Kipper no more?

Hello again, fellow sports enthusiasts.  This post is about a rumor that has been floating around about the Calgary Flames, but has recently sparked.  The rumor is that likely, veteran goaltender and fan favorite Miikka Kiprusoff, is likely on his way out of Calgary this summer.  Flames fans and hockey fans alike have been constantly analyzing what would become of the 35 year old goalie.  Although no one from the Flames organization has spoken out, there is sure to be talk involving Kiprusoff, more commonly referred to as "Kipper". 

So, what would be the reason behind these rumors you may ask?  Well there are plenty of factors that contribute.  The first would be the contract that Kipper has with the Flames.  On his contract he has a no-trade clause that expires this July.  That means at the end of this season, the Flames will be able to trade him without his consent. 

Another factor was the recent trade involving Mike Cammalleri.  You may be asking, "Ryan, what does the swapping of Bourque and Cammalleri have to do with Kipper's fate in Calgary?"  Good question and I'm glad you asked.  Within the depths of that trade between Montreal and Calgary, the Flames also acquired a young goaltender currently playing in the KHL.  Karri Ramo, currently playing for the Omsk Avangard of the KHL, is posting better numbers than all three Flames goalies that have seen ice time this season (Karri Ramo's statistics).  He has been ranked one of the top goalies in Europe currently and could find himself in a Flames uniform as early as next season.  We also have two other young goalies, injured Henrik Karlsson and call-up Leland Irving battling for a spot on the Flames roster.

So now that we know the Flames has an abundance of goaltenders that are willing to take a shot at the number one spot, is it the best idea to ship Kipper out now or should we give hima few more shots with us to carry is to the playoffs?  The answer is, he has to go as soon as possible.  It hurts me to see a great goaltender leave but the longer he stays in Calgary the more his trade value decreases.  Hopefully we can trade him to a team attempting to make a push for the Stanley Cup and receive some draft picks in return.

Kipper has had plenty of amazing seasons in Calgary, including a stellar run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2004.  He will be missed by Flames fans and never forgotten.  It's not often that a goalie can come into a struggling hockey club and completely change the clubs success.  Kipper has been the face of Calgary's goal tending since 2004 and it will be hard for many to see that change.

Here's a photo of Miikka Kiprusoff by Dinur Blum.