[Trade] Flames acquire Mike Smith (25% retained) for Chad Johnson, Brandon Hickey, & cond 3rd

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Pat Steinberg @Fan960Steinberg
now
Interesting Smith splits:

Career vs. Edm: 15-3-1, 0.924 SV%
Career vs. SJ: 12-8-3, 0.942 SV%
Career vs. LA: 15-8-1, 0.931 SV%

I sense a very different CGY-EDM series coming this season.

[Geeoff]

Smith's numbers are pretty encouraging considering how awful the Coyotes are.

[MarkGio]

Originally Posted by burnitdown

I disagree with those saying Hickey was worthless to us because we think he's going UFA next summer. While Treliving likely has this indication from Hickey's camp, he might still change his mind. Or who knows, maybe we're a high seed heading into the playoffs with some key injuries on D...that could be enticing for him to sign and jump right into the NHL playoffs on a solid team. Including Hickey hurts our prospect pool as it officially closes the door on his time in Calgary. Too bad as he seemed to at least have potential to crack the starting lineup in the next 2 years.

Yup. If I were the GM, I'd run the following defensive lineup:

Giordano - Hamilton
Brodie - Stone
Kylington/Kulak - Andersson

That way Hickey not only is most likely to "burn a year" with the Flames and make some immediate money.

He was never worthless.

[Major Major]

Originally Posted by Krynn

From what I read the Rangers wanted our first & arm & leg our first born for Rantta

Suppose they learned nothing from Talbot

[iloveicedhockey]

Originally Posted by PugnaciousIntern

Well, if nothing else he will be entertaining!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-APC9sERqQY

Some howlers for sure but some beauties also. Love him messing with Crosby's helmet and flipping that stick away; childish as hell but my type of thing.

[Vinny01]

Not a huge fan of this trade today but hope it pays off.

For all intents and purposes this is Hickey and a 2nd for Smith which is a steep price to pay imo.

[Roof-Daddy]

Still kind of shocked it wasn't Dougie going the other way in the deal.

[Love]

So that Johnson stuff is probably blind speculation considering that he was just on record saying he wanted "starter money". I wonder if we will still make another deal with Vegas for a backup?

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by burnitdown

I disagree with those saying Hickey was worthless to us because we think he's going UFA next summer. While Treliving likely has this indication from Hickey's camp, he might still change his mind. Or who knows, maybe we're a high seed heading into the playoffs with some key injuries on D...that could be enticing for him to sign and jump right into the NHL playoffs on a solid team. Including Hickey hurts our prospect pool as it officially closes the door on his time in Calgary. Too bad as he seemed to at least have potential to crack the starting lineup in the next 2 years.

Calgary is not an appealing spot for a prospect that won't be making an immediate jump. Ferland is all we have to show for our willingness to open up spots to AHL guys, which I am positive Hickey was told he would be. We haven't shown a guy like Hickey that he won't be buried in the minors like Kulak, Wotherspoon, Jankowski, Klimchuk, Poirier, Shinkaruk have been, and he hasn't shown he is a different tier of prospect from those guys the way Gaudreau or Tkachuk did.

[cannon7]

Originally Posted by Fan in Exile

Treliving on the balance has done a good job but why has he earned your trust on goaltending? Name one good move so far. His moves have been defensible at best. He has missed out on several better options for the team which would have cost less as a sum total. I can tolerate Smith on this deal but nothing to do cartwheels over. I will be disappointed if Johnson is back because one of the silver lings here is Rittich or Gillies emerging as a back-up. Our over-ripening philosophy just caused us to basically lose Hickey for nothing.

I think if Hickey was going to sign with the Flames he'd have already signed. Maybe he over-ripened, or maybe he went stale -- I think the latter.

[OutOfTheCube]

As someone whose last name is Smith, I'm glad Calgary acquired a notable player with that last name! Derek Smith didn't last long. Hoping Mike is, at the very least, a consistent upgrade on the inconsistent and questionable goaltending Calgary has had the last few years.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

I'm not sure it's a fair comparison when 16 of Smith's 19 playoff games were in his career high year six seasons ago. He's 35 now and there aren't many 35 year old good goaltenders out there...

Backstrom was great, until he turned 35. Kipper retired at 36.

Do we really want 2 years of a goalie trending down (35-37 year old years) at ~$5M? When there's limited cap space?

Goalies don't have to trend down at that age. Hasek played into his 40's didn't he? Lundqvist still going strong in his mid 30's. Kiprusoff chose to retire when he did, he didn't look like he was tending down.

I know why people might be pessimistic about the age but saying he MUST decline due to age is presumptuous.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Bouw N Arrow

Smith is a great team guy but one more knee injury away from his career ending. I definitely think he'll regress and be hated more than Roman Turek next season.

This is about as likely as the Coyotes selling out a home game next season.

[Angelino]

Not impressed with the acquisition of an aging goalie. Market must be rough in regards to goalies if this is the best Treliving could do. Looks like another wasted year next year.

[Major Major]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Not a huge fan of this trade today but hope it pays off.

For all intents and purposes this is Hickey and a 2nd for Smith which is a steep price to pay imo.

Uh huh. But you cannot apply standard value to hickey knowing he wasn't signing. He is worth essentially zero at that point since the longer you wait, the more people know about the situation. Maybe it becomes evident that he has one team in mind and sours potential suitors. Smart to move him early while he still has potential value. He's their problem now, their distraction.

[Caged Great]

I was expecting this trade ever since Elliott flamed out in round 1. When you're having difficulties with your goaltending and you are extremely familiar with a good goalie from your old job, it only makes sense to go and get the guy you know is good instead of maybes.

Not shocked either that it was Hickey that got dealt. I think that because Falkovsky jumped up in terms of expectations because of the fact that he had a great season and Fox also had a great season made Hickey expendable. A 2nd round pick sucks, but Treliving also showed his hand in his answer last week. "we're going to spend a 2nd on a goalie every other year".

Smith has the right amount of term left as well, and it allows Gillies/Parsons more than enough time to take over.

I like it on the whole.

[cannon7]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

Smith's numbers are pretty encouraging considering how awful the Coyotes are.

Smith wasn't my first choice, but one thing he has going for him is he's likely going to be motivated. He's played behind a lot of stinkers, this is his first chance in a long time to play behind a contender. And maybe his last chance.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Calgary is not an appealing spot for a prospect that won't be making an immediate jump. Ferland is all we have to show for our willingness to open up spots to AHL guys, which I am positive Hickey was told he would be. We haven't shown a guy like Hickey that he won't be buried in the minors like Kulak, Wotherspoon, Jankowski, Klimchuk, Poirier, Shinkaruk have been, and he hasn't shown he is a different tier of prospect from those guys the way Gaudreau or Tkachuk did.

[iamca]

Not a fan of this at all. Really doesn't make the Flames a better team, thought that was the point.

Tre is not on point with going after Smith especially considering the price.

[saillias]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Pat Steinberg @Fan960Steinberg
now
Interesting Smith splits:

Career vs. Edm: 15-3-1, 0.924 SV%
Career vs. SJ: 12-8-3, 0.942 SV%
Career vs. LA: 15-8-1, 0.931 SV%

What's his record on Tuesdays with an arena facing east with a Denny's a few blocks from the rink?