Quote:
Originally Posted by CanadaMatt
Sorry, you can’t move the goal posts. I didn’t force you to make that Neal argument (ie: we’re having success so you’re content with the Neal situation as long as the team success continues)
...and now your stuck having two different rules for two different players based simply on your subjective view of a player. Be consistent man!
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I'm confused that you think I've moved the goalposts. I completely agree with that argument that you've assigned to me. If the team continues to be successful, then of
course signing James Neal was worth it, because team success is more important than individual success.
Mike Smith is a goaltender. His position is completely alien from those of his skater counterparts. His statistics include a column for "losses." It is far easier to assign blame to him. As an individual playing a very unique position, it is not ridiculous to say he can be assigned different criteria of blame.
Neal is but one of 12 players that have to combine to form an effective forward corps on any given night. Based on the fact that that forward corps has been one of the most offensive in the NHL, it's clearly been working, and as long as that continues to work, then there is no real need to pursue a replacement for James Neal.
However, at any given time on any given night, the Calgary Flames will only have one goaltender on the ice. Where 12 forwards can combine to be effective, Mike Smith is wholly responsible for the responsiblity assigned to a goaltender during the hockey games in which he plays. As such, it is far simpler to figure the level of his success.
Where James Neal has been a part of a very effective forward corps which has not proven to be an area to address, Mike Smith, as an individual, has played exceptionally poorly. In short, while James Neal may not individually be performing well as a forward, the forward group is, so it is not especially pressing to address.
However, Mike Smith is an individual playing a very individual position that has a far greater impact on the outcome of one game than the play of one individual forward. His statistics indicate that he is one of the very worst goaltenders in the National Hockey League. James Neal has not come as advertised, but he is not near being the worst forward; instead, he has simply been maddeningly average.
James Neal's averageness has not cost the Calgary Flames points, in a way that can be easily identified. Mike Smith's penchant for allowing some terribly inopportune goals against can be identified as a trait severely deleterious to the Calgary Flames' record thus far.