Czech out Calgary Flames’ quick learner
Rittich learning nuances of NHL and English language,
For Calgary Flames backup netminder David Rittich, it seems playing the game is the easiest aspect of the NHL.
Learning a different language, trying to speak and understand on-ice chatters and chirps, the dressing room talk, dealing with the media, and general day-to-day minutia of being a professional hockey player in North America? Not so easy.
Rewind to the summer of 2016, when Rittich, a native of Jihlava, Czech Republic signed with the Flames as a 23-year-old wild card out of the Czech Extraliga.
“At that point, he couldn’t speak a lick of English,” said Flames goaltending coach Jordan Sigalet.
Yet, so intent was he to live out his dream of playing in the NHL, Rittich insisted on doing his first interview with the Flames in English. With zero help.
The scene is almost comical. A four-way speaker phone call was set up among Sigalet, assistant general manager Brad Pascal, Rittich and Rittich’s agent.
“He tried. You had to give him credit — he wanted to do the interview in English. But it would have taken a few hours, so the (agent) helped with that,” Sigalet said with a chuckle.
“You can just tell that he had character, the character of a guy you’d want in your organization. He learned the language so quickly. He didn’t care if he embarrassed himself doing it. He wanted to learn the language and embed himself in the team.”
Rittich is the starting goaltender for Tuesday’s clash at TD Garden against the Boston Bruins, a decision in the works before Mike Smith suffered a lower body injury in Sunday’s 3-2 win over the New York Islanders. It means the Flames backup could see plenty of action.
Recalling that first interview, even Rittich has to chuckle.
“I didn’t speak English,” he said following Monday’s short practice at 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. But it’s way better right now.”
After facing 32 shots in a 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Feb. 8, part of Calgary’s sixgame road trip, Rittich is 5-1-2 with a 2.20 goals-against average and .927 save percentage.
Calgary’s director of pro personnel, Derek MacKinnon, spied Rittich during a road game against Sparta Praha in Prague. MacKinnon was there to watch Daniel Prybl, but something stood out about the lanky netminder. He emailed Sigalet, who also became intrigued.
Rittich wound up with the Stockton Heat of the American Hockey League. He turned heads there and even passed the onceheir apparent Jon Gillies on the depth chart. He was called up to the Flames when the Eddie Lack experiment failed.
Rittich has been with the Flames as Smith’s backup since Nov. 24 and, with Gillies joining the team on an emergency basis, he’ll be the centre of attention.