Mike Smith's... woes? He blows? Eating crows? Who knows! (Also David Rittich exists!)

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I am not so much ignoring it as I am thinking that this is something fairly equally applied to every team. The Flames are likely also to “tighten up down the stretch” thus also making scoring more difficult for their opponents. Even if Mike Smith sees a reduction in success and wins only half his games as a result, the team is still in really good shape come playoff time.

We are looking at it in different ways. Surely you agree it is easier to allow a goal than it is to score. I could step in to the NHL and allow a goal today. Probably would struggle to score.

The whole knock on Smith is the multitude of soft goals, not unfortunate numbers due to normal play behind inconsistent D. Whether or not the Flames tighten up has fairly little bearing on shots Smith should stop, but simply doesn’t.

That was my whole point. Good defensive play doesn’t stop a goalie from letting in a stinker and most teams aren’t rolling out goalies who are plagued by this.

We agree the team should make the playoffs even if Smith keeps playing inconsistently.

We appear to disagree on how much the team should play the guy, and for what reasons. I see a guy who has some issues with his fundamentals, is lucky to be 11-8-1 and based on his contribution could just as easily be 7-12-1.

It has been nearly a calendar year since he has played at the level of a NHL starter.

In fact, if Rittich got hurt, and Smith from Feb-Dec 2018 is the new normal, he has what it takes to potentially goaltend the team’s way out of a playoff spot.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Something will happen before trade deadline day. The presence of so many high-point teams this year means there's a lot of low point teams that are going to sell.

I highly doubt that happens very soon. As with every year the trade market will remain fairly quite until closer to the end of January.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

We are looking at it in different ways. Surely you agree it is easier to allow a goal than it is to score. I could step in to the NHL and allow a goal today. Probably would struggle to score.

The whole knock on Smith is the multitude of soft goals, not unfortunate numbers due to normal play behind inconsistent D. Whether or not the Flames tighten up has fairly little bearing on shots Smith should stop, but simply doesn’t.

That was my whole point. Good defensive play doesn’t stop a goalie from letting in a stinker and most teams aren’t rolling out goalies who are plagued by this.

We agree the team should make the playoffs even if Smith keeps playing inconsistently.

We appear to disagree on how much the team should play the guy, and for what reasons. I see a guy who has some issues with his fundamentals, is lucky to be 11-8-1 and based on his contribution could just as easily be 7-12-1.

It has been nearly a calendar year since he has played at the level of a NHL starter.

In fact, if Rittich got hurt, and Smith from Feb-Dec 2018 is the new normal, he has what it takes to potentially goaltend the team’s way out of a playoff spot.

This is just simply untrue.

43 save shutout IN Nashville isn't starter level play?

[icecube]

Even a broken clock is right twice a day^

Mike Smith is washed up. Time to retire.

[Torchdemall]

DeluxeMoustache I would argue that there 700+ players in the NHL struggling to score on any given night. So I'm thinking there is no probably about it.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

We are looking at it in different ways...

Yes. Which is another way to concede that I am ignoring nothing.

We agree the team should make the playoffs even if Smith keeps playing inconsistently.

We appear to disagree on how much the team should play the guy, and for what reasons. I see a guy who has some issues with his fundamentals, is lucky to be 11-8-1 and based on his contribution could just as easily be 7-12-1.

I think “lucky” is a red herring. It essentially means that the results do not correspond to your expectations and explanations. I have my own thoughts about how best the Flames ought to approach this situation with their goalies, although I suspect them to be mostly naive and conjectural, and thus not good for much. However, I do think based upon what we have seen to date that the manner in which the Flames are handling Rittich suggests that the coaches are concerned about his workload. This strikes me as a highly legitimate concern. If they continue to manage his starts as they have I think it is likely more to do with this than it is based on some online-generated fantasies about “getting Smith going,” or the trepidation felt by coaches at the prospect of hurting his feelings.

It has been nearly a calendar year since he has played at the level of a NHL starter.

In fact, if Rittich got hurt, and Smith from Feb-Dec 2018 is the new normal, he has what it takes to potentially goaltend the team’s way out of a playoff spot.

Most likely. But the GM can do only so much. I think he is probably taking a calculated approach in this to ride it out as long as possible. I suspect that Treliving is not impressed by available options, and still believes that he has time on his side to resolve it for now.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by transplant99

This is just simply untrue.

43 save shutout IN Nashville isn't starter level play?

Oh please.

I think you are sharp enough to know full well that a starting goalie needs to demonstrate consistent quality play over a sustained period of time, and when I mention the body of work over almost a calendar year, I was most certainly looking at a bigger picture than a game or even a handful of games.

I trust people reading to understand something which seems pretty obvious.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I highly doubt that happens very soon. As with every year the trade market will remain fairly quite until closer to the end of January.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Trade deadline day is in March, so if you're saying trades will pick up by the end of January (which is also when I think potentially major trades will start happening), then you're agreeing with me that trade action could happen early this year.

