Flames ink Rittich to 1-year contract

The Calgary Flames have re-signed goaltender David Rittich to a one-year deal worth $800,000, the team announced Thursday.

Rittich appeared in 21 games for the Flames last season, posting an 8-6-3 record with a .904% save percentage and 2.92 goals against average.

The native of Jihlava, Czech Republic went undrafted but was scouted by Calgary after two seasons in the top Czech league. Rittich then stepped into a backup role behind Mike Smith after a 15-11-1 season with Stockton in the AHL.

Fans might remember the netminder for his unique pregame ritual. On the morning of starts, Rittich makes the goalie coach fire two shots off his head for good luck. This tradition stemmed from a game in Stockton where he recorded a shutout after being hit in the head twice during morning skate.

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