Relax yall.....nobody is claiming Ortio. Word on the street is he's so pathetic in practices that Hartley can't even give him a shot in a game. Not saying he can't develop further, but he's clearly not ready.
- The-O-G

Jets and Sabres are the only 2 threats since Pavs is out till January and apparently Lehner hurt himself again

Jets and Sabres are the only 2 threats since Pavs is out till January and apparently Lehner hurt himself again
- DDM-Coga

doubt Jets would want him, they already got hutch and hellebyuck

Any team that picks up Ortio has to keep them on their main roster for the rest of the year. Name me 1 team that doesn't have some talented young goalie in the AHL that doesn't have a better save% than Ortio right now. Really, hate to burst the bubble, but Ortio is a young goalie with potential. One would have to question whether he is a legit backup at this point. I think your concern is unfounded & will be eased when he does clear waivers. At that point, you have to agree, Ortio needs to play regularly in the AHL. No one is picking him up.
- Kevin R

Well, wait a second, the guy has not been afforded much of a chance to play this year. 140 minutes of hockey and your opinion is strong enough to suggest that he couldn't backup Hiller/Ramo who have poop the bed for most of the season?

Teams like Toronto, Florida, Buffalo, Carolina, hell even Edmonton could realistically pick him up and carry him like the Flames did. In some cases, he could be the actual backup as opposed to being squandered in the press box.

This really sounds a lot like the Baertschi situation, and I think the Flames have to be cautious of how many young guys they give up on.

If he clears waivers, no biggie, but if not, this could be a move the Flames live to regret. May I remind you that they have 0 NHL goalies under contract next season, that Hiller is gone at year end regardless, that Ramo is likely to stay only if he is a clear #1 and we will have no backup?

There is far less risk in sending Hiller down and actually allowing a young kid to play and develop at the NHL level (where he belongs right now) than exposing him to waivers and sending him down at a time where 2 goalies have just dropped due to injury, your own team depth is precarious at best and neither of your "vets" has earned the right to keep the cage either.

Very risky play on the Flames part. Seems like management bought too much into the playoff run from last year...

TJ Brodie had a bad game ...he's allowed to do that ...for every game he is a liability there are ten he is one of the best on either team ...I can live with that ...I can't stand bollig taking penalties ...every time he goes to the box it's a goal and we usually lose by one ...and the wideman penalty was a brain cramp too ...just dumb plays

As for Ortio ...I liked him last year but everyone is acting like he is the second coming of kipper or something ....he was called up while playing the best hockey of his career and the hot play continued ...he had a good preseason so what ...any oilers or Canucks prospect does well in the preseason and we bring up the fact it's not against NHL regulars ...so why not do the same for Ortio ? Right now hillier and ramo are better options and who knows maybe Ortio goes on a run and gets confidence back ? Maybe the gillies injury is more serious and they want Ortio to play more ?

On the plus side Johnny gaudreau has been stellar this year ...he is turning into an elite player in this league ...Sam Bennett is looking like a Calder candidate ...so not all is doom and gloom ...hopefully they can string together some wins now
- Redmile247

The Second coming of Kipper is that Anders Nillson guy playing for Edmonton.

doubt Jets would want him, they already got hutch and hellebyuck
- Bigern4MVP

I just question their commitment to Hutchinson, hes so hit and miss. Only way they make a claim is that they just want to go with 3 goalies until Pavs is back.

Ortio is probably safe

I just question their commitment to Hutchinson, hes so hit and miss. Only way they make a claim is that they just want to go with 3 goalies until Pavs is back.

Ortio is probably safe
- DDM-Coga

hey lover

hey lover
- Jeropotato

Hey King of the Dinks

Hey King of the Dinks
- DDM-Coga

You've been avoiding me like the plague ya bone smoker.

You've been avoiding me like the plague ya bone smoker.
- Jeropotato

I can't share all my poutine secrets with you, its called playing hard to get

I can't share all my poutine secrets with you, its called playing hard to get
- DDM-Coga

I was looking for a greasy breakfast idea and the one guy who I could count on to have already ate a half pound of bacon wasn't around.

I still don't get where all the Ortio love here comes from. Are you all just hoping the Flames tank the rest of the year? He didn't have a good year last year in the AHL and was awful in his games this year. He's also never been seen around the league as some amazing prospect. Sure he's talented and could still become a decent goalie but he's not ready to play in the NHL yet and there's no team in the league that's going to keep him on their roster for the rest of the year. He's safe to send down.

