Following the 2015-16 hockey season, David Rittich took a gamble. A product of the Czech Republic and four-year veteran of their pro hockey leagues, he had found a comfort zone and some success in his native country. But seeking a challenge, he rolled the dice and signed a deal with the Calgary Flames organization.
At the time, the Flames had three young goalies in the pipeline – Mason McDonald, Jon Gillies and Tyler Parsons – and the logic was probably that a steady veteran like Rittich could help bring them along their paths to the NHL level. Entering his third North American training camp, he’s ended up playing more NHL minutes than the three youngsters combined.