It’s an understatement to say that the Calgary Flames’ crease situation has been complicated the past few years. The organization has struggled to find consistent goaltending since Miikka Kiprusoff retired in 2013, which has caused Brad Treliving to cast about in various directions in an effort to improve Calgary’s puck stopping.
David Rittich’s surprise contract was one of the results of those efforts. It was assumed Rittich was mostly signed to back up Jon Gillies in the AHL, but the 24-year-old actually outplayed his younger counterpart for much of the season, pushing coach Ryan Huska into a more equitable “platoon” type rotation.