo will get his chance.

I would rather JMac played in the next game versus SJ anyway, otherwise we could be setting up Ramo to fail big time. You could argue that if he is good enough he should be able to step in regardless of the team he is facing but I don't agree with that, he is getting used to the NA game again and going against the currently hot sharks is not a good plan. He could be lights out but he could be shelled. Better to go against Dallas or Phoenix, at least they are a weaker option.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Nope there's a 3rd. People that don't care. There's 70+ games left in the season and I'm pretty sure that Ramo is going to get his share of games but at the same time it's not like goaltending has been an issue for the Flames and until MacDonald has a stinker I don't see a reason to go to Ramo unless it's back to back games.

People who don't care are not thinking about which goalie starts, and therefore are not thinking that Kari Ramo will start the next game. So there's only the two groups.

/thoughtexercise

[BACKCHECK!!!]

People who don't care clearly aren't hockey fans, and so aren't *really* people.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by edslunch

You'd think the Flames would have learned something after the way they rode Kipper to death. Joey Mac isn't Kipper, why not spread the load a bit more?

Except Kiprusoff playing 65+ games a season was justified because he was the only reason they won most of their games. Joey MacDonald has played okay, but I really think they need to let Ramo play a bunch to see what he can do.

[LouCypher]

Ramo in simply because he needs to get some games in while its still early and MacDonald even playing well I only see topping out at 40-50 games at the absolute most.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by TurnedTheCorner

There are two kinds of people in this world. People who think Ramo will start the next game, and people who don't.

Originally Posted by TurnedTheCorner

People who don't care are not thinking about which goalie starts, and therefore are not thinking that Kari Ramo will start the next game. So there's only the two groups.

/thoughtexercise

You said those who think he will start and those who don't think he will start. I'm not thinking about either option therefore I'm not in either of your two groups hence the 3rd which is "I don't care".

Until one goaltender either plays much better than the other the only controversy here is from fans that have hitched their alliances to one of the two goaltenders. I am content to let Hartley decide who starts the next game and whether it be Ramo or MacDonald I really couldn't care less but it seems at least on the outside that he's going to run with MacDonald until Ramo does something in his eyes to warrant more starts.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!!

People who don't care clearly aren't hockey fans, and so aren't *really* people.

No people that don't care simply are looking out for what's best for the team and not getting involved in fan politics and a goaltender controversy that just doesn't exist as of yet. Hartley has done a good job so far this young season and I trust him to make the right decision here.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by UKflames

I think Hartley is just riding the JMac until he falters, which makes sense from a this season perspective. As has been said there are plenty of games left and Ramo will get his chance.

I would rather JMac played in the next game versus SJ anyway, otherwise we could be setting up Ramo to fail big time. You could argue that if he is good enough he should be able to step in regardless of the team he is facing but I don't agree with that, he is getting used to the NA game again and going against the currently hot sharks is not a good plan. He could be lights out but he could be shelled. Better to go against Dallas or Phoenix, at least they are a weaker option.

I agree with that. I think Ramo has way more upside than MacDonald, but he needs to be eased in a little due to his lack of recent NHL experience.

Personally, I thought the 4 goals he let in the first game was more reflective of the team in general for that game, and having him sit since then has probably already delfated him a little. Having him come in against the hot Sharks with the thought that he won't see a game for at least another 2 weeks if he loses, isn't a great way to build confidence. As we all know, half of being a good goalie in between the ears and they need to be built up a little sometimes.

[kyuss275]

Ramo will get some time in the next 3 games. I think if he wants more games going forward he is going to have to play well. If he comes out and plays "meh" i think Hartley would rather have MacDonald in the short term.

[Enoch Root]

Has MacDonald been good? Sure, he has done his job. And with that, it is easy to argue that he has deserved to keep starting.

The problem is that he hasn't been #1 good - he isn't playing at a 60-70 start level.

The Flames need to find out what they have in net - they need to let guys play in order to see how they fare.

Unfortunately, if they play Ramo once every 3 or 4 or 5 games, that puts huge pressure on him to try and make a difference in that one start. This no way to develop his confidence and assess his play.

Based on the goals of this season (and on the level of play we have seen from MacDonald - decent, not outstanding) they should be rotating the goalies.

Rotate them for 20 games - if MacDonald's body of work is clearly better, so be it. But let's find out first.

[bc-chris]

Originally Posted by Five-hole

MacD is quite possibly the worst puckhandler for a goalie I've ever seen. He makes routine saves look exciting. He's done some good work for us but he is not an NHL starting goalie. It's be nice if we could see what we have in Ramo. I'm mystified that Mac has started 5 games in a row.

heh.... my men's team says the same thing about me.... i guess the difference is that i pay to play hockey

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Unfortunately, if they play Ramo once every 3 or 4 or 5 games, that puts huge pressure on him to try and make a difference in that one start. This no way to develop his confidence and assess his play.

Well you could say that for every backup goaltender Kipper ever had and how many of those guys went on to stellar careers after the Flames? When you get the call you either perform or you don't. If he can't play well playing once every 3-5 games then he should probably go back the KHL.

We all know who MacDonald is and we know he's going to have some off nights so Ramo will get a shot to take the starting job. It's up to him to take it when he gets his chance. It gets tiring hearing fans whine less than 10 games into the season that he's not getting a chance. He'll get his chance.

[Stay Golden]

I assume Ramo gets his 2nd start vs SJ which will be a huge test for any goalie. The SJ game concerns me. They have been having their way with every team thus far.
Ramo just like MacDonald could get lit up real easy against SJ just because of well they are going right now.

[MisterJoji]

I think the fact the Mac is getting the majority of the starts purely by victim of circumstance. We've been winning with him in net, and the mantra at the beginning of the season was whoever wins stays in net. But he hadn't exactly "stolen" us any wins. It's entirely possible we would've won those games with Ramo in net as well. I'd say it's Ramo's turn to try and solidify the starter slot.

[D-Red]

I feel like throwing Ramo in on Saturday is setting him up to fail. Stick with Joey for San Jose and LA, then get Ramo in against PHX and let him take the next couple.

This way Ramo isn't coming back against a team that's leading the league in GF/G, and gives him a couple extra days with Clint, for whatever that's worth.

[codynw]

Originally Posted by D-Red

I feel like throwing Ramo in on Saturday is setting him up to fail. Stick with Joey for San Jose and LA, then get Ramo in against PHX and let him take the next couple.

This way Ramo isn't coming back against a team that's leading the league in GF/G, and gives him a couple extra days with Clint, for whatever that's worth.

I think throwing anyone against the Sharks right now is setting them up to fail.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Well you could say that for every backup goaltender Kipper ever had and how many of those guys went on to stellar careers after the Flames? When you get the call you either perform or you don't. If he can't play well playing once every 3-5 games then he should probably go back the KHL.

We all know who MacDonald is and we know he's going to have some off nights so Ramo will get a shot to take the starting job. It's up to him to take it when he gets his chance. It gets tiring hearing fans whine less than 10 games into the season that he's not getting a chance. He'll get his chance.

Glad you're not in charge of development.