Back Up Goalie Discussion

[Toonage]

Looking over available goalies that wouldnt cost more than $2M (maybe get them for just over $1M) and Mike Condon's name stands out. Thoughts?

[Savvy27]

I don't think Johnson is going to want to sign a one year deal to back up Smith. He seems to want the opportunity to win a starter role and that doesn't exist here.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a back up signed but I also think that people are talking about Rittich like he is Parsons or some other young prospect. He has been a pro for a few years now and I would prefer that they take the risk, give him an opportunity (if he earns it in camp) and sign or trade for another guy if there is an injury or he disappoints.

[sureLoss]

If Carolina gave up its 3rd, I would take Lack off their hands and use him as a backup for 1 year while giving Gillies/Rittich a start here and there.

[Roof-Daddy]

Bouma and a 4th for Lack and a 3rd?

[Caged Great]

I'd prefer running through with Rittich and Gillies being given the opportunity to win the job and just invite a likely candidate as a veteran backup like Enroth or similar to training camp. If neither Gillies or Rittich earns the job and then sign the backup veteran.

Eventually we have to give kids a shot to win jobs other than if they are the elite forward prospects in the organization.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Personally I am torn, and I am also not quite sure what Treliving is going to do here.

On one hand, you have 35 year old Smith who may not be 100% healthy all season. You have just traded the 1st round pick for next year - a quality draft at that. You have just had 2 straight seasons of shoddy goaltending and those goalies used up valuable assets. Trading for Hamonic was a sure sign of 'win now'. This all points to me thinking that the organization will undoubtedly sign an experienced backup.

On the other hand, they did trade for Smith and openly said that his 2 year contract and age were considerations, and that they didn't want to sign someone with a longer term/younger age to block one of their prospects. So, when you start to rationalize the proper development curve for goalies, how do you break them into the NHL?

At some point, you have to just bring them into the NHL. Does Rittich or Gillies get to be a backup before they get handed the reigns as a starter? Of course. That to me sounds like a natural progression to ease them into the role. Well, then at some point the Flames will have to actually bring them into the NHL as a backup. Are they good enough for that role? I would say Rittich is based on his performance last year.

Maybe they need more seasoning, but then the Flames are going to be looking for another stop-gap to transition them in, and (hopefully) by that time they would be in the midst of their compete window. Would that be a better time?

I don't know if there is a right answer here. Rittich posted up numbers that to me, makes me believe he is ready to be tested as a backup.

31GP 2.27GAA 0.924SV% 5SO

Those are respectable numbers.

So if the Flames bring in someone else this season in the backup role, then it leaves one single season left to transition Rittich (or Gillies) into the backup role. Is one year's worth of being a backup in the NHL enough? I don't know. Maybe?

I am not considering anyone other than Rittich this season, as I do think that Gillies needs another year of seasoning for sure. Rittich posted up better numbers in the regular season and the playoffs. For me, Rittich is the only option to graduate worth discussing.

At some point, the Flames are going to have to bite the bullet and eventually bring someone up. If not, they can just continue signing/trading for starters and backups from other teams.

The one big thing for me is that 1st round pick being traded. I am not sure I could take a season of Smith being injured and Calgary ending up as a lottery team if Rittich/Gillies/Parsons/MacDonald/X. 98/99 was not a fun season going through those 6 goalies.

I don't know what the answer is, but at some point the Flames will have to bite the bullet, and according to Treliving (if you believe his rationale), the Flames have 2 years to transition their goalies into the NHL.

[EVERLAST]

So much talk about Developing goalies and still no talk of changing goalie coaches.

How many more goalies do we need to go thru with Sigalet?

Not saying he's solely to blame but something isn't right I'd say.

I wouldn't want Gillies Rittich and Parsons skills degraded.

How come a goalie coach plays by different protocols than a head coach?

We were all calling for Glue guns head last year and then turned it around.

Sigalet has had how many years ?

[Strange Brew]

Given what BT has done this offseason, I believe there's 100% probability of a veteran goalie being signed to backup Smith.

[dammage79]

Smith is the proper goalie to help transition in one of the two that are on the cusp. At some point with the d corps and goalie prospect you have to throw them into the deep end and let them figure it out. The way Treliving has shaped the goaltending and D this off season I have to believe that the back up spot is for one if Rittich or Gillies and a d spot for one the kid d men. Depending on the handedness of the #5 d man he signs in free agency that'll dictate who of the kids make it. Kulak or Kylington if stone is signed or Anderson if a lefty like Kulikov is signed . It's pretty proven now they want LHD and RHD as pairings

[David Struch]

Hurricanes have three goalies and only 9 forwards...

Cam Ward

for

Stajan/Bouma/Hamilton/Chiasson/Pribyl/Shinkaruk/Klimchuk/Poirier/Hathaway

[Fire]

I wouldn't be trading a prospect for a backup goalie. Bouma or Stajan sure.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Fire

I wouldn't be trading a prospect for a backup goalie. Bouma or Stajan sure.

How about a 2nd round pick?

[sempuki]

Finding a backup is probably the last thing Tre does. I don't think the NHL is short of backup caliber goalies.

[Blarg]

I would like to see Rittich and Gillies rotate in and out for the backup position. Kind of like a one month on, one month off situation. Then find out who's better at the end of the year, and go from there.

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

I'm personally hoping for Rittich. No need to spend more money on yet another goalie when there are so many already in the organization.

No doubt. Why keep drafting goalies if you're scared to use them?

They're just going to leave eventually if you keep signing journeymen over top of them.

[Eric Vail]

When Elliot was sucking in the playoffs, the Flames had no confidence to go to Johnson because he had been absolutely brutal in his last several appearances. I want the Flames to go with a backup who could potentially be an option at crunch time. Johnson is not an option. I'd rather go with a young guy, or a different vet.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by David Struch

Hurricanes have three goalies and only 9 forwards...

Cam Ward

for

Stajan/Bouma/Hamilton/Chiasson/Pribyl/Shinkaruk/Klimchuk/Poirier/Hathaway

Ward for Bouma seems like a good fit actually. None of the other players mentioned I would be interested in trading for Ward. They all hold some value, even if that value is 'nothing'. Nothing is better than negative value, and both Ward and Bouma hold negative value, however much.

I would do this trade. Makes sense organizationally. I would just sit with Smith off the bat and tell him that he is the bona fide #1 goalie, and Ward is here only because the Flames needed to make room in their forward ranks.

The last thing you want to do is sign a potential starter. It is good to 'push' your goalies, but I have way more confidence in Smith than Ward, and I wouldn't want to rock his confidence to start the season.

[TheFlamesVan]

Johnson is fine as a backup because he is sound positionally, and if everything goes according to plan he's fine.

If there is a broken play, he's not bailing you out with an acrobatic save of any kind. He's just beat, sitting there. Benefitted from going on a run while the rest of the team was playing the best they had all season.

He's a modern day JS Gigure. A puck blocker.

I'd rather give the opportunity to literally anyone else.

[Kipper_3434]

Why does everyone seem to want Chiasson gone? Is it because we really need Hathaway in the lineup? Or do you think he'll cost too much in arbitration?

Edit: what are the conditions for walking away from an arbitration deal? Personally I qualify him as long as we can walk away from anything ridiculous. Depth is good and we can always put him on waivers if he's pushed out of the lineup

[BigRed]

Originally Posted by Timbo

Pube bets! Ya gotta love how that's become such a legacy on CP.

Ahem. Please see sig.

On topic: Smith IMHO is a bit rickety at 35. I doubt they're hoping for more than 55ish games from him, which means a proven NHL backup, not a hope for the best youngster.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk