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

[Brick]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I seriously doubt it. Mrazek is a head case. I am sceptical that the Flames are looking at any goalies right now, and are hoping for one of Rittich or Gillies to grab the job in TC.

I am not so sure that Treliving should be comfortable with the goaltending as it is. Mike Smith is 36 years old, injury prone, and fades when the games matter most. Both backups have been inconsistent. It would be nice if Rittich or Gillies emerges but I hope that the Flames pick up an experienced goalie for insurance this year. Not saying Mrazek is the answer but it wouldn't surprise me at all if they pick up another goalie.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Brick

I am not so sure that Treliving should be comfortable with the goaltending as it is. Mike Smith is 36 years old, injury prone, and fades when the games matter most. Both backups have been inconsistent. It would be nice if Rittich or Gillies emerges but I hope that the Flames pick up an experienced goalie for insurance this year. Not saying Mrazek is the answer but it wouldn't surprise me at all if they pick up another goalie.

If the Flames pick up a goalie they are moving one of Rittich or Gillies out to make room, and I don’t believe they are ready to do that just yet.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

If the Flames pick up a goalie they are moving one of Rittich or Gillies out to make room, and I don’t believe they are ready to do that just yet.

So you feel they are willing to blow one of Gio's remaining high level years while they sort out possible goalie futures?

They had better be picking a horse and going with it. They blew a good goal keeping year last year and would take a chance this year with sorting out maybe Riitch is good enough, maybe Gillies , maybe both, maybe neither.

somehow the good teams pick a guy and go with him... Murray , Gibson, Vasilevskiy, Hellebuyck, Jones...even Talbot. the team management picked a guy and went with him and were more right than wrong.

[Roof-Daddy]

There is no free agent goalie available that has less question marks than Gillies or Rittich at this point. Ward, Hutton and Bernier are all rumored to be already committed to other teams, that leaves who? Lehner? Mrazek? Halak?

No thanks. Let's just see what we have with Rittich and Gillies.

[Moneyhands23]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

There is no free agent goalie available that has less question marks than Gillies or Rittich at this point. Ward, Hutton and Bernier are all rumored to be already committed to other teams, that leaves who? Lehner? Mrazek? Halak?

No thanks. Let's just see what we have with Rittich and Gillies.

Man 1 of Gillies or Parsons really needs to pan out and become a starter.

[Roof-Daddy]

Actually, one name pops out at me on the UFA list that might be interesting if Flames management is wary of testing out another season on Gillies/Rittich and that's Anton Khudobin.

He actually played two years in Carolina under Peters, and the 1st year he went 19-14-1 with a 2.30 GAA and 0.926 sv%

He's also some decent years as a back up in Boston. Probably be cheap too.

[indes]

I really think one of the Flames issues for the past x amount of years has been not developing talent internally. We really need to give Rittich/Gillies time to grow into the role. We also seem quick to take mediocre vets for whatever position is available and I hope we can buck the trend and let these guys have their chance.

[Jordan!]

He’s old and has injury issues.

He’ll get hurt again this upcoming season. Book it

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Bouw N Arrow

He’s old and has injury issues.

He’ll get hurt again this upcoming season. Book it

Maybe, but he’s still good for 55-60 games a season. That’s enough from a starter.

[1qqaaz]

I'm just glad the Flames have 2 goalies who could potentially fill as backups this year.

Just Gillies? That'd be a problem. Just Rittich? Same thing.
At least the Flames have some insurance.

And if one of Gillies/Rittich/Parsons did become elite, it'd be huge.
It could potentially be what turns the Flames into contenders.
This will be a big year.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

I'm just glad the Flames have 2 goalies who could potentially fill as backups this year.

Just Gillies? That'd be a problem. Just Rittich? Same thing.
At least the Flames have some insurance.

And if one of Gillies/Rittich/Parsons did become elite, it'd be huge.
It could potentially be what turns the Flames into contenders.
This will be a big year.

When and how?

For Gillies (24) and Rittich (25) they have to be a #1A this season or they will enter the Eddie Lack/ McElhinney category.

The Flames coaches have (and the rest of the league) have had enough time to see if either of these guys has the Royal Goalie Jelly and have to run with one of them or continue trying to squeeze a few more games out of Hiller, Elliott, Smith who were once borderline great.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

Smith's inconsistency probably had more to do with his injury than it did with Sigalet. The guy's survived the last two coaching fires, so he can't be as bad as some people think he is.

Even before the injury, Smith played horrible at home.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Even before the injury, Smith played horrible at home.

It was the single biggest undoing of the Flames’s playoff aspirations, in my opinion.

[Brick]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Even before the injury, Smith played horrible at home.

Originally Posted by Textcritic

It was the single biggest undoing of the Flames’s playoff aspirations, in my opinion.

I don't really want to watch that movie again...