Is trusting Mike Smith the best decision in net this year? What other options do the

[The Boy Wonder]

So I have been mulling this over and I honestly think that for as great as smith played in the first half of the season he was playing poorly prior to the injury and obviously never got back to the level he had been at for the rest of the season after returning.

I don't know about anyone else but I am interested to see what CP thinks is the best course of action in net.

I liken Mike Smith to the Curtis Joseph of this era. He is a good goalie, even a great goalie for stretches of time but he is nowhere near the calibre of a Carey Price, Braden Holtby, Pekka Rinne, Jonathan Quick.

Similar to how CuJo was never in the same echelon as Brodeur, Roy, Belfour, Hasek, etc.

Both are way above average goalies but they are going to need to bottle lightning to get you a deep playoff run.

I would argue that our two backups are not quite ready to take on even a 1B role behind smith and I just am very pessimistic about our goaltending situation this year. seems as though management is giving smith this year, regardless of what happens, knowing that there is a good chance he is injured for at least a portion of the year, and having no real backup plan that can compete in the Pacific.

Really feels like the flames messed up last year not taking MAF but instead getting smith.

Anyone else feel the same?

[ForeverFlameFan]

Mike Smith is a stopgap. Need another year of Rittich or Gillies as backup to really evaluate whether or not they are worth keeping. If there is no progress, we're going to have to sign another 1a goalie until Parsons is ready.

[The Boy Wonder]

i get he is a stop gap. But if we are in a "window" then why are we using a stop gap goalie?

[neo45]

He is a good starter. A lot of teams would kill to have a goalie as good as him. Philly has been trying for a decade.

Goalies can be good into their late 30’s. He doesn’t have crazy mileage on him either. Not concerned about him at all this season and would be open to re-signing him.

[Monahan For Mayor]

I haven't followed him enough to know much about him, but what happened to Mrazek ? 2-3 years ago he was one of the most popular names around this site. He was looking like a sure fire starter. It seems it's all gone down hill from there. I don't know if he is worth giving another chance but if the Flames could help him find his form and get him back on track to being a starter that would be huge.

[Geeoff]

I think Mike Smith was good and the Flames don't have resources to spend on a goalie.

[direwolf]

I'd say he's still got at least another 2 seasons of solid play before he starts to tail off. I'm not worried at all.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by The Boy Wonder

So I have been mulling this over and I honestly think that for as great as smith played in the first half of the season he was playing poorly prior to the injury and obviously never got back to the level he had been at for the rest of the season after returning.

I don't know about anyone else but I am interested to see what CP thinks is the best course of action in net.

I liken Mike Smith to the Curtis Joseph of this era. He is a good goalie, even a great goalie for stretches of time but he is nowhere near the calibre of a Carey Price, Braden Holtby, Pekka Rinne, Jonathan Quick.

Similar to how CuJo was never in the same echelon as Brodeur, Roy, Belfour, Hasek, etc.

Both are way above average goalies but they are going to need to bottle lightning to get you a deep playoff run.

I would argue that our two backups are not quite ready to take on even a 1B role behind smith and I just am very pessimistic about our goaltending situation this year. seems as though management is giving smith this year, regardless of what happens, knowing that there is a good chance he is injured for at least a portion of the year, and having no real backup plan that can compete in the Pacific.

Really feels like the flames messed up last year not taking MAF but instead getting smith.

Anyone else feel the same?

Holtby was terrible most of the year...didn't even start the playoffs and then got hot. Smith was way better than Price last season.

No sure things...sometimes you just gotta take your chances

[JohnnyTitan]

Even if you're a little nervous...free agency hasn't even started yet!

Not that there's an amazing crop of goalies out there...but to claim it's for sure Smith / Gillies / Rittich is a little premature I think. Still time to trade or sign someone.

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk

[Enoch Root]

I am comfortable with Smith for another season, while the kids continue to develop.

However, I am NOT comfortable with him playing 70 games. His (over) usage was one of the things that frustrated me the most with Gulutzan (and there were a lot of things).

Smith should be playing 55-60 games. Because A) he isn't 25, and B) the kids should be getting playing time as well, and C) if we have any intentions of actually winning a playoff game, we will need a rested Mike Smith.

[FanIn80]

I think we dropped the ball in not acquiring Grubauer. He would have been the ideal bridge between Smith and whomever winds up taking his place.

[keratosis]

Originally Posted by JohnnyTitan

Even if you're a little nervous...free agency hasn't even started yet!

Not that there's an amazing crop of goalies out there...but to claim it's for sure Smith / Gillies / Rittich is a little premature I think. Still time to trade or sign someone.

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk

Disagree, Think we will be spending what cap space we have on forwards. Can't see the team spending on a goalie this year.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by JohnnyTitan

Even if you're a little nervous...free agency hasn't even started yet!

Not that there's an amazing crop of goalies out there...but to claim it's for sure Smith / Gillies / Rittich is a little premature I think. Still time to trade or sign someone.

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk

I think this will absolutely be the situation and I’m fairly comfortable with it.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

I think we dropped the ball in not acquiring Grubauer. He would have been the ideal bridge between Smith and whomever winds up taking his place.

They dropped the ball by not forking out a 2nd and buying out a $5.5mil contract? It would have been nice, but it isn’t much of a weakness in the organization and they were in no position to compete with that offer.

[madmike]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

I think we dropped the ball in not acquiring Grubauer. He would have been the ideal bridge between Smith and whomever winds up taking his place.

I was hoping for Grubauer too - but I was also hoping for Darling last year. With goalies you never really know what you’re going to get. I would prefer a better backup than Gillies or Rittich though because I really don't think the Flames can lean as heavily on Smith this year.

[Textcritic]

Smith and Rittich will be fine this season on the following two conditions:

1) Smith plays better at the Saddledome (what the hell happened there?)
2) Smith’s workload is better managed to ensure 20-25 starts for Rittich.

[CliffFletcher]

Whatever you think of Smith (and I think he's an above average goalie), this season will tell us a lot about the future of the position in Calgary. Was the late-season swoon last season an aberration for Smith, or a sign of things to come? Do we have a legitimate NHL tender in Rittich or Gillies? Is Parson the real deal, or just another junior goalie sensation who can't make the transition to pro?

This time next year we'll have a pretty good idea if the position is settled, or if Treliving needs to make a deal to bring in a long-term solution.

[ResAlien]

This is old man Smith’s last year right? Re-signing him would be lunacy IMO, he’s too old and it feels like he gets injured a lot for a goalie, and then the plan is hope and pray one of the kids can step in and be a starter? Avs are going to want to unload Varly probably, can’t think of any other young-ish goalies that may be moved. Not that he’s much better on the injury front but at least he’s not ancient.

Full disclosure I have hated the Smth acquisition from day one. I think it was idiotic to get a two year stopgap old goalie for a team that looked to be young and maybe entering their window. That move was one a last kick at the can team that needs a decent goalie as a final piece for a quick run makes. Feels like cheaping out on acquiring a younger goalie last season may bite the Flames sooner rather than later.

[KelVarnsen]

Came in to see ResAlien posting about his hatred of the Smith trade. Leaving satisfied.

[White Out 403]

Predicting goaltenders is at best voodoo. For a guy like Mike Smith I wouldn't be surprised if he had an elite top 5 season, an average season, or fell off the Earth. Predicting goaltenders is difficult and a guy like Mike Smith entering his twilight years only adds more complications to predicting anything.