Who do you WANT to be the Flames Starting Goalie Next Season [*NEW POLL 12·05·17]

[GranteedEV]

Wow.

That was all Ekholm.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Regardless of what the cost for Murray would be, trading Bennett for him would be a huge mistake for the Flames.

Acquiring a goalie is substantially easier than acquiring high end Cs (despite the Flames' problems for the last couple years).

The only sure way to acquire players with the potential that Bennett possesses is with lottery picks. Moving Bennett sets our C depth back immensely (Jankowski would be #3 on the go-forward depth chart).

That would set the rebuild WAY back. As it stands, we are still one or two good young pieces away. We need Bennett AND someone else to blossom.

Trade Bennett and our forward depth, including prospects, is back to rebuild status.

Agreed.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Smith hasn't posted a save % above 0.916 in the past 5 years or a GGA lower than 2.58 in 4 years. His career save % is 0.913 and career GAA is 2.70. It is a 474 game sample size.

I realize that the Coyotes haven't been a great team, but there doesn't seem to be many reasons to be hopeful that he is better than that the team has been.

The reason to be hopeful would be that he would no longer be on the Coyotes. Goalie stats are more or less team stats and directly reflect the play of those in front of them. Treliving would have a better book on Smith than anyone, I personally would prefer other choices, but I don't think it would be as bad as you seem to think.

Also with our blueline and their ability to move the puck and the way we struggle to get the puck out of our zone, I think someone that handles the puck as well as Smith is pretty intriguing.

[IamNotKenKing]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

From somewhere legit?

Fairly legit, but nothing I'd give higher than rumour, not high enough that I'm confident, but wouldn't be surprised if...

[TheScorpion]

A big HELL no to Mike Smith. Absolutely stay away, BBBT.

[Svartsengi]

Originally Posted by IamNotKenKing

Fairly legit, but nothing I'd give higher than rumour, not high enough that I'm confident, but wouldn't be surprised if...

The most positive part about getting Mike Smith would be the ability to dump Stajan and Bouma's contract back to Arizona. Gillies, Rittich and maybe even Parsons would get a look next year too.

[Mister Yamoto]

Originally Posted by Svartsengi

The most positive part about getting Mike Smith would be the ability to dump Stajan and Bouma's contract back to Arizona. Gillies, Rittich and maybe even Parsons would get a look next year too.

Maybe Domingue instead of Smith? The nice thing about dealing with the Coyotes is that they aren't in it to win it. Hell, they might even take Brouwer.

[Svartsengi]

Originally Posted by Mister Yamoto

Maybe Domingue instead of Smith? The nice thing about dealing with the Coyotes is that they aren't in it to win it. Hell, they might even take Brouwer.

Still hoping Vegas grabs Brouwer in the expansion draft but if Flames can actually trade him for something then even better.

[PepsiFree]

I haven't really watched Mike Smith (you couldn't pay me to care about Arizona) but he's looked okay against the Flames and has some all-star appearances under his belt. People seem to have pretty strong opinions one way or another on him, so what's the take?

If yes to Smith, why?
If no, why not?

[Roof-Daddy]

I could see the Flames taking a guy like Smith if they have a line on a young guy who they think will be THE goalie of the future, but he just needs a couple years to be brought along and in the mean time will be cheap so they can afford to have Smith too.

Like Korpisalo for instance. He's an RFA but won't command a big salary, and might benefit from being gradually pushed into a starting role.

[FireGilbert]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I haven't really watched Mike Smith (you couldn't pay me to care about Arizona) but he's looked okay against the Flames and has some all-star appearances under his belt. People seem to have pretty strong opinions one way or another on him, so what's the take?

If yes to Smith, why?
If no, why not?

I could go either way on Smith. He is an above average consistent veteran but is getting older, is injury prone, and is overpaid. He is great at handling the puck but also great at horrible giveaways. He had one incredible season in 2011/12 dragging the Yotes to the WCF but hasn't been able to equal that play since.

If the Flames decide to go for the veteran route he would be an upgrade on Elliott but a second choice to MAF.

[Samonadreau]

The 2 guys I wanted were Bishop or Darling. I guess MAF now.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I haven't really watched Mike Smith (you couldn't pay me to care about Arizona) but he's looked okay against the Flames and has some all-star appearances under his belt. People seem to have pretty strong opinions one way or another on him, so what's the take?

If yes to Smith, why?
If no, why not?

For me I like Smith because whenever I have watched him play he is the only reason the Yotes don't get blown out every night. Nobody is going to post great numbers behind that team and every time we faced them Smith would make 40+ saves and frustrate the hell out of us. He is a big goalie, great reflexes unlike Bishop who is more of a stand and take up the whole net goalie. Has had some injury issues but as long as we don't run him ala Cam Talbot he would be fine. What gives him a leg up imo is the ability to handle the puck and move it fast to either a D man or up the ice. Seeing how our team is built that could be a huge asset too.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by FireGilbert

I could go either way on Smith. He is an above average consistent veteran but is getting older, is injury prone, and is overpaid. He is great at handling the puck but also great at horrible giveaways. He had one incredible season in 2011/12 dragging the Yotes to the WCF but hasn't been able to equal that play since.

If the Flames decide to go for the veteran route he would be an upgrade on Elliott but a second choice to MAF.

And the d-bag diving he does is a big negative

[Enoch Root]

I really don't know what to think about Smith. My gut reaction is always 'yuck' but I don't have any rational reason as to why.

When I watch him play, he is usually very solid. He is huge, and covers angles well. So with a good defense, he should be great.

He also moves the puck really well, and for a transition team like the Flames, that could be huge. The other factor here is that the Flames' D isn't very big, and any help they can get getting the puck quicker and moving it quicker, has to be a good thing.

I cringed every time Elliott left his crease. He was brutal handling the puck. It seemed like every time he did, he turned it over. Drove me nuts. Even my wife yelled 'stay in your ####ing net' every time he handled the puck.

So the idea of a goalie that can really handle it intrigues me. And scares me.

[Roof-Daddy]

Smith's 5 on 5 save percentage over the last 6 seasons is 0.925

Actually not terrible. He seems to give up a lot of short handed goals, especially the last two seasons, which drags his overall save % down pretty hard.

[Enoch Root]

It's probably safe to say his numbers would have been higher if he weren't playing for one of the 3 worst teams in hockey over that period.

[FlamesAddiction]

Smith has been with the Coyotes so long that it's difficult to know for sure if he was part of the problem. It's worth noting that the back-up or 1B goalies in Phoenix/Arizona had similar stats to him (sometimes slightly worse or slightly better). But Smith's numbers with the Coyotes are pretty much in line with his career stats in general even when he was with Tampa and Dallas.

For his age and salary, I just don't see it as a great gamble for us.

[Robbob]

I don't mind Smith. The two year term is about all I would want him for. Would be interesting to see what the cost would be and where Arizona sees him in their plans. I could see them using this expansion draft as an excuse to the fan in Arizona that the franchise is turning the page and going with the younger goalie.

If all it took was Bouma I'd be all over it. If it will take some higher picks than I would prefer using those assets on a Raanta, Pickard, or Grubauer.

A vet like Smith would also allow you take a look at Gillies as the back up who plays 30 odd games.

[cannon7]

I see Fleury as a Elliott type. A streaky goalie who has high highs and low lows. Doesn't exactly bring the consistency we'd be looking for, but Kipper-esque consistency is really hard to come by in today's NHL. There's a handful of goalies like that and they're all untouchables. Rinne might have been available at one point, but now he's probably a career Predator.