Also, "closer to the end of January" is not that far away.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Yes. Which is another way to concede that I am ignoring nothing.


I think “lucky” is a red herring. It essentially means that the results do not correspond to your expectations and explanations. I have my own thoughts about how best the Flames ought to approach this situation with their goalies, although I suspect them to be mostly naive and conjectural, and thus not good for much. However, I do think based upon what we have seen to date that the manner in which the Flames are handling Rittich suggests that the coaches are concerned about his workload. This strikes me as a highly legitimate concern. If they continue to manage his starts as they have I think it is likely more to do with this than it is based on some online-generated fantasies about “getting Smith going,” or the trepidation felt by coaches at the prospect of hurting his feelings.



Most likely. But the GM can do only so much. I think he is probably taking a calculated approach in this to ride it out as long as possible. I suspect that Treliving is not impressed by available options, and still believes that he has time on his side to resolve it for now.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No doubt he is unimpressed with his options right now.

Smith is untradeable and the team has a vested interest in trying to either get his game back, or get the perception of his game back to the point that he is somehow tradeable.

He has to use his time, and I think giving Smith work is about Smith, not Rittich. You can imagine how frustrated Tre must be when after seeing the team build up a 6 game win streak for Smith, the guy turns around and plays like he has been sprayed with puck repellent.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Trade deadline day is in March, so if you're saying trades will pick up by the end of January (which is also when I think potentially major trades will start happening), then you're agreeing with me that trade action could happen early this year.

Just an FYI, deadline is is Feb 25

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by zamler

Stop playing Smith at home he's a nervous wreck at the 'Dome.

He’s in good company because there’s up to another 19289 nervous wrecks when he’s at the ‘Dome.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Barnet Flame

He’s in good company because there’s up to another 19289 nervous wrecks when he’s at the ‘Dome.

Mike Smith is not the only one...
19 GA in 7 starts; 0.889 SP. Both Flames goalies have been better on the road.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by icecube

Even a broken clock is right twice a day^

Mike Smith is washed up. Time to retire.

Wait lemme get this straight, goalie who has only lost once in his last 8 starts is washed up and needs to retire? Hmmm methinks some of you are exaggerating a hell of a lot.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Wait lemme get this straight, goalie who has only lost once in his last 8 starts is washed up and needs to retire? Hmmm methinks some of you are exaggerating a hell of a lot.

Lol.

Last 8 starts? Lost once is technically exaggerating.

Lost twice and was pulled one more time. Coming off of 2 really bad back to back starts.

As long as “You guys just score 6, I’ll take care of the rest” is his mantra, he’s not washed up, he can still win more than he loses.

[SportsJunky]

I just don’t get what we are debating here. That Smith is struggling? Yes, he is. If there isn’t much Treliving can do about it for the time being then let’s cross our fingers that he straightens his game out. There’s a good chance Calgary is going to need him at some point. I don’t get all the back and forth.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by SportsJunky

I just don’t get what we are debating here. That Smith is struggling? Yes, he is. If there isn’t much Treliving can do about it for the time being then let’s cross our fingers that he straightens his game out. There’s a good chance Calgary is going to need him at some point. I don’t get all the back and forth.

This post should be stickied to every page of this thread.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Oh please.

I think you are sharp enough to know full well that a starting goalie needs to demonstrate consistent quality play over a sustained period of time, and when I mention the body of work over almost a calendar year, I was most certainly looking at a bigger picture than a game or even a handful of games.

I trust people reading to understand something which seems pretty obvious.

Goalposts moved? Is anyone saying he should be the starter (or number one if you prefer that label)?

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Goalposts moved? Is anyone saying he should be the starter (or number one if you prefer that label)?

Oh, no. Moving goalposts is all Smith needs. He is having trouble with the ones in place.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by transplant99

This is just simply untrue.

43 save shutout IN Nashville isn't starter level play?

Not when you follow that up with five goals on 24 shots against one of the worst teams in the NHL. Come on, starters are pretty consistent in their play. Smith hasn't been consistent in quite some time.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by SportsJunky

I just don’t get what we are debating here. That Smith is struggling? Yes, he is. If there isn’t much Treliving can do about it for the time being then let’s cross our fingers that he straightens his game out. There’s a good chance Calgary is going to need him at some point. I don’t get all the back and forth.

The debate seems to boil down to the fact some people don’t hate Smith enough.

Merely feeling he’s underperforming but is the best backup option available at present is insufficient.

Anything less than fire him into the sun, regardless of what we’ll do for a backup after that or the acquisition cost of a better backup, and you’re a koolaid drinking fool wearing blinders.

You want to really stir things up, start advocating for Peters to play Smith as a starter to let him work himself out of his current tribulations.