I was watching the Marlies play the Rochester Amerks the other day, and the rink announcer listed the scratches for the Marlies and he started with Carey Romo. I took me too long to realize he meant Karri Ramo.
Ramo made less of an impression than most of the goalies who have made fleeting appearances on the Marlies over the last few years. Signed to a PTO by the Leafs to let him rehab after knee surgery, Ramo played in three Marlies games. He wasn’t good.
His save percentage was .880, lowest on the team this year, lower even than Antoine Bibeau, and while that might be partly team-driven, it’s still very bad for an NHL goalie in the AHL. His Goals Against Average, which is absolutely partly team driven was an astonishing 3.8 and the worst on the team.
He stopped appearing at Marlies games and practices, and it was announced that he was having further knee surgery.
And now he’s gone to Finland to continue the rehab. He is working with his old club the Pelicans, but is not on their playing roster:
Karri Ramo joins #PelicansFi of the Finnish #Liiga, but only for practices. He's in Finland for LBI rehab. #leafs #marlies #nhlflames
— Pasi Tuominen (@PasiTuominen) February 1, 2017
As of now, he is still listed as a member of the Marlies and his future is up in the air while he sorts out his post-surgery rehab.
If the Leafs really had interest in Ramo as a potential backup at some point in the future, that point seems much farther away now. For now they have a backup in Curtis McElhinney, who is getting enthusiastic praise from many people who are sure he can give the Leafs the ten or so starts needed as they play out the season.
Perhaps he will.
