David Rittich is thought by many to be the favourite for Calgary’s backup goaltender job. Now in his second season with the Flames, Rittich had some really strong moments last year playing behind Mike Smith. Unfortunately, Rittich and Jon Gillies both faltered when Smith went down in February. Even knowing that, there’s a reason Rittich is the favourite right now: he’s Calgary’s best backup option.
THE CASE FOR
Looking at Rittich’s splits from last year shows he was strong when serving as a backup. When Smith needed a rest on the second half of back-to-back nights, Rittich consistently stepped in and gave the Flames an opportunity to win.