Value of: David Rittich

[Potty John]

Calgary’s backup goalie from last year. Had a decent rookie season as backup. Fans are split on whether or not he is a reliable backup or if Gillies is better.
How much value would he have in the eyes of other teams?

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[blankall]

Doubt he has any value. The guy is turning 26 is a couple weeks and has yet to prove he's a reliable NHL backup. The Flames signed him undrafted, so it's not as thought they gave up anything for him.

His either emerges in Calgary as at least a competent backup next year or he is going to have a very tough time finding a role in the NHL. The Flames also just re-signed him. I doubt they do a sign and trade here.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

26 year old backups have pretty limited value.

 

[StreetHawk]

If he gets waived he might get claimed if a teams backup goes down in camp.

Otherwise, I don’t see him leaving the Calgary organization.

 

[MMC]

Would clear waivers

 

[Brock Radunske]

What are you looking for, like a 7th?

 

[Potty John]

What are you looking for, like a 7th?

Honestly I’m fine with waiving him or getting as low a pick as possible.

 

[Zirakzigil]

Future considerations. Most teams would rather roll with one of their unproven guys than take a flyer on someone else’s.

 

[airbus220]

Honestly I’m fine with waiving him or getting as low a pick as possible.

Rittich is good. They should keep him in the NHL, Gillies is waiver exempt. He could be a 1b once Smith's is gone. They should have signed him for more than 1 year.

 

[Snakepit]

He'd probably clear waivers unless someone's backup went down

 

[letsgrowcactus]

He's cheap, no need to move him - plus Gillies is waiver exempt and hasn't really outplayed Rittich yet. Why would Calgary trade him now? Makes zero sense.

Scenarios:
- he'll be bad. You'd get nothing for him now and you'd get nothing for him later. You can just as well wait to see if he's actually any good.
- he'll be better than Gillies and a capable backup. You keep him.
- both Rittich and Gillies turn out good but Gillies is better/younger/whatever. You can either keep Rittich as insurance for the playoffs, or you can sell him at the deadline for a better pick - maybe a fourth rounder, depending on need and his level of play, better than what you'd get now.
- bonus scenario/variation of the above: a team loses a goalie mid-season and desperately needs a replacement. Again, you trade him for a pick or an okay prospect and get something back.

You trade him now, you get nothing. You wait, you may get nothing, but you could also get a mid-round pick or an NHL backup. Seems like a no-brainer for me.

You could try trading him for a more proven but expensive backup to a team with a cap issue. Can't think of any team from the top of my head but that's honestly the only scenario where I could see trading him in the summer.

 

[HugginThePost]

He was actually a very good back up, it was when he was called upon to be the starter that he went to hell.

Of course we can look at it as a chicken or egg scenario as well. Did the team fall apart and he was left to twist in the wind, or did he bring the team down?

No matter, I like him as the back up, as long as he is a back up. If Smith goes down early, we need a starter, quickly.

I know I'd take him over Gillies....

 

[airbus220]

He was actually a very good back up, it was when he was called upon to be the starter that he went to hell.

No matter, I like him as the back up, as long as he is a back up. If Smith goes down early, we need a starter, quickly.

If Smith goes down Rittich shouldn't start consecutive games, use Rittich in a tandem with Gillies.
Or better don't start Smith so much and use Rittich more (55/27 games). Rittich should start every 3rd game.

 

[HugginThePost]

If Smith goes down Rittich shouldn't start consecutive games, use Rittich in a tandem with Gillies.
Or better don't start Smith so much and use Rittich more (55/27 games). Rittich should start every 3rd game.

I'm down with that.....

I agree, we rode Smith too much last year.....but he was just so good I understand wanting to go to him.

Hopefully we get some scoring from the bottom 6 this year and don't need to win 2-1 or 3-2, allowing Rittich to start more.

 

[CraigsList]

We’re keeping Rittich for the year unless Gillies for sure outplays Rittich for the backup spot. Plus, Smith could get injured. My guess is that if Gillies really impresses management, Rittich will be dealt at the deadline to a team that desperately needs a better backup for the playoffs.

 

[Oddbob]

Honestly I’m fine with waiving him or getting as low a pick as possible.

Don't you mean as high a pick as possible? Can't go lower than 7th!

Honestly doubt he has any trade value as just like other teams, pretty much everyone has a lowish grade goalie they can spare or don't want.

 

[Oddbob]

I'm down with that.....

I agree, we rode Smith too much last year.....but he was just so good I understand wanting to go to him.

Hopefully we get some scoring from the bottom 6 this year and don't need to win 2-1 or 3-2, allowing Rittich to start more.

Problem is, that is the league anymore. The teams that grind out those 1 goal wins, are the top teams at the end of the season. Everything is so close now, which is why so many teams pretend they are in it, for a long as possible, cause even the worst teams in the league are generally not far behind in most games.

 

[Lunatik]

Calgary’s backup goalie from last year. Had a decent rookie season as backup. Fans are split on whether or not he is a reliable backup or if Gillies is better.
How much value would he have in the eyes of other teams?

Gillie is still waiver exempt, since it is a coin toss between he and Rittich and Rittich was solid until he had to start nightly, there is no reason to think Rittich won't be the guy. I say this as probably the biggest Gillies fan on the Flames board.

 

[MrazeksVengeance]

What now, eh?

 

[koyvoo]

What now, eh?

Nice bump

 

[Tkachuky]

He wouldn’t clear waivers but his value is still nothing to brag about.

Will see what happens in the next few weeks as he gets more starts.