You could get dramatic and suggest Saturday’s preseason finale in Edmonton will essentially dictate who wins the Calgary Flames backup job.
Or you could look at it realistically and understand that a decision was largely made long ago, as in July 26 when David Rittich signed a one-year, $800,000 contract extension.
It is a one-way deal, which gives him a huge leg up on Jon Gillies, the man he entered camp "battling" for the backup spot behind Mike Smith.
What makes the situation suddenly intriguing is that Gillies has had a much better camp than Rittich. (Gillies has a 2.38 GAA, Rittich 4.18).
| GP | GS | W | L | OT | SA | GA | GAA | SV% | SO | G | A | PIM | TOI | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jon Gillies | G | CGY | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 45 | 5 | 2.38 | 0.889 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42:04:00 |
| David Rittich | G | CGY | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 86 | 11 | 4.18 | 0.872 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39:36:00 |
That said, Rittich has been the better goalie in Stockton between the two the last two years.
In a business that revolves around asset-management, the easy move is to demote Gillies for more seasoning and give Rittich the chance to rebound from subpar play this fall and late last season.
After all, the Flames wouldn’t like losing Rittich on waivers should they try demoting him for more work.
Then again, not sure many teams are interested in Rittich at this point.
In that vein, perhaps it’s the Flames who will be monitoring the waiver wire for goalies over the next several days as the Leafs, of all teams contemplating their goalie situation, may have to expose Garret Sparks or former Flame Curtis McElhinney.
Would the Flames see either as an upgrade on the 26-year-old, undrafted Rittich?
For what it’s worth, Rittich and Smith were in the nets for practice in San Jose Friday, leaving Gillies as the odd man out.
The team refused to say which goalies would even dress Saturday, suggesting they simply needed to find out from Smith whether he felt he needed one last bit of action.
A Rittich appearance with Smith, unless disastrous, would again suggest it’s his job.
It would point to an imminent demotion of Gillies, a former national champion at Providence where the 6-foot-6 netminder played after being a third-round pick of the Flames in 2012.
Unless, of course, they both play, thickening the plot.
Despite years of hype, Gillies is no longer considered the Flames goalie of the future anymore. That title goes to Tyler Parsons.
A look back at how Rittich’s dream season last year turned into a nightmare over the course of a month:
| David Rittich 2017-18 Season Splits | Record | GAA | SV% | Shutouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before February 11 | 5-1-2 | 2.20 | .927 | 0 |
| February 11 – March 11 | 3-4-1 | 3.49 | .888 | 0 |
Rittich doesn’t want to discuss the type of surgery he had at the conclusion of last season.
Despite being the one to reveal for the first time he’d gone under the knife in his native Czech Republic, he downplayed its significance.
"I don’t want to tell it," smiled the affable goalie.
"It was just a small one – nothing too big."
Inquiring minds want to know, as perhaps the injury could help explain the late-season collapse he and his Flames endured in his rookie season.
Called up in November to make his season debut in the stead of ill-fated backup Eddie Lack, Rittich spelled off Smith in brilliant fashion.
So much so, the Flames traded Lack, turning to Rittich as the full-time backup for the then-35-year-old Smith.
Despite being just a season and a half removed from the Czech Republic League in which he assumed he’d spend his whole career, he opened with a 5-1-2 record with a tidy 2.20 GAA and .927 save percentage.
Teammates loved the fun-loving 25-year-old who had spent just one year in Stockton learning English and the North American game.
Life was good. A perfect fit behind Smith.
However, things went sideways when he became The Man.
A fluke groin injury to Smith in the dying seconds of a win in Brooklyn on February 11 gave Rittich an opportunity he never dreamed of so soon.
Starter.
It didn’t go well, as Rittich failed to continue giving the Flames reliable goaltending, prompting the team to fade from a playoff spot.
In the month Smith was gone, Rittich was 3-4-1 with a ghastly 3.49 GAA and .888 save percentage.
The team, Smith and Rittich never recovered.
Was it nerves? Pressure? Did the team simply falter around him or did the undisclosed injury play a role?
"It’s tough to say what went wrong," said Rittich, who got married this summer and said he had a solid few months of training home in the Czech Republic after playing at the Worlds.
"The first part it was a great experience for me because it was my first time to stay long in the NHL. So I am taking from last year’s experience and I know I have to be better. I know what I have to do more. I don’t want to look back at what I should do last year, I look at this season now. It will be fine."
Rittich found it encouraging he was left off the roster headed to China so he could get more preseason action.
Problem being, he had a disappointing spring, which is the only reason why anyone is starting to worry.
After all, the Flames can’t afford to lose another season should Smith get injured.
"Hopefully it will be my job," said Rittich of the backup gig.
"My goal is to make team and play the best I can play and help the guys be in the playoffs."
He had that chance last year, which was a tall task for a rookie.
Then again, he’s been proving people wrong and playing with house money for a while now.
"Every single kid wants to be in the NHL and I was undrafted and thought ‘it’s done for me,’" said Rittich, who was scouted in Czech by Flames personnel asked to think outside the box.
"Then I had a contract with the Flames three years ago so I was pretty pumped about it. Signing a contract with an NHL team was my dream. Then last year everything came true. My dreams came true. So I’m pretty happy about it.
"The first win. I will remember that the best of my life."
The next one may be even more important.
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