Player Discussion Goaltending for 2020-21 and beyond

Jersey Fan 12

Positive Vibes
Nov 20, 2006
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Was looking for information on Jon Gillies and then started examining the Flames overall goalie situation.

It appears that at the moment only David Rittich and 19-year-old Dustin Wolf — who signed on May 1st — are the only goalies currently under contract for next season.

Cam Talbot appears to be an interesting case as it seems he is seeking a starting position (and I assume starter's salary) either with the Flames or elsewhere). Is that merited?

That brings me to Gillies — who since he came out of Providence appeared to be the heir apparent before Rittich came over and seized the job. On the plus side, he lasted longer in the Calgary system than Mason McDonald and has seemed to hold off younger goalies like Tyler Parsons and Nick Schneider.

However, he is a Group 6 Free Agent and after five seasons in the organization has still not been able to stick at the NHL level. The Blues had some success with a goalie who had a similar path to the NHL — and he's done pretty well the past two seasons. Though unlike

Is there any evidence that Gillies is ready to take a similar step next season or does he head elsewhere for a starting opportunity?

The other goalie in the system is Artyom Zagulidin, who after signing a one-year contract with Calgary split his first season in North America with Gillies in the AHL. Is there any interest in re-signing him?
 

Iggys Dome

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I think Gillies is done in Calgary, he was pretty poor in pre-season (like, noticeably shaky) and hasn't been lights out in Stockton or anything.

Our depth chart for G is pretty depressing, Wolf is the only bright light. Rittich has been pedestrian this season, although I still think he can be a number one if he works on his fitness. I'd want to re-sign Talbot for next season and would be content with rolling Rittich/Talbot again, but Talbot has made it clear he's not interested in a back-up role next season and we can't promise him that here.

I'd bring up Parsons to the AHL and keep Zag there and split time between them, probably sign a AHL-level goalie to provide some competition. Let Wolf marinate in the dub for one more year then bring him into the org. in 21-22 and go from there.
 

Khrox

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May 31, 2018
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I would try and re-sign Talbot for the NHL. Gillies I think gets let go, Gillies and Parsons are pretty equal (with Parsons having a higher upside and younger). Zag has had a very similar development to Rittich, which means he is likely the guy to be the stop-gap (with chance to take the reigns) in the AHL/backup NHL while Wolf completes his final year of Juniors, and adapt to the pro's with a year or two in the A.
 

Fig

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Not sure on Talbot and Gilles being retained, but currently I assume our situation looks something like this:

Rittich
Gilles/Talbot
------
AZ/Parsons
------
Wolf/Schneider

Talbot can demand starter all he wants, but a club has to offer him a starter position. Playing 1B with Rittich here might be the most games he can request from any club and Calgary might also be one of the few clubs to offer the occasional string of hot hand games rather than being tossed in cold to give the main starter a rest.
 
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Johnny Hoxville

The Return of a Legend
Jul 15, 2006
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I kinda hope we Gillies one more shot. Really though I think Zag is our backup for next season and Parsons and someone else will be on the Heat.
 
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47

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Feb 23, 2014
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Rittich
_____
Zagidulin
Parsons
Wolf

- Bring in a new guy to tandem with Rittich
- Re-sign Zag and Parsons
- Release Gillies and Schneider
- Let Wolf dominate in the CHL for one more year

Gillies isn’t worth retaining unless Zag doesn’t re-sign as Parsons needs to play in the AHL full time next season. I think Zag comes back tho so Gillies will be gone.
 

FanTheFlames

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Aug 20, 2017
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Georgiev for Kylington

Who says no?

I think as of right now Calgary says no Because you have only Gio, Andersson and Hanifin signed for next season meaning they have 4 slots to fill for opening roster and having a guy like Kylington who is young and a #6 right now, BUT it depends on how Valimaki has been managing all year being rehabing and pretty much only doing behind the scenes training.

Gio Andersson
Hanifin ?
Valimaki ?
Kylington ?

That's our top 8 defence currently under control with Brodie, Hamonic, Gustafson, Forbort and Stone all being UFA after this season wraps up

As for Goalies

Rittich
Gillies

I think they should keep him just to save the cap space and I think playing 30-35 games he's serviceable

AHL
Zag
Parsons

Chl and echl
Wolf
Schneider

I think after wolf's final year in the Chl he should be getting a serious look as the #1 in the AHL to keep his momentum rolling because as of right now he's looking like a very good 7th round pick winning WHL goalie of the year, Chl goalie of the year and USA hockey Goalie of the year this past season
 

Bounces R Way

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Nov 18, 2013
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Rittich
_____
Zagidulin
Parsons
Wolf

- Bring in a new guy to tandem with Rittich
- Re-sign Zag and Parsons
- Release Gillies and Schneider
- Let Wolf dominate in the CHL for one more year

Gillies isn’t worth retaining unless Zag doesn’t re-sign as Parsons needs to play in the AHL full time next season. I think Zag comes back tho so Gillies will be gone.

