Calgary Flames: Jonas Hiller and Karri Ramo heading to Olympics

The Calgary Flames have two former goaltenders who were part of an exciting run with the club heading to Pyeongchang for the Olympics.

In the NHL-less Olympics, we have quite a few former Calgary Flames players heading over to Pyeongchang in February. First, we had Rene Bourque, Mason Raymond, and Linden Vey make Team Canada about two weeks ago. Now, we have some goalies.

Jonas Hiller has been named to Switzerland’s national team and Karri Ramo has been named to Finland’s national team. Coincidentally enough, they both played with the Flames at the same time as well. Jonas Hiller, during the 2014-15 season until 2015-16 and Ramo, from one season earlier until 2016 as well.

In 2013-14, Ramo was the Flames’ primary started in a now Miikka Kiprusoff-less team where he had an sv% of 0.911 and went 17-15-4 that season. In 2014-15, Hiller and Ramo mainly split the season, but Hiller did have more starts. Hiller had 0.918 sv% with a 26-19-4 record and Ramo had 0.912 sv% with a 15-9-3 record. The Calgary Flames made the playoffs for the first time in six years that season and made it to the second round for the first time since 2004.

Related Story: Three former Flames make Team Canada

The Flames chose not to re-sign any of them after the 2015-16 season when they failed to make playoffs again. Hiller, now a free agent, decided to sign EHC Biel of the NLA. Ramo had a PTO with the Toronto Marlies, the Toronto Maple Leafs affiliate team, but they released him after three games. He returned to Finland and is currently playing for Jokerit of the KHL.

Hiller has already played with Switzerland at the Olympics, once in 2010 and another in 2014, both times they finished eighth and ninth place, respectively. He also played for Switzerland at the World Championships four times, again, all winless.

Ramo has never played at the Olympics, but he’s played at the World Championships for Finland three times, where he has one bronze medal from 2008. He’ll get the opportunity to represent his country again.

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Both players were big factors in the Flames exciting 2014-15 season where they were known as the comeback kids, but the Flames had to move on from both of them. And it seemed like they never found their groove in the NHL again.

But it may not be the last time they ever play in the Olympics.