Quote:
Originally Posted by 1qqaaz
Rittich isn't going to be getting over 50 starts, never mind 60 +, so maybe I'm missing the main point of the argument.
Another problem I have with Smith is that he's wasting a valuable development spot. A lot of goalies develop as backups and end up gradually becoming starters. Look at how the Capitals, Lightning, Kings, Sharks, Ducks, etc. have been developing goalies. It would be nice if our backup had at least some upside, rather than an extremely sharp decline.
You want to give Rittich a rest? Good, I largely agree. But why not give starts to someone who has potential and can grow. I hope the Flames don't acquire any goalies on the wrong side of 30. Definitely no one on the wrong side of 35 (like Smith, Howard, or Anderson), except maybe McElhinney if he's dirt cheap.
People are saying the Flames shouldn't trade Smith, but I think that's silly. It's clearly the biggest whole in the organization by a mile. Why not fix it.
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Having managed it well for the first 50 doesn't mean you should just open the floodgates now.
All that said, I think it would be good to start getting Rittich into 'series' form. Say 5 straight starts (excl. any back to backs), then a couple off. Then 6 straight and a couple off.
You don't develop goalies by giving them more time on an NHL bench. Although I wouldn't be opposed to a bit of waiver wire shuffle to get a few starts, I'm not sure it's worth completely torpedoing Smith in doing so.
My points would be:
1. If we need to go to our backup (whoever it is) in May or June, we're probably not raising the cup
2. There aren't many available goalies out there that are a guaranteed upgrade on Smith
3. Acquiring any of them would require spending some meaningful assets
4. I'd rather spend those assets to acquire something that is more likely to see the ice in May/June (a veteran 5/6/7 D-man or a swiss-army-knife forward with playoff experience)
I feel just as confident that Smith could rise to the occasion as a temporary stop-gap in May or June as anyone else we might acquire...which is to say, not very confident.
With divisional playoff format, I'm really not concerned about seeding. We're going to have to beat quality teams to advance one way or the other.
If it were a matter of staying above the playoff tidewater, then I'd be more willing to spend an asset on a 1B goalie