Quote:
Originally Posted by CanadaMatt
He’s a -12. There are numerous games (even tonight) where his averageness cost points. The miss on the 2on0. The poor defensive efforts and his awful fit on PP2.
He scores that goal tonight and the flames likely get a point. I agree smith was the main culprit and he needs to go...but blending Neal’s performances in with the success of 13, 19,23 and 28 is a bridge way too far for me.
There aren’t many back up goalies 3 games above .500, if you want to make the argument that the goalie tandem is working as a unit. I don’t want to make that argument, because I think it’s a ridiculous argument. Just like blending Neal in with the rest of the forwards.
|
The goaltender tandem isn't working as a unit because half of the tandem has been absolutely terrible on a routine basis. I'm not trying to say that Neal has been good, because he hasn't been. Using +/- undercuts your argument a little, but you're right about the 2-on-0 miss -- I was yelling at my television.
All that I'm saying is that if Brad Treliving is dissatisfied about anything this season, his first order of business has to be replacing Mike Smith. James Neal has been treading water, but Mike Smith drowned in November. Neal is like a broken car door on a Mustang -- it definitely doesn't look good, it might sacrifice some of the car's structural integrity, but at the end of the day, a Mustang with a damaged door can still go really fast.