Czechoutthis quick study

even he has to chuckle.

“I didn’t speak English,” he recalled following Monday’s short practice at Warrior Ice Arena, the Bruins’ practice facility. “So, it was me, my agent Robert, Jordan and I don’t know who else was there. I try to speak English but I didn’t have any clue what was going on. So I just asked my agent and he just translated. It was, like, all translated through my agent. It was pretty funny, if I am thinking about it. But it’s way better right now.”

Rittich explains how important it is to be a good teammate.

“You want to talk to the guys,” said the 6-foot-3, 202-pounder. “You want to have fun. You want to make fun. You don’t want to stand in the corner, watching the guys. They can talk about something and you can understand and in one second, they ask you, ‘What do you think about that?’ And you’re like, ‘Uhh. Ahh.’ That’s it. You know? Right now, they can ask me about something and I can answer. I got answers. I think I’m getting better every day.”

With the potential of playing more comes more face time on Sportsnet, TSN, FlamesTV and other television outlets as well as the questions and requests of online and print journalists.

And it’s something he’s getting better at. Like, WAY better.

“I remember when I came this year and I had first interview with Les (Flames TV reporter Ryan Leslie), I was absolutely awful,” Rittich said. “I didn’t know what he asked me. I just answered something and I hope it was pretty good answer. But when I saw it, I don’t think so. But I’m getting better. Every interview I get more comfortable.”

After facing 32 shots in a 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Feb. 8, part of Calgary’s current six-game road trip, Rittich is now 5-1-2 with a 2.20 goals against average and .927 save percentage.

Rittich has been with the Flames as Smith’s backup since Nov. 24 and, with Gillies joining the team in Boston on Monday on an emergency basis, he’ll be the centre of attention on Tuesday.

His English, no doubt, will be tested once again. But Rittich doesn’t mind.

“I want to learn,” he said, pointing to his chest. “It’s the biggest thing, I think. If you don’t want to learn, you can’t learn. If you want, it’s coming, like, so quick. If you’re watching movies in Czech with the English subtitles and you can stop. Every day, you are with the guys in the locker-room. And you can’t say nothing. Really nothing. I don’t know.

“The biggest thing is I want to learn, I want to play, I want to stay here. That’s maybe why I learn pretty quick.”