Not really much to add here. Think this is the best and obvious gameplan.

I do wonder who they could bring in for the backup/1B role if they're not comfortable throwing Zagidulin into it. Khudobin would probably be my first choice but he might be looking at something with more than a 1 year term. Seems like a great tandem goalie.
 
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JPeeper

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It'd be nice to see a goalie take the next step and even dominate the AHL for once.

Parsons - Memorial Cup + World Junior winning goalie, atrocious in the AHL.
Gillies - Puts up ridiculously good numbers in the NCAA, is not that great in the AHL, looks completely lost in the NHL.
Mason McDonald - Has never once in his career put up good numbers anywhere he played, one of the dumbest picks I can remember in the past decade.

I hope Wolf can buck this trend and at least be respectable in his first year and continue to grow because it's extremely pathetic that in this franchises 40 year history we've developed whopping 1 goalie within the organization worth a damn as well as 1 legit #1 center.
 
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super6646

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Apr 16, 2018
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It'd be nice to see a goalie take the next step and even dominate the AHL for once.

Parsons - Memorial Cup + World Junior winning goalie, atrocious in the AHL.
Gillies - Puts up ridiculously good numbers in the NCAA, is not that great in the AHL, looks completely lost in the NHL.
Mason McDonald - Has never once in his career put up good numbers anywhere he played, one of the dumbest picks I can remember in the past decade.

I hope Wolf can buck this trend and at least be respectable in his first year and continue to grow because it's extremely pathetic that in this franchises 40 year history we've developed whopping 1 goalie within the organization worth a damn as well as 1 legit #1 center.

Hunter smith was an even worse pick in 2014...

That draft was atrocious for us.
 
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Fig

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Nah he was 6'7. Probably could've stood there like a fridge and done alright I guess lmao.

I dunno about that. Jon Gilles is 6'6". Hunter Smith is 1" taller and more mustache than Michelin man.
 

Mobiandi

Registered User
Jan 17, 2015
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Just find a finished or near-finished product elsewhere. The league and Russia are littered with them. My belief in this organization to develop an NHL-calibre goalie is zero
 
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Fig

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Just find a finished or near-finished product elsewhere. The league and Russia are littered with them. My belief in this organization to develop an NHL-calibre goalie is zero

Unintentional double entendre?
 
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JPeeper

Hail Satan!
Jan 4, 2015
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Hunter smith was an even worse pick in 2014...

That draft was atrocious for us.

That was such a pathetic draft. Highest pick in Flames history, draft a bust. 2 2nd rounders, 1 of which is high 2nd, draft not only busts, but draft day busts. The day both McDonald and Smith were drafted pretty much most already knew they would bust.

Thank f*** we were able to get Ras, Ollie and Mangi from '15 and use our 1st + 2nds from that draft to get Hamilton and eventually Lindholm and Hanifin. In essence we got Hanifin, Lindholm, Ras, Ollie and Mangiapane out of that draft. f***ing solid.

Since then has been a gong show of sorts though. 3/4 drafts since we've only had 5 picks, and we lost our 2nd best prospect/player out of all those drafts in Adam Fox 'cause he's a self entitled prick.
 

Tkachuk Norris

Registered User
Jun 22, 2012
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The way Sigalet talks about Dustin Wolf makes it sound like he thinks this guy is our goalie of the future.
He does seem to think the game at an exceptional level, interested to see how he does at the next level.

We should be picking goalies late (6th/7th) once a draft in hopes we strike gold ones in a while.

I think Zagidulin could turn into something but I tend to agree with Mobiandi (lol we never agree on anything) as we should look outside the organization for a tendy. I was really high on Gillies coking out of college but he hardly improved at all, if not regressed.

Anderson, Lehner, Markstrom and Georgiev are all interesting options we will have to consider this year.
 

Corpus X

Wearing Stanley's cup.
May 24, 2014
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Thick Stick Rittich never rose to the prominence that it deserved. The shadow it would have cast...

Fury Wolf Wall will be the beast we need.
 

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