Calgary Flames Roster: Goaltender log-jam

On July 1st, the Calgary Flames announced Karri Ramo had been signed to a one year – 3.8 million dollar deal. This deal raises a few questions in peoples minds. Isn’t Ortio waiver eligible this year? Yes. Does that mean the Flames if nothing happens, have to test waivers with Ortio? Indeed.

So after just 15 games in the NHL, is it worth the risk to test the waiver wire with Ortio? Well, let’s look at the facts.

Ortio is a 24-year-old from Turku, Finland. In 15 NHL games so far Ortio has posted a .899 SV%, 2.52 GAA, equating to an 8-6 record. Not the most attractive numbers, but still promising.

A more realistic display of his potential can be seen from Adirondack. Posting a .912 SV%, 2.69 GAA, and in 37 games started, Ortio had a record of 21-13-1. Not too shabby for a guy who missed a better part of the season with a high ankle sprain.

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Why do I feel the need to spout statistics? They are relatively significant I feel, in relation to another situation somewhat related to this. The waiving of Jacob Markstrom with the Vancouver Canucks.

In this situation, Markstrom has Ortio bested across the board, posting: .934 SV%, 1.88 GAA. That should be enough to instill confidence in us testing the waiver market with Ortio, right?

Markstrom can be heralded as a legitimate #2 goaltender, with potential to play for a starting spot. Much like Ortio. But yet, when Markstrom was waived in the fall, no-one picked him up.

Perhaps Treliving sees this as motivation to sign Ramo to this deal. In my heart, I felt Ramo was the better goaltender this year. Hiller seemed inconsistent at times but was solid down the stretch. With Hiller, time is not on his side.

The 33-year-old net-minder has seen years of action, something our core needs. With the price tag of $4.5 million per, it’s tough to see how Treliving would move him – if that were the angle he was trying to play.