I truly don’t think Rittich is out of the woods with his consistency and confidence issues. Better than last year when he fell apart when given the starter role with Gillies, but the Columbus game he degenerated quickly in the first period, and Peters properly pulled him without hesitation. So the coaches are very aware and sensitive to how Rittich reacts to bad goals.
Smith is fighting the yips, no question.
Treliving likely thought that Smith was to be the least of his concerns this year, and it’s probably now his biggest, because of the fact that Rittich is unproven for much longer than a month at a time in his career, but also doing the dressing room tap dance. I think the room really likes both guys, and Smith being a fiery kind of guys and a leader as demonstrated last year in and off the ice, the room is pulling for him.
Neal came here on the advice of Smith etc, and he’s proven last year he can pull the team through games by himself.
But bringing in a 3rd goalie effectively means the end of one of the other 2, and that’s a tough team dynamic thing to mess with for a top end team in the conference.
Treliving obviously hopes that Smith can pull it back, and I think he has until the all star or league mandated break, maybe a week or so after, to make the final call if Smith and Rittich are going to make it through the season and into the playoffs playing confident enough, or, if another option has to be brought in.
Last year Treliving didn’t pull the trigger at the deadline when Smith got hurt but that’s as he likely knew the season was hanging by a thread and he was going to be firing the coach, so as not to waste an asset to get that goalie.
Interesting month ahead, assuming this team can stay mostly ahead of the pack with its offensive prowess at very least.
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