Calgary Flames general manager, Brad Treliving has announced that AHL goaltender Jon Gillies is set to undergo hip surgery; a procedure that will keep Gillies sidelined for the balance of the 2015-16 season.
#Flames GM Brad Treliving announces hip surgery for goaltender Jon Gillies, who will be out 4-6 months.
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) December 3, 2015
Bad news for the promising young netminder but in terms of the Calgary Flames, this stands to benefit Joni Ortio further who was recently relegated to the AHL affiliate, Stockton Heat and should now be their guaranteed starting tender.
This does not spell disaster for Gillies, as Treliving, stated in an interview on the NHL official site, expects him to ‘come to camp and push next fall.’
Surely not the line Calgary Flames fans wanted to hear after learning about his injury, even more so as he was off to a great start posting a 2.31 goals against average with a .920 save percentage.
"It’s been two-plus years trying to manage this injury." - Jon Gillies ~ https://t.co/RbzVYseD8v pic.twitter.com/NxNVfCMLUG
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) December 5, 2015
Fixing this lingering issue for Gillies early with the proper procedure could benefit the Calgary Flames goaltending situation long-term and given how common the procedure is, the young prospect has potential to progress quickly with a proper rehabilitation.
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Giving this time early in Gillies’ career grants him the ability to get a full off-season in, leading up to training camp – coming in to a year with a full training camp is a big benefit in itself.
I see connections in this situation to Mikael Backlund‘s season last year. He was forced to miss the first thirty games due to lingering abdominal wall issues, and it took him a while to get back to game-speed for the Calgary Flames.
With these injuries to both Kevin Poulin and Gillies; the Stockton Heat goalie situation holds greater clarity now. With the current tentative setup with the Calgary Flames, there is also clarity with the NHL team in terms of our consistent starter being a lock courtesy of recent form – Karri Ramo.
Does this benefit the Calgary Flames short term?
In some twisted way it does.
Long term, Jon Gillies can return to form, even with potential to exceed his current level. Maintenance now is something that the Calgary Flames could see as a positive in a few short years.
Next: Flames Should Consider Andersen Or Khudobin
Is this time off now a blessing in disguise for the Calgary Flames? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.