I still don't get where all the Ortio love here comes from. Are you all just hoping the Flames tank the rest of the year? He didn't have a good year last year in the AHL and was awful in his games this year. He's also never been seen around the league as some amazing prospect. Sure he's talented and could still become a decent goalie but he's not ready to play in the NHL yet and there's no team in the league that's going to keep him on their roster for the rest of the year. He's safe to send down.
- Hunkulese

He had a great streak of play last year when he did get a run of games that you seem to be forgetting.

Our defense has been bad in front of all three goalies. Ortio just needs a real shot and not just the odd game here and there; just like any goalie.

Do you remember that run of games last year where the coaching staff had no choice but to keep playing him?

I still don't get where all the Ortio love here comes from. Are you all just hoping the Flames tank the rest of the year? He didn't have a good year last year in the AHL and was awful in his games this year. He's also never been seen around the league as some amazing prospect. Sure he's talented and could still become a decent goalie but he's not ready to play in the NHL yet and there's no team in the league that's going to keep him on their roster for the rest of the year. He's safe to send down.
- Hunkulese

He was an AHL All Star last season.

He was an AHL All Star last season.
- tincup

lol

He likely won't be claimed though people need to relax

FFS Flames though

best game of the season followed by one of the worst

lol

He likely won't be claimed though people need to relax

FFS Flames though

best game of the season followed by one of the worst
- flashfire

that's what they've been doing for the last month, one day they're beating the caps the next they're losing to florida

that's what they've been doing for the last month, one day they're beating the caps the next they're losing to florida
- Bigern4MVP

Yeah, and no lead is safe for the Flames this year. I figure they have December to turn this around. They have 9 home games and only 4 road in Dec. At the end of the Dec, I suspect the Flames start selling.

He was an AHL All Star last season.
- tincup

If Ramo was named as an All Star this year, would everyone automatically change their opinion of him? He had a small stretch where he was playing great last year, but he definitely didn't have a great year. Look at his stats. He wasn't in the top 30 in GAA or save %. How is that having a good year?

If Ramo was named as an All Star this year, would everyone automatically change their opinion of him? He had a small stretch where he was playing great last year, but he definitely didn't have a great year. Look at his stats. He wasn't in the top 30 in GAA or save %. How is that having a good year?
- Hunkulese

Are you talking about Ramo of Ortio ? I don't think either are world beaters but as far as Ortio goes, he's at the very least an above average AHL Goalie. When he came up last year, he stood on his head for a few games...then his game fell (crashed ?) back to earth. Either way, the Flames don't have good enough goaltending which I'm sure we can agree on.

Just a thought, with the poop goin on with Crosby, what do you think would get a deal done? Would you want him? I don't know if you'd ever trade a guy like him, but IF there is a trade I think he'd come west. A guy like that definitely won't be traded within the division, probably not even the conference.

Are you talking about Ramo of Ortio ? I don't think either are world beaters but as far as Ortio goes, he's at the very least an above average AHL Goalie. When he came up last year, he stood on his head for a few games...then his game fell (crashed ?) back to earth. Either way, the Flames don't have good enough goaltending which I'm sure we can agree on.
- tincup

How was Ortio above average? He wasn't in the top 30 in GAA or save%. He wasn't good last year.

Just a thought, with the poop goin on with Crosby, what do you think would get a deal done? Would you want him? I don't know if you'd ever trade a guy like him, but IF there is a trade I think he'd come west. A guy like that definitely won't be traded within the division, probably not even the conference.
- dr_soiledpants

not worth it at all, would have to give up way too much

not worth it at all, would have to give up way too much
- Bigern4MVP

My thoughts too. They would probably ask for Mony or Bennett, Brodie, and maybe JG.

How was Ortio above average? He wasn't in the top 30 in GAA or save%. He wasn't good last year.
- Hunkulese

If you want to throw numbers against a wall, ask yourself this, why are we paying Hiller $4.5M to play worse in goal than a guy making $600k??

As for the AHL last year, might also help to look at the fact that the other goalie in Adirondack last year had a GAA and SV% that were both markedly worse than Ortio - indicative of the fact that perhaps they weren't a strong defensive team year as well.

Ortio brought up the level of play in Adirondack, he got his time with the big club and shone in his starts - but if you want to keep burying the guy in the A, or worse yet, risk losing a young goalie to another team, so be it.

It's not that I don't think he needs to develop, but it's a question of where. At 24, he should be getting at least backup minutes in the NHL in my opinion. Having two veteran goalies fighting over net time is not working this year the way it did last season. The move I think the Flames should make is to turf Hiller (they should have done it when Ramo was sent down originally) and keep Orts around to get regular NHL reps.

The team is not a playoff contender in its current state in the standings, get your kids some time and actually push their development a little instead of playing guys who won't be around next season