Calgary Flames Future Goaltending Looks Promising

The Calgary Flames already have two solid goaltenders with Brian Elliott and Chad Johnson. But without these two, the team’s goaltending future still looks hopeful.

Brian Elliott and Chad Johnson have both switched roles basically all season. First we have Johnson who was great in November and helped the Calgary Flames into their first playoff spot all season long. He was there when Elliott still hadn’t found his game yet.

Then we have Elliott who, as of late, has been the backbone of this team. With how spectacular he’s been since the All-Star break, it’s hard to bet against him. He’s a big reason the Flames are making it to the playoffs and he’ll definitely be the x-factor in the playoffs.

But nobody quite knows what the future holds with Calgary and these two. They’re both on one-year contracts with them expiring after this season. We know that the Flames will most likely try to extend Elliott’s contract and protect him during the expansion draft. But, the Flames need to expose a goaltender, and whether that’s Johnson or not if Johnson re-signs, it’s hard to tell.

But with the uncertainty of these two, we still know one thing for sure: The future looks promising.

Elliott here to stay?

According to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, Brian Elliott would like to stay in Calgary and he thinks it would be a nice fit. Of course, the Calgary Flames would also like Elliott to stay. However, they don’t want to do any contract talks before the end of the season because Calgary’s front office doesn’t want distractions right as playoffs are starting. Understandable.

So, it’s highly likely that Elliott will be re-signing with Calgary. But that’s not who I wanted to talk about today.

Flames prospects have a long future ahead of them

As much I’d like Brian Elliott to stay in Calgary with the skill and experience he is currently bringing and can continue to bring to the team, he’s not my point of focus. I wanted to focus on two names today. The first one:

Jon Gillies.

Jon Gillies currently plays with the Calgary Flames AHL affiliate, the Stockton Heat as their goaltender. He was however called up on an emergency basis with the injury to Chad Johnson against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday evening.

With a possibility of him potentially playing in the playoffs, he at least needed to have an NHL debut first. He had it against the Los Angeles Kings which is slightly ironic seeing how he grew up cheering for the Kings and chose number 32 because of Jonathan Quick. However, Quick wasn’t playing in net that night. So Gillies may have grown up watching Quick, but this time, Quick was on the bench watching him.

And he walked away with a win! 23 goalies have made their NHL debut in a Calgary Flames jersey. Only four of them have won in their debut. Well, now that number is up to five with Gillies winning. He stopped 27 of 28 shots, earning him the first star of the game. He even said that the one goal he allowed, he chuckled to himself and said, “Well, welcome”. Gillies said he calmed down a little after that goal.

Calgary Flames

Via Calgaryflames.com:

"“Honestly, it’s in LA, which was my favourite team until I got drafted by the Flames,” Gillies said. “It’s a building I watched a lot of hockey in online when I was in college and stuff like that.“Most of all, it’s that my parents were able to be here and my little brother was able to be here and three of my four very best friends in the entire world were able to fly out. That means the world to me.”"

The team was also impressed by his play.

"“He was real good,” Gulutzan said. “I think he settled in there and made some big saves. He made some big saves for us. He’s a big guy in that net and looked very calm. I thought it was a real good night for him.”“He was great,” defenceman Dennis Wideman said. “He played great, he made a lot of big saves, he looked really comfortable. We’re happy for him. It’s his first game. First game, first win. It was great for him and I’m sure he was really excited.”"

Via Sportsnet:

"“I’ve seen that before in exhibitions and in Stockton, and I didn’t expect anything else,” Hamilton said. “He’s really good.”"

We here at Flame for Thought were also impressed. I mean, just look at this killer save:

Now, I know he’s only played in one NHL game and this isn’t a sign of what’s to come. Trust me, I’ve been a Flames fan my whole life, I’ve learned better than to get my hopes up (that’s only sort of a joke). But I think with a great goaltending coach, Gillies can be a legitimate backup to someone like Brian Elliott.

Now on to another legitimate backup, or even starting goaltender. This guy is one of the best goaltenders in the OHL right now.

Tyler Parsons

Tyler Parsons currently plays for the London Knights of the OHL. He was taken in the 2016 draft in the second round by the Calgary Flames. Just last month, the Flames signed Parsons to a three-year two-day deal. He helped his team to a Memorial Cup last season with the London Knights.

Hm, I think another person Flames fans are familiar with played with the Knights last season too… But I can’t quite put my finger on it…

(It was Matthew Tkachuk).

Last season, Parsons had the second best GAA and SV% of all goaltenders in the OHL (min. 20 games). He had a GAA of 2.33 and sv% of 0.921. In the playoffs, he had the best GAA and sv% of all goaltenders (min. 5 games). Safe to say that the Flames made a good choice.

But that’s not the only prize he’s won recently.

In January, he helped lead Team USA to a World Junior gold. During the tournament, he had five wins with a 2.18 GAA and 0.917 sv%. In the gold medal game, he made 46 saves, including every shot in the shootout, to beat Canada 5-4 in the shootout. He in fact made 17 saves in overtime alone.

Via Detroit Free Press:

"“I love the pressure, I’ve played in a lot of high-pressure games. I love it. It makes me play better. I knew what I had to do. I had to stop the puck to win that gold medal. The whole time in the shoot-out I was thinking in my head, ‘If I let in a goal, we’re losing the gold medal.’ I made sure that wasn’t going to happen. Stopped all five guys.”"

This season, the London Knights are back in the playoffs. Parsons during this season was first overall for the sv%  and tied for third for GAA (min. 20 games). His GAA was 2.37 and his sv% was 0.926.

The London Knights are currently in the second round of the playoffs against the Eerie Otters. And how has Parsons been doing?

Well he helped his team to a shutout for game 1 to top the Otters 2-0. Oh, and he made 46 saves.

Via Global News:

"“I think it is safe to say, as well as he always plays, I have never seen him play as well as that. I don’t think I’ve ever played with any goalie who has played like that.” Said captain J.J. Piccinich.“(Parsons) stood on his head for 17 games straight last year, but I don’t think I can remember a performance quite like we saw tonight.” The longest-serving member of the Knights, Owen MacDonald, echoed."

The London Free Press is calling him the Mona Lisa of junior hockey goaltending.

Via London Free Press:

"“There was a lot going on,” Parsons said with a grin. “It’s one of those nights that if your team needs you, you’ve got to be the backbone. I saw a lot of shots and I had to make saves, which is what playoffs are all about.“A game down the road, they’ll bail me out too.”“He (Parsons) is working hard for us and we find a way to find the back of the net,” Teammate Mitchell Stephens said. “He was unbelievable, he was our rock back there. When we had some mental lapses, he bailed us out.“He’s a high-calibre goalie. That’s why he was on the world junior team for the (United) States. That’s why he’s one of the best goalies in our league.”"

I have no doubt in my mind that Parsons can be a #1 netminder in the NHL. It may take a couple more years, but he’s definitely close to being ready. Even the Calgary Flames know this, that’s why they just signed him on a three-year deal.

Next: How will the Flames fare against the Blackhawks?

We don’t know what’s going to happen with Elliott or Johnson. We barely even know what could happen with Parsons and Gillies. But it’s safe to say that for the next few years, for the first time in years, the Calgary Flames crease looks promising.