Was ist das » new opportunities for different guys

CALGARY -- The Calgary Flames have competition in goal at training camp for the first time in years. The retirement of workhorse Miikka Kiprusoff left a void in net as the Flames prepare for the 2013-14 NHL season. Kiprusoff was Calgarys undisputed No. 1 after backstopping the Flames to the 2004 Stanley Cup final. The softspoken Finn played seven seasons of 70-plus games during his tenure in Calgary and was considered the backbone of the team. There isnt an obvious frontrunner to replace Kiprusoff. The battle to be the Flames starter is expected to be between Joey MacDonald of Pictou, N.S., Karri Ramo of Finland and Swiss native Reto Berra. Laurent Broissoit of Port Alberni, B.C., and another Finnish product, Joni Ortio, round out the five goalies at training camp, but lack the pro experience of the other three. Calgarys camp opened Wednesday with physical testing at the University of Calgary kinesiology lab. The first exhibition game is Saturday at the Saddledome against the Edmonton Oilers. Albertas NHL clubs will split their squads and host games in each city. The Flames open the regular season on the road Oct. 3 against the Washington Capitals. Their home opener is Oct. 6 versus the Vancouver Canucks. The Flames havent reached the playoffs in four seasons. The trading of longtime captain Jarome Iginla last season and the departure of Kiprusoff marks a new era for the hockey club. MacDonald was Kiprusoffs backup after the Flames plucked him off waivers in February. The 33-year-old is the most experienced goalie at camp with 122 NHL games split between Calgary, Detroit, Toronto, New York Islanders and Boston Bruins. MacDonalds record in the lockout-shortened season was 8-9-1 with a goals-against average of 2.87 and a save percentage of .902. "Most years coming to camp, most teams have their clear-cut number one," MacDonald said. "Being in Detroit for so long, you always had an old guy there that you had to battle. This year, its going to be exciting. The opportunity is there and its going to be an exciting team." He started three of Calgarys last four games of the season and signed a one-year contract in April that will pay him $925,000 this season. Ramo, 27, played 48 games for the Tampa Bay Lightning between 2006 and 2009 and also has American Hockey League experience. Hes spent the last four years in Russia in the KHL. "Tampas testing was two days and now its one day so I guess the rules have changed a little bit," Ramo observed. "Now its about showing what you can do." The Flames picked up Ramos rights from the Montreal Canadiens in 2012 in the same deal that returned forward Mike Cammalleri to Calgary. Current Flames general manager Jay Feaster was the GM in Tampa Bay when the Lightning drafted Ramo in the sixth round in 2004. Feaster signed Ramo to a US$5.5-million, two-year contract in July. Kiprusoff is Ramos goaltending hero, although the Finns paths havent crossed much. Ramo has met him, but doesnt know if hell have a chance to ask Kiprusoffs advice about playing in Calgary. "I really looked up to him when I was younger," Ramo said. "He was one of the biggest idols for me. It would be really nice to play with him, but theres not that chance anymore." Berra, 26, fills the net at six foot four and 194 pounds. Calgary gained his rights in the deal that sent defenceman Jay Bouwmeester to St. Louis in April. The Flames then signed Berra to a one-year contract with a base salary of $765,000. All of Berras pro hockey experience has been in the Swiss leagues, so he travelled to the Flames summer development camp in July and returned to North America two weeks ago to learn the smaller ice. "For sure, its a big difference, the ice in Europe and the ice here, but now I think Im good to go," Berra said. "For a goalie its nice because you probably get more shots. "Everything is close to the net and maybe they try to shoot more than anything. I like to have a lot of shots." Berras 29-save shutout lifted Switzerland to a 3-0 win over the United States in the semifinal of this years world championship in Stockholm. "It was pretty big. It was really a good game for me," he recalled. Switzerland went with former NHL veteran Martin Gerber in the final against the host Swedes, who won the gold. Calgarys unsettled goaltending situation will make training camp feel different for the veteran Flames. "That will be an adjustment," Cammalleri admitted. "Thats the first thing that comes to my mind with Miikka. Not many goaltenders have backstopped a franchise that consistently for that long. "I guess it adds to the whole idea of turning the page and new opportunities for different guys. As a team we want to be great defensively and our goaltender is going to be part of that so itll be some healthy competition back there." Jeffery Simmons Jersey . 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Holiday, a former Eastern Conference All-Star acquired from Philadelphia last summer, has not played because of the shin injury since Jan.Prince Fielder could have vetoed the blockbuster swap of All-Star players that sent him to the Texas Rangers less than two years after signing his big deal with Detroit. The slugging first baseman decided to take the fresh start with a new team. "Obviously, its another good team, " Fielder said Thursday, a day after being sent to Texas for second baseman Ian Kinsler. "I didnt think it was going to be a bad thing and plus, most of all, I thought it was going to be good for everyone. I just wanted everyone to be happy." Fielder was only two seasons into the $214 million, nine-year contract he signed with Detroit before the 2012 season, when the Rangers were also a suitor. Their offer was nowhere close to what the five-time All-Star got then. While playing all 324 regular-season games for the Tigers the past two seasons, Fielder hit .295 with 55 home runs and 214 RBIs. But his 25 homers this year were his fewest over a full season, and he didnt drive in a run in 11 post-season games before Detroit lost the AL championship series to Boston in six games. "It was cool. The season was fine. It is what it is bro," Fielder said during a brief conference call with Rangers beat writers. "You cant take it back. Everything is cool. We got to the playoffs. Unfortunately we didnt get where we wanted to go." The Rangers plan to formally introduce Fielder in a news conference Monday. Fielder provides Texas manager Ron Washington with a middle-of-the-order threat in a lineupp that still includes Adrian Beltre and Alex Rios, filling one of the teams primary off-season wants even before baseballs winter meetings.dddddddddddd "It gives us some direction the rest of our off-season," general manager Jon Daniels said late Wednesday night. Fielder is a .286 career hitter with 285 homers and 870 RBIs in 1,322 games with Milwaukee (2005-11) and Detroit (2012-13). In 13 career games as an opponent at Rangers Ballpark, he hit .265 with four homers and 15 RBIs. Before Fielder went to Detroit, he travelled to Dallas to meet with Daniels and other Rangers officials. Daniels said that was helpful this week when making a decision in a trade that came together quickly. That also played into Fielders quick decision to accept it. "It definitely didnt hurt. Everybody was real nice, and I liked the guys," Fielder said. "It definitely will be different. Its definitely going to be new. Yeah, Ill take it, I guess, a fresh start." As for the Texas heat, the big first baseman spent some of his preteen years living in the Dallas area and isnt concerned about playing every day in the summer months. "I kind of like it. Obviously it keeps you loose," he said. "I play every day, the heat actually is good just to be able to get muscles loose, especially later in the season as the body starts to get tired. For me, whenever its warm, Im just loose and better actually. Its definitely going to be hot, but its not going to be a problem." 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