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powderjunkie · 03-11-2019, 10:13 PM

Who did you want as a replacement?

I still don't think there was an obvious move to be made in the summer. You're planning to give more time to your young(ish) backup. On a young, rebuilding team who just changed a few big pieces, new coach, and whose veterans were Giordano, Frolik, and a couple new UFAs, it made all the sense in the world to keep a steady, older goaltender play out the last year of his deal. .916 and 2.65 gaa in the last season. Only Raanta had a better sv % among starting goalies on non-playoff teams.

Ward, Khudobin, Bernier, Mrazek, Hutton, Hutchinson, Chad Johnson, Halak, and Lehner. None of these guys seemed like significant upgrades on Smith in the summer, and only 2-3 of them really panned out.

Even if BT had targeted one of them, there's no guarantee they would have wanted to come here. All 9 of those guys signed with American teams on July 1 (Lehner was July 3). So, BT would have needed to trade Smith before July 1 (zero leverage with so many UFA goalies avail.) and risk being all alone when they turn the ugly lights on, or sign a guy, then try to trade Smith (zero leverage).

So, UFA was basically impossible. Who did you want to trade for?

03-11-2019, 10:13 PM	#1875
powderjunkie Franchise Player Join Date: Dec 2011 Exp:	Who did you want as a replacement? I still don't think there was an obvious move to be made in the summer. You're planning to give more time to your young(ish) backup. On a young, rebuilding team who just changed a few big pieces, new coach, and whose veterans were Giordano, Frolik, and a couple new UFAs, it made all the sense in the world to keep a steady, older goaltender play out the last year of his deal. .916 and 2.65 gaa in the last season. Only Raanta had a better sv % among starting goalies on non-playoff teams. Ward, Khudobin, Bernier, Mrazek, Hutton, Hutchinson, Chad Johnson, Halak, and Lehner. None of these guys seemed like significant upgrades on Smith in the summer, and only 2-3 of them really panned out. Even if BT had targeted one of them, there's no guarantee they would have wanted to come here. All 9 of those guys signed with American teams on July 1 (Lehner was July 3). So, BT would have needed to trade Smith before July 1 (zero leverage with so many UFA goalies avail.) and risk being all alone when they turn the ugly lights on, or sign a guy, then try to trade Smith (zero leverage). So, UFA was basically impossible. Who did you want to trade for?