Quote:
Originally Posted by MisterJoji
Hell, I’d be ecstatic if he could just give the team stats around 2.75 GAA and .900 Sv%. He doesn’t need to be lights out, just be remarkably average.
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That would not be average though. Over the past 2 seasons 61 goalies have played in at least 41 games in a single season (basically half the games). Only 2 have had a worse save percentage than .900 (both last year, Anderson at. 898 and Darling at .888). So a .900 SV percentage would be closer to worst in the league type performance.
Remarkably average in the NHL is closer to a .915 SV percentage. Sadly Smith is so bad that I would agree most fans would be estactic if he was just worst or second worst in the league but close to 3rd worst. Right now he is really running away with that title amongst starters on the SV percentage side, next closest competitor is Jake Allen who is .007 ahead of him.
The gap between the best save percentage and the worst save percentage amongst starters this year (.068) is really historic though. The last time there was a gap that was even close (and this gap was bigger) was in 1993-1994 when Hasek had a .930 SV percentage and Craig Billington had a .859 SV percentage playing on the second year Ottawa Senators who finished 47 games below .500 that year. That difference was .071. So as Flames fans we may be watching something historic with Smith, the gap between best and worst starting goalie. Hard to believe he can compete with Billington's mark over a whole season, either because Smith becomes marginally better or Peters stops using him as the starting goalie, but it is possible at this early point in the season for that mark to be within reach.