[News] Thank you #34! - Miikka Kiprusoff officially retires -

[Wolfman]

Thanks Kipper! He truly made watching the games a little more easier, as you knew despite of the team in front of him there was a chance he could steal the W. Will be missed and it will be hard not to see him between the pipes from now on. Enjoy your retirement, and as someone stated earlier...glad he retired with the Flames.

[Erick Estrada]

His first two seasons with the Flames were no less dominant than Hasek in his prime. His careers stats would have been even better if the team didn't struggle with their identity from year to year after the 05/06 season. Definately the greatest Flames goaltender ever. Happy fishing Kipper.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by nik-

It's interesting that you choose that series, because I think the real display of goaltending against the Wings was the 07' series. That series would have went down as one of the most brutal beatings in playoff history if it wasn't for Kiprusoff. The Flames lost the series anyway, but the level of play by everyone other than Kipper was a disgrace and he turned that into a 6 gamer pretty much single handed.

Games of 46, 51 and 55 shots against, the lowest shot total by the Wings for a game was 30 ... god that series was an embarrassment.

He made 55 saves in elimination game six, including 17 in the first overtime to keep things tied.

Calgary had 21 shots through 84 minutes of icetime.

He was INCREDIBLE in that series.

[CsInMyBlood]

Even though we were pretty sure this was going to happen this year, it still pulls at my heart strings.

One of the greatest Flames ever to wear the jersey. Made this team relevant again.

His jersey better be up in the rafters in the next couple of years.

Thank you Miikka, I'm sorry we couldn't build a team around you that would have been a contender for the Stanley Cup in the seasons that followed 2004.

You will be missed.

[Bingo]

sorry guys swamped at work so I couldn't read back ... but does anyone know if there's a salary cap number still applied to the Flames this year for Kiprusoff? Or is he off the books? CapGeek has him off altogether.

[hamburgler]

Thankyou Kipper! I was 18 in 03-04 and you helped me see boobies in real life for free. I owe you!

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Bingo

sorry guys swamped at work so I couldn't read back ... but does anyone know if there's a salary cap number still applied to the Flames this year for Kiprusoff? Or is he off the books? CapGeek has him off altogether.

He's off altogether.

His contract was less than 7 years, so there's no cap-recapture penalty. He was under 35 when it was signed, so there's no hit there either.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Bingo

sorry guys swamped at work so I couldn't read back ... but does anyone know if there's a salary cap number still applied to the Flames this year for Kiprusoff? Or is he off the books? CapGeek has him off altogether.

Off altogether.

[Bezer]

Du hast
Du hast mich...

/singletear


Best goalie to wear the flaming C

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by nik-

It's interesting that you choose that series, because I think the real display of goaltending against the Wings was the 07' series. That series would have went down as one of the most brutal beatings in playoff history if it wasn't for Kiprusoff. The Flames lost the series anyway, but the level of play by everyone other than Kipper was a disgrace and he turned that into a 6 gamer pretty much single handed.

Games of 46, 51 and 55 shots against, the lowest shot total by the Wings for a game was 30 ... god that series was an embarrassment.

We deserved to lose that series in 4 straight and we probably should have lost those games by 4 or more goals each time.

That was one of the great goaltending performances ever, and it was still only good enough to get us to game 6.

Every member of that team outside of Kipper should be embarrassed for how they played in that series.

[normtwofinger]

One last time: Shirts off for Kipprusoff!!

[BlackWallStreet]

I was 12 when we made it to the Stanley cup final in 04. Not gonna lie I cried lolol I was soo choked.

Thanks for the memories though kipper, you're the man

[The Swedish Flame]

Here are some tweets by a Finnish journalist today:

Vesa Rantanen @vrantanen 3h
Kiprusoff never really was easy man to reach. Once in every 2 months he picked the phone up and laughed: Do you have to call me ALL THE TIME

Vesa Rantanen @vrantanen 3h
Ne never really wasbt interested in telling how to stop the puck. He just stopped a ####load of them. 1 of very best in that.

Vesa Rantanen @vrantanen 3h
The laser episode in Van few yrs back. Kipper was asked did the laser guy bother him. "No. I always close my eyes when they shoot anyway."

Vesa Rantanen @vrantanen 2h
I guess I can tell this too now. 1st game in World Cup 2004. I leave Helsinki night club around 2.30. In walks Kipper heavily intox..

Vesa Rantanen @vrantanen 2h
... stays til last call (4 am) and empties mini bar after. Lets in zero goals next nite. Nor a fan of an early curfew.

