Calgary Flames to retire goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff's number

The Calgary Flames will retire former goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff's number 34 next season.

Kiprusoff's number will be raised to the Scotiabank Saddledome rafters March 2 when the Calgary is at home to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Flames said Tuesday in a statement.

Kiprusoff spent nine of his dozen NHL seasons with the Flames.

The goalie from Turku, Finland, retired in 2013 as the franchise leader in wins (305), shutouts (41), goals-against average (2.46), save percentage (. 913) and games played by a goaltender (576).

Kiprusoff is also the franchise leader in playoff shutouts (six) and ranks second behind Hockey Hall of Famer Mike Vernon in games played and wins in the playoffs.

He backstopped the Flames to the Stanley Cup final in 2004, when they fell in seven games to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Kiprusoff was a Vezina Trophy finalist three times and won the award for the NHL's best goaltender in 2006.

"To have my name and number hanging next to those great Flames players and especially my friend and legendary goalie Mike Vernon, is truly a highlight of my career," Kiprusoff said in the statement.

"My boys, Aaro and Oskar (Paka), were too young to really understand how special it was to play in the NHL and how important the team and the players are to Calgary fans. I can't wait for March and to share this experience with my family."