Quote:
Originally Posted by Huntingwhale
I agree with a lot of this. I was one of the few who wasn't excited at all about a goalie who played the puck all the time. But as Smith was playing in God mode, I grew to like it more then I thought it would. I've only seen I think 2 goals that results from a mishandled puck, but plenty more opposition plays broken up so I will willing to live with it.
At the same time, I prefer to have a D man take the puck and make the pass. Sure it looks cool when a goalie makes a tape to tape pass and the crowd goes wild. But often Smith just shoots it off the glass and it results in a board battle the Flames often lose. I've also seen quite a few time where he stops the puck behind the net, a D is skating to retrieve it, and he fires it right past them off the glass. What's the point of that? You have a good puck moving D who is right there. Would you prefer a player to pass the puck? Or a goalie with bulky equipment with a large stick? I know which one I prefer regardless of how good the goalie is at passing.
I like how Smith breaks up dump ins and stops the forecheck. But I would much prefer if afterwards, he lets the D play it. Sure pass it up if no one is there you or see a line change. But when you have a D skating up to get it, and the goalie fires the puck away, that's got to be frustrating for the D.
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It is an interesting conversation. I have completely moved away from my original take on this. I bet a lot have. I don't like how the Flames break out most times and that falls squarely on Smith.
I do like how he stops the the dump ins but I would prefer he just leave the puck for the D man behind the net. Need to see a little more of Rittich to make a better judgment but I am leaning this way now.