8. Joni Ortio
Age: 25
Position: Goaltender
Shoots: Right
Last Team/Cap Hit: Calgary – $600K
Ortio spent 22 games playing with the Calgary Flames and another 20 games with the Stockton Heat in the American Hockey League.
The Flames were a bad possession team again last year, which never helps a goaltender out. Even still, Ortio managed a 91.96 save percentage at 5v5, good enough to place him between Cam Talbot (Edmonton) and Jimmy Howard (Detroit).
Ortio is the best available goaltender remaining on the UFA list, but it still might not be enough to generate him an NHL contract until an injury happens.
The goalie position is a logjam and Ortio is on the outside looking in. If he does get a new deal it will likely be for the $600K he made last season.
For the Toronto Maple Leafs, he doesn’t fit. The Leafs just inked Jhonas Enroth to a deal to be the backup goaltender, which renders every other netminder useless.
Next: 7. Christian Ehrhoff