Quote:
Originally Posted by Sylvanfan
I have put a bit of thought into this deal, and it's really going to depend on what the Flames get back with Smid. If he is in fact a legitimate top 4 defenseman than it's a fantastic deal.
But I do sort of wonder if Smid maybe is a bit more Jim Vandermeer as opposed to a real top 4 guy. In that case the Flames just took on an expensive 5-6 guy with a lot of term left on his contract. Smid did seem to play okay to me the past 3 seasons for the Oilers, but I don't watch them that intently. On first glance it would appear that he wasn't really working out so well with Eakins this year.
The guy has known nothing but losing since coming to the NHL, and I do remember when he was sent down at the start of the 07-08 season how much of a laugh that gave most of the posters on this site. So he likely does need the change of scenery, but is coming to a team like Calgary who look to be a loser for the next 2 plus seasons what he needs? He does seem to fill a need with the team in terms of a bigger stay at home type defenceman with a history of playing some minutes. Than again, is he able to play that role effectively?
In terms of what went out, I think at this point the likes of Horak and Brossoit have less value to the Flames today than they would have 12 months ago. So if the Flames hold these players for another season, perhaps their value continues to decrease to the organization as other pieces start challenging them and as other teams realize this they don't offer anything but lower round picks for them. As a team starts to build better system depth, sometimes it is wise to move out players while they still have decent value. There have been a few teams cast guys off for nothing who didn't fit in their organization only to go on and excel at the next destination. At least the Flames did get something out of these two.
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I understand that the hits and to a lesser extent blocked shots are somewhat subjective statistics (as are a lot of Face offs and 2nd assists) but Smid was so far ahead of the rest of the Oilers in Hits that it indicates a certain talent and quality that separates him from Van Boxmeer and basically any other d-man the flames have had since Phanuef was traded..... (including Regehr).
If hitting was so easy and just based on determination then players like Nystrom, Bouma, Comeau would definitely try to become Clutterbucks.
As for blocked shots Smid, over the last 3 seasons, has blocked more shots than the Flames shot blocking machine Giordano - 421 to 413.
Smid is a realistic replacement for Regehr.... The Flames have a hole in their line up that they had tried to patch with Hannan and this year with O'Brien.
Maybe Smid has been wrecked from playing with the Oilers but he is exactly fits the D-man the Flames have been missing.
I see Smid (paired with Gio or Wideman) being the default d-man on the ice with a one goal lead with 10 minutes left in the game. One heck of an upgrade on Butler.
Have to give Smid extra credit for playing his game with very little back side protection from the smurfs in Edmonton.
I could see Gio's physical game drop off last year when he was the only Flame D-man that actually would hit and drop the gloves if necessary. A lot easier playing tough as part of a gang.