Have the Flames found their new number one goalie?

[The Fonz]

Who'd have believed you at the start of the season if you had said the Flames #1 goaltender will have a winning record at the 55 game mark?

11-10-4
.907 sv%, 2.70 GAA

While those stats may not seem great on the surface, could you really expect any better out of a goalie playing behind the 3rd worst team in the league?

I'm not sure pending UFA Hiller would be doing any better if he were here. He's got a .914 sv% and 2.40 GAA behind the best team in the league.

At this point, no Ramo is not a true #1 in this league. I'd reserve that label for the top 15 guys. That being said, I hope the Flames don't chase a guy like Hiller this summer because I don't have him in that top 15 either, and don't believe he'd do any better behind this team than Ramo already has.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Poe969

He's a number 1 goalie on a bad team. I hope people don't think he's the future goalie of the Flames after the rebuild. Sure he has a few good games but he has more bad games. I do want to keep him on the team but I do hope that long term he isn't our #1 guy

I think the fact that he has a slightly better than .500 record on a team that should be nowhere near .500 (and isn't), shows that he is better than you are giving him credit. If he played on a half-decent team, I would not be surprised if his stats were better than an average #1 goalie.

Outside of about 4 or 5 goalies in the league, there are very few that you couldn't point to as having bad games from time to time.

[ForeverFlameFan]

That Montreal trade was quite the steal. Cammy and Ramo, while they have Bourque and a draft pick.. Awesome.

[cdnsir]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

That Montreal trade was quite the steal. Cammy and Ramo, while they have Bourque and a draft pick.. Awesome.

That pick became Fucale..

Ramo = Good all around, but doesn't seem to have a high enough ceiling to be a franchise goalie
Berra = Great reflex but really takes himself out of position way too much. If he can learn to remain composed in the first 60, and save his aggressiveness in the shootouts. He has all the tools to make him a #1.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by cdnsir

That pick became Fucale..

Ramo = Good all around, but doesn't seem to have a high enough ceiling to be a franchise goalie
Berra = Great reflex but really takes himself out of position way too much. If he can learn to remain composed in the first 60, and save his aggressiveness in the shootouts. He has all the tools to make him a #1.

I'd rather have Ramo and Cammy than Bourque. Besides, we have Gillies and Ortio that look very promising. Ramo is for sure a legitimate backup goalie that can step in when our number one isn't doing so hot. We are still in search of that number one guy. I really think Ortio can be that goalie.

[bucksmasher]

Berra for the Tank, Ramo for the future

[edn88]

Ramo certainly seems like the better goalie... think it might be too early to tell if he is a franchise goalie or not, but he certainly has put the Flames in positions to win games.
If we had a better top three, would we be in the playoff hunt?

[bluck]

Originally Posted by edn88

Ramo certainly seems like the better goalie... think it might be too early to tell if he is a franchise goalie or not, but he certainly has put the Flames in positions to win games.
If we had a better top three, would we be in the playoff hunt?

Don't think so. Ryan Miller is an all star goalie and Buffalo isn't even close. I know we have more offence and stuff but I still don't think we would make it

[DeluxeMoustache]

I like what both guys have shown so far. The start of the season was rocky for both but Ramo has improved his lateral play and positioning and Berra has continued to improve his overcommitment.

In December, Berra played 7 games with a .929 save percentage, went 2-5 but never let in more than 3. He lost 2-0 three times and 2-1 once. That was the game with the goal off of Ryan Smyth's shoulder. Pretty darn poor puck luck on that one. January he has been on the wrong end of a couple of pretty awful performances by the team, but also very good in the 2-1 Pitt loss and very good in relief against Nashville. Prior to the start of the current win streak, the team scored 11 goals in 10 starts for the guy. Prior to the couple of eggs the Flames laid against Phoenix (with some more weird goals) and Winnipeg, I thought he was settling down and playing some pretty consistent hockey while getting very little help and some unfortunate puck luck.

Ramo has gotten a bit better results overall (it is no secret that the Flames have put up better offense in front of him), and at the same time, I don't see any comparison in terms of calmness with Kipper. His equipment looks the same I guess. There have been times where he overcommits and puts himself out of the play, including last night, leaving a pretty gaping net, and somehow the other team has found a way not to capitalize.

I actually like both and think they have both getting better but still have a way to go.

[Alberta_Beef]

and you jinxed him. good work.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

That Montreal trade was quite the steal. Cammy and Ramo, while they have Bourque and a draft pick.. Awesome.

Cammy, Ramo and Culkin

For

Holland, Bourque and Fucale.

[dying4acup]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Because it is so, SO much harder coming back into the NHL if he ultimately wants to play here. After only one season of NA professional hockey, Ortio probably only considers the KHL if he does not think the NHL will be an option for him at any point of his career. He will stay because he hasn't had enough time yet to make that decision. If he was 25-years-old and still not on an NHL roster, then I think the KHL becomes a real viable option, but not now.

Ortio took the option once to go back overseas(last season). If there is a chance, give him opportunity. We are rebuilding. If he has earned a chance, then give him a chance.

When his contract is up (I think summer 2015, I can guarantee there will be KHL teams offering 7-8 figures on a long term deal. If the flames don't know what they have, junior kipper is bye bye.

[FlameZilla]

Karri Ramo just made 33 saves against the San Jose Sharks, one of the NHL's elite teams, and completely shut the door in the shoot-out.

With a 13-10-4 record, .912 save percentage & 2.54 GAA, Ramo has officially exceeded all of my expectations for this season.

Between Ramo's performances since Christmas and Ortio's recent strong call-up I have to say I think the situation between the pipes for the Calgary Flames is looking pretty good.

[tvp2003]

^^ and by flipping Berra for a second rounder, and using Brossoit to help pick up Smid, I'd say the Flames are 4 for 4 in the goalie department this year (MacDonald, the fifth goalie in camp this year, was pretty much a known commodity and that hasn't changed).

[ForeverFlameFan]

We've really addressed our goalie and defenseman situation for the most part. Signing a UFA defenseman on the offseason could be possible, but really, the only thing we need to address is finding some top 6 players that could assist the young ones as well.

[OzSome]

People are claiming next season would be worst than this season because we might lose some of our veterans. I guess the expectation before the season start was we will lose a lot of games and most of those losses are lopsided lost. Guess what? Flames proved a lot of us wrong including the so-called expert medias. This season we saw how our young guys played and they were good. It is getting close to the end of the season and we find out how good our defense plays especially when they all buying into total team defense. Butler I think was one of the surprise as people just couldn't wait to trade him somewhere, anywhere, fits in very well playing with Kris Russell. The minutes he's playing seems to fit right in for him. Tyler Wotherspoon is also complementing the pairings with Smid. Gone are the 5 minutes less per game on the 5th and 6th pairing D meaning the 3rd and 4th pairing D is not playing more than they can chew. As for our goaltending situations, I really want to see the Kari Ramo-Joni Ortio tandem next season. Their plays this season so far will help them next season. I am hoping the Flames will give them every chances they can next season and not trade or pick up any of the veteran goalies that's been brandied upon here in CP. I say no thanks to Cam Ward, Jonas Hiller, James Reimer and others. Time to take advantage of our prospect goaltenders. We didn't have that luxury when Kipper was still here because we don't need to.

[Enoch Root]

Ran some numbers on Ramo's progression so far this year...

These numbers show each 10 games (record / Sv% / GAA / SOs)

1st 10 (thr Nov 30): 3-4-1 / 0.890 / 3.23 / 0
2nd 10 (thr Jan 9): 4-4-2 / 0.910 / 2.57 / 1
3rd 10 (thr Mar 22): 5-2-1 / 0.930 / 1.97 / 0
last 3 (thr Mar 28): 2-1-0 / 0.936 / 2.29 / 0

overall this season: 14-11-4 / 0.913 / 2.57 / 1

pretty impressive

[dying4acup]

I'm comfortable next season with Ramo/Ortio splitting games (around) 50/30.

It's 50/50 as to whether Roy is brought back in Abbotsford. I'm thinking that he is because organizationally he is the 3rd goalie right now.

If the rumors are true, gillies signs after his season, and joins Abbotsford next year.

Draft another goalie in the mid-late rounds this year.

That leaves the flames in a better spot than last summer. I'm quite pleased with the progression.

[drewtastic]

Originally Posted by dying4acup

I'm comfortable next season with Ramo/Ortio splitting games (around) 50/30.

It's 50/50 as to whether Roy is brought back in Abbotsford. I'm thinking that he is because organizationally he is the 3rd goalie right now.

If the rumors are true, gillies signs after his season, and joins Abbotsford next year.

Draft another goalie in the mid-late rounds this year.

That leaves the flames in a better spot than last summer. I'm quite pleased with the progression.

I vote "Smid's Face" to backstop the remaining 20%.

[dying4acup]

Originally Posted by drewtastic

I vote "Smid's Face" to backstop the remaining 20%.

I meant 50games/30games not percentage. But that still leaves 2games for smids face! Lol