Calgary Flames sign goaltender Karri Ramo, trade for defenceman Kris Russell

CALGARY – The Calgary Flames crowded their crease with the signing of Finnish goaltender Karri Ramo on Friday.

Ramo joins goaltenders Miikka Kiprusoff, Reto Berra and Joey Macdonald under contract with the Flames, although Calgary awaits Kiprusoff’s decision on whether the 36-year-old veteran will retire or return to the NHL for the final year of his contract.

But the Flames are already ushering in the post-Kiprusoff era by signing Ramo to a two-year contract worth $5.8 million.

Calgary also picked up defenceman Kris Russell from the St. Louis Blues, finalized contract terms with centre Corban Knight and re-signed centre Greg Nemiscz to a one-year extension worth $725,000.

Calgary acquired Ramo’s rights from Montreal in 2012. He’s spent the past four seasons with the KHL’s Avangard Omsk, but has played 48 NHL games with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Ramo’s record with Omsk this past season was 26-9-5 with a goals-against average of 2.00 and a save percentage of .929.

The Flames dealt a fifth-round pick in 2014 to St. Louis for Russell.

The 26-year-old from Caroline, Alta., was a restricted free agent before signing a one-year deal worth $1.5 million with Calgary.

Russell had a goal and six assists in 33 games for the Blues this past season.

The five-foot-10, 173-pound defender was drafted in the third round by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2005. Russell played five seasons with Columbus and the last two in St. Louis. Russell compiled 23 goals and 72 assists in 364 career NHL games.

Knight’s two-year, entry-level contract pays a base salary of $810,000 annually.