Goaltender Karri Ramo has decided where he’ll take his talents to, inking a one-year extension with the Calgary Flames, worth $3.9 million.
Ramo extension in CAL is one year
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 1, 2015
Senior Editor Ken Hill had this to say, in his article of Top 10 NHL UFA Goaltenders 2015:
Ramo’s career thus far has been a series of ups and down. Drafted in the 6th round way back in 2004 by the Lightning, not much was expected of Ramo until he posted a stellar season in the SM-Liiga as a 19 year old. Unfortunately he fell back to earth after coming over to join Tampa Bay in 2006 (a .895 SV% and 3.35 GAA in 48 games over two seasons with the Bolts), and by 2009 he was back across the Atlantic, playing in the KHL.
During his time in Russia, Ramo would turn into an all-star, posting stellar numbers, and the Calgary Flames decided to take a flyer on him and traded for his rights (which belonged to Montreal at the time) in 2012 before signing him to a new contract in 2013.
The Finn was able to turn his game around in Calgary, posting a .911 SV% and a 2.63 GAA in 73 appearances with the Flames over the last two years. Though he seceded the starting role to Jonas Hiller this past season, he won it back in the playoffs, eventually appearing in seven post season contests and earning a 2-3 record with a 2.86 GAA.
While it appears Ramo will never be a starting goaltender at the NHL level, his performance on a less than stellar Flames team for the last two seasons has proven his ability to at least be a quality, NHL-caliber back-up, something that seemed a long shot after his first NHL stint. Like many of the goaltenders on this list, he could be had for cheap.
