Quote:
Originally Posted by Table 5
I do think that having someone older and perhaps fragile, like Smith, as your number 1 forces you to look for a bit more of an experience backup as insurance, which is why I think chances are good that Johnson will be back. But I just don't think it's completely unreasonable to think that one of the two young goalies will be given the opportunity. The Flames brought in a guy like Smith, instead of a younger goalie, presumably because they assume that one of these young will be ready to take over in a couple of years. At some point you do have to get them used to the NHL game. Do you do it this year, when your team is still learning, or next, when expectations for success will be even higher?
The Flames goalie situation is definitely still a pretty big question mark. Good thing they have one of the league's best defence groups at least.
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Likely they'll insert a prospect next year after hopefully getting one solid year of goaltending under their belts to give fans/management/ownership a big of relief and some renewed confidence.
The most I could see happening this year is a) a forced call up due to injury (blessing in disguise?) or b) a prospect literally playing his way onto the team due to dominant AHL play.
As to it not being unreasonable that a prospect is given back up duties out of camp and no NHL back up signed? I'm going to respectfully stand firm on that actually being unreasonable based on a combination of what Brad Treliving has stated in interviews when speaking to timelines and plans and a gut feeling that he's not risking **** all this season for his own good.
I'll happily stare down a bumped link to this thread from you if Brad doesn't get an NHL back up. I'll stick my neck out on this for sure.