Vesa Rantanen @vrantanen 2h
Best one really is the helicopter ride from Appotsford to Vancouver b/f bus to airport but it might be urban legend as well. so leave that.

Vesa Rantanen @vrantanen 2h
Putting it shortly, Kipper is bookworthy in every possible way. The goalie, the athlete, the man of international mystery.

Vesa Rantanen @vrantanen 2h
Oh. And the one with a cigarette butt in his hoody. Almost started a fire at then teammates house. Hahhah. We already miss you Kipper.

Vesa Rantanen @vrantanen 2h
I once asked Kipper after a long dinner but not much to eat why he doesnt use his status in CGY to demand better players around him.

Vesa Rantanen @vrantanen 2h
He thought about it heavily and for some time. He was really tired at that time soldiering through yet another 75 game season. He took a sip

Vesa Rantanen @vrantanen 2h
Looked me straight into eyes and said smthng along the lines: they gave me more money I ever could dream of, let alone ever spend it, so

Vesa Rantanen @vrantanen 2h
I'm really not in position to demand anything. I can only do my share and do it as well as I ever can." To me it was world class answer.

Vesa Rantanen @vrantanen 2h
Crowds made Kipper uncomfortable. He turned down hefty sponsor deal because they needed him to sign autographs and shake hands in an event

Vesa Rantanen @vrantanen 2h
And the Keenan era. He wanted Kipper to stay and work out during All Star break. Hell, yeah. Conversation turned physical. Kipper took break

[polak]

If these are true, then Kipper needs someone to write a tell all biography for him. Please. Please. Please.

[Bertuzzied]

Best Kipper story ever was the one with him and the Finnish World Jr team. While everyone else was running up a mountain for training, Toskala said Kipper hid in the bushes and was eating berries for the whole time. hahaha

10,000 thanx for anyone who can find that story on CP. i tried a few times searching for it but can't seem to find it!

[kirant]

I've known this was coming for months, but I can't help but get choked when I read the words "Kiprusoff officially retires".

I was 12 during the Cup run. As a a goaltender learning to really play and a Flames fan watching the first real run of his life, Kiprusoff has been one the players I've idolized for much of my life. It hurts to watch the crowd give him that standing ovation because I know that's the end of the line for the first player I really loved to watch. Vernon will be a special player for me, as he was the first goaltender I watched in person in his return trip to the Flames, but Kiprusoff was the first one I avidly watched.

I've stated it before, but the hallmark of a good goaltender is the ability to give your team a chance to win every night. Kiprusoff went far beyond the call in that regard; he hauled a garbage team uphill every year. Iginla was the face of the franchise and the one fans will remember best, but Kiprusoff did a lot more heavy lifting.

Honestly, I want to see Kiprusoff in a Flames jersey one more time - giving it to management and letting them lift it beside Vernon and McDonald.

[kirant]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

Best Kipper story ever was the one with him and the Finnish World Jr team. While everyone else was running up a mountain for training, Toskala said Kipper hid in the bushes and was eating berries for the whole time. hahaha

10,000 thanx for anyone who can find that story on CP. i tried a few times searching for it but can't seem to find it!

http://ingoalmag.com/news/miikka-kip...an-of-mystery/

Like that time back in Finland, when Kiprusoff and current Columbus goalie Fredrik Norrena were among four goalies sent out for an hour-long run in the forest by their team, TPS Turku. While Norrena and one of other goalies were out running, a then junior-aged Kiprusoff stayed behind with the other older goaltender, eating blueberries for an hour before rejoining Norrena on the way back.

Or the 1996 World Junior Championships, when Kiprusoff and his future Sharks teammate Toskala freaked out the Finnish coaching staff by putting baby powder on their faces to make it look like they were sick. Or years later in San Jose, when Toskala turned to Kiprusoff for relief from a rigorous drill only to find his practice partner on his knees, with his mask off, eating an energy bar.

Or during his entire first season in the AHL, when partner Hedberg was forced to serve as his translator for Kiprusoff, who also spoke both Swedish and English at the time. So why not speak for himself? Because rookies had to carry all the bags, a task he wasn’t impressed with and managed to avoid by playing dumb all season.

[Neeper]

Thank you for an amazing 10 years Kipper. #34 to the rafters ASAP please.

[Mike F]

Feel privileged to have watched him as a Flame, and glad he went out on his own terms.

This picture always summarized Kipper best to me: incredible athleticism and determination. After a play he'd flip up the mask and be cool as ice, but the look in his eyes when he was trying to stop a puck....

[$ven27]

I really hope he releases a book, I have a feeling he has some hidden gems for stories.