Calgary Flames management improved the team this off-season acquiring Mike Smith finding a solid starting goaltender. He is a great replacement for Brian Elliott, but he is 35-years-old and is most likely not the goalie of the future in Calgary. Somewhere down the line, the Flames will have to put there trust into one of their many talented, young goalies.
There is no shortage of talented goalie prospects that we can look forward to seeing in a Calgary Flames sweater. It will just be a matter of who can develop into an NHL ready goalie and who can handle the pressure of the playoffs.
Here are some of the best in the crease for the Flames.
1) Jon Gillies
The 23-year-old has already got some NHL experience under his belt and will be looking to add some more this season. Before GM Brad Treliving went and acquired Eddie Lack I thought for sure Jon Gillies was going to be Mike Smith‘s backup at the beginning of the season. In his first NHL game he had 28 saves and a .964 save percentage. During last season he posted 2.93 GAA in 39 games for the Stockton Heat. His goals against average could have been better but it is still pretty solid for a young goalie. I believe he will be in a Flames uniform full time in the foreseeable future.
2) Tyler Parsons
In my opinion, Tyler Parsons is the best goalie prospect we have and will most likely be a top tier NHL goalie someday. I remember watching him play for team USA this past WJHC and saying “wow this kid is amazing.” Parsons basically put the team on his back in the gold medal game. That tournament he went 5-0 with a 2.18 GAA. The scary thing for the rest of the hockey world is that he is only 19-years-old. Keep your eyes open for this kid, he is going to be a star.
3) David Rittich
David Rittich has emerged as a Calgary Flames goaltender candidate if they were to lose Lack and Smith. In his first NHL game, he only allowed 1 goal, having a impressive evening. For the Stockton Heat, he has proved to be a reliable option as he did his part with a 2.27 GAA. Him and Gillies were both just re-signed so it looks like Flames management really liked what they saw out of both of them. Rittich is fairly tall and has a strong glove hand.
Next: What is Sam Bennett's Contract Taking so Long?
The Flames do not have a easy choice. Any of these guys could be NHL ready this year or in years to come. It will be fun to watch these young players turn in to stars and battle for position in training camp and pre-season. As of right now I would rank them as follows: Gillies, Rittich, and Parsons.