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

[MoreDrank]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Smith is and always has been a good goalie that was stuck behind some terrible Coyote teams. He even got them to the conference finals that one year when the team in front of him was fairly mediocre.

The Flames have a good team in front of him and with the likelihood that they will be able to add a couple additional threats up on top of what we already have, the team should be in a good position to content for not only the division but also for the top spot in the conference. That would have occurred whether we got Smith, Raanta, Mason, Howard, or anyone who was decent. Even if we went with Elliott and Johnson, that would have occurred as the team was hampered by having no 1st line RW and having 4 #7 D-men playing in roles 4-7 last year until Stone arrived.

Realistically the Flames lineup next year should look like this

Gaudreau-Monahan-New potential acquisition/Ferland
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik
Ferland/Versteeg-Bennett-Brouwer/Versteeg/Ferland/Jankowski (depends on expansion draft)
Lazar-Stajan-Chiasson

Giordano-Hamilton
Brodie-#4 like Stone
#4/5 guy like Russell-Andersson/Kulak

Smith
Gillies

That starts to look like a team with few weaknesses. That is a realistic scenario thanks to all the expiring contracts.

That was six seasons ago.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Fire

Very little chance that Gillies is the backup. That's a disaster waiting to happen. Maybe Rittich, but he's a long shot as well. My guess is that you see a veteran backup for one more season.

Yeah, I really hope they don't throw Gillies in the fire like that. He hasn't played enough hockey and will now be in a position that he's not ready for AND won't be playing very many games.


Worst of both worlds. Luckily for me, Treliving has never seemed like the type to go into a season with that type of preparation. He'll have an NHL ready back up.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by jayswin

why do you think that? I don't like some things you do, but that's generally more in the off topic forum and like you overall.

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[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

I know you're a Flash Walken hater.

So anyway, is next years draft supposed to be good?

Did you just refer to yourself in the first and third person perspective in the same sentence.

Pretty regal.

IT would have been cooler if you'd said Flash Walken knows you're a Flash Walken hater.

[1qqaaz]

Mike Smith is injury-prone. Chances are, the Flames will suffer an injury in net.
I bet the Flames get some other backup. However, Gillies/Rittich will probably get some time in the NHL just to fill in.

[taxbuster]

Originally Posted by Fan in Exile

I'm not ripping this deal or Smith like some others but this move is really just treading water. In my opinion, signing Johnson would be a step back. There's only so much developmental playing time available. Gillies was given the chance to be the guy carrying the load in Stockton last year but Rittich outperformed him. Ideally one of the two should be playing 50 games next year which means one of them should be up here. Based on last season, that should be Rittich. We need to spend what's left of our cap filling other holes.

I don't really disagree except as to the number of games. I think that whoever comes up - even if it's both of them - should only anticipate around 30 games total, and the starter needs to carry the remaining 50 or so. Smith should be OK for that, and with average goaltending from him should still get the Flames (as long as the rest of the team keeps going!) to the playoffs. That gives both kid goalies some sheltered development - you really don't want them getting ripped apart by super-competent teams in their early days.

[Oil Stain]

If Treliving was looking for a stop gap goalie, one who has been a number one, why didn't he just get Halak?

The guy has put up equal numbers to Mike Smith over the last few years, is younger, and would have cost nothing.

[OzSome]

I am not sure I like this move especially we have to give up Brandon Hickey. Mike Smith is a good goalie but he's been injured a lot lately. With giving up Hickey, I would have been okay with it as a stop gap until Gilles is ready to assume the starting position in a season or two.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

If Treliving was looking for a stop gap goalie, one who has been a number one, why didn't he just get Halak?

The guy has put up equal numbers to Mike Smith over the last few years, is younger, and would have cost nothing.

Agreed. I think Treliving just looked where he was more familiar.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

If Treliving was looking for a stop gap goalie, one who has been a number one, why didn't he just get Halak?

The guy has put up equal numbers to Mike Smith over the last few years, is younger, and would have cost nothing.

The last 3 seasons Halak has started 59, 36 and 28 games.

I would have been OK acquiring to be a platoon guy with a younger goalie like Grubauer or Raanta.

It appears the Flames wanted an actual #1 goalie. They don't want a platoon anymore after the last 3 seasons.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

If Treliving was looking for a stop gap goalie, one who has been a number one, why didn't he just get Halak?

The guy has put up equal numbers to Mike Smith over the last few years, is younger, and would have cost nothing.

less likely to withstand a starter's load of games.

[Anduril]

Only reason I can imagine for Treliving to go so far down the list is trying to balance long term and cost. Bishop and Fleury aren't coming to the Flames so there goes the higher end established goalies. After that it's a mix of unproven starters and mediocre goalies with some warts.

Raanta and Grubauer will have to cost a lot and understandably so. Washington/New York are going to lose somebody regardless. Even if they trade Raanta, they'll still lose a guy like Grabner, Lindberg or Fast. So in that scenario you're down both Raanta and another roster player with only picks/prospects to show for it. Not helpful if you're a playoff contending team.

Might as well just lose Raanta for nothing unless it's a worthwhile you can't say no to.

After that you're left with a guy like Mason, Miller or Smith. I haven't looked into the numbers so I can't really make any comment on it at the moment.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

If Treliving was looking for a stop gap goalie, one who has been a number one, why didn't he just get Halak?

The guy has put up equal numbers to Mike Smith over the last few years, is younger, and would have cost nothing.

Blech. Never been a believer in Halak. I've seen Smith play Vezina nominee type goaltending for a mediocre team and play good goaltending on a horrid team. I think Smith obviously carries some risk but I feel his upside is a lot higher than Halak's. Smith has played multiple years as an above average starter. Halak to me is an average to below average starter.

[OzSome]

So with Chad Johnson gone and I don't think the Flames will even offer Brian Elliot a contract. I would think Riitich will be backing up Smith next season since he is much older than Gillies and NHL ready. We might see a Gillies-Parsons tandem in Stockton next season then. I hope the Flames doesn't look for signing a backup goaltender and let Riitich takes the spot instead.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by OzSome

I am not sure I like this move especially we have to give up Brandon Hickey. Mike Smith is a good goalie but he's been injured a lot lately. With giving up Hickey, I would have been okay with it as a stop gap until Gilles is ready to assume the starting position in a season or two.

Apparently Hickey was gone anyway, as a UFA (unsigned college player).

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by MoreDrank

That was six seasons ago.

And the team in front of him has gotten worse and worse as time has gone on. Can't do much if the team in front of you isn't good.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

That was 2014 (3 years ago) for Smith. A 32 year old Mike Smith. Check out Elliott's astounding stats for 2015, ya that WAS Elliott. Neither are what they were. Like I said Treliving did not win this trade. Smith does not improve the Flames He does not weaken the Flames either. This if anything is a band aid trade and PHX comes out on top simply because the 2nd.

Smith has shown more consistent play over the last couple seasons than what he did in 2014. He still has shown the ability to steal games and that ability alone is better than Elliott costing his team games as he showed he had the propensity to do all throughout the season.

It's the same Elliott, still the same guy who the Blues lost confidence in and acquired Miller and Broduer to shore up their net a couple years ago. His stats were more a product of a great St. Louis system, he had the whole season to prove he was unequivocally the #1 and dropped the ball multiple times.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by OzSome

So with Chad Johnson gone and I don't think the Flames will even offer Brian Elliot a contract. I would think Riitich will be backing up Smith next season since he is much older than Gillies and NHL ready. We might see a Gillies-Parsons tandem in Stockton next season then. I hope the Flames doesn't look for signing a backup goaltender and let Riitich takes the spot instead.

Reading between the lines from the Treliving interview it sounded to me like he'd prefer to let Rittich and Gillies continue to develop in Stockton. He emphasized how it was Gillies first pro year and Rittich's first in NA. I mean injuries happen in sports and you acquire depth to handle them. Do you seriously think Treliving would want to head into next season a Smith injury away from an extremely inexperienced Gillies/Rittich duo? I sure don't. I'd expect us to acquire a backup.

Lots of rumours Chad Johnson may in fact sign back here in free agency. Makes sense to me and Treliving sounded very open to it, very complimentary of Chad and said Chad very much liked it here.

[driveway]

I think Brandon Hickey is going to be a very good hockey player and I'll miss him, but the risk of losing him for nothing mitigates my unhappiness.

Also not a huge Mike Smith fan, but what the hell, let's roll those dice.

[Kipper_3434]

Yuck. Gave up too much. Would've been fine with this traid at 50% retained. Best of luck to Johnson, he should get lots of games if he signs there. I suppose he could sign here as well after July 1st and may have just been included so that Arizona has someone to protect.