[News] UPD: Flames recall Gillies. Smith listed as day to day. Lomberg assigned to Stockton

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by nobles_point

Well then Sir, you are completely unqualified to work for the Fan960.

You might have a chance if you brush up on double standard cherry picking opinions like Ryan Pinder, who this fall conveniently has enjoyed denigrating Flames goalies for not having elite AHL numbers buuut... he found it within his analytic genius to NOT trust Garrett Sparks excellent AHL numbers last year with the Marlies because of the strength of the team he was playing behind...

Weird how that works. Funny that I quit listening after Kerr left.

Pinder is just the worst.

I can't remember how many times he has contradicted himself with nary a mention of it even when its pointed out to him. They call him smarmy in the morning and he is all of that plus.

Unlistenable for me.

[DoubleK]

Is there any chance Rittich plays both game this weekend?

I'd like to see Gilles not have to play behind a tired team in Dallas. Gives Rittich a longer rest for the big test against Tampa.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Is there any chance Rittich plays both game this weekend?

I'd like to see Gilles not have to play behind a tired team in Dallas. Gives Rittich a longer rest for the big test against Tampa.

I think there is EVERY chance he plays both unless Smith is good to go.

[Phaneufenstein]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

There is not a single NHL goalie who would pull himself from a game unless he was physically unable to play. Goalies are going to play in daily discomfort all year, so I suspect that if Smith has been nursing something it has not significantly affected him enough to know as much as you think he should.


These sorts of speculation-based shots at a player's character are ridiculous, embarrassing, and really need to stop. Mike Smith is a seasoned professional. He is popular with his teammates and his coaches, who I am quite sure would not put up with any form of sabotage.

Nobody but Mike Smith could tell with a 100% certainty if he had tweaked something until that horrible goal, which he obviously did because he was not back out for the third period and is now listed day-to-day.

Given his emotional nature and the fact that it's his contract year, I wouldn't be surprised if he knew he wasn't "alright" (same as what Peters came out and said) and played the rest of the period thinking that it might blow over.

I didn't say he is purposely sabotaging the team, but to me that's not the most team-first mentality I've seen.

[curmudgeon]

I was listening to the Two Talking Heads on Sportsnet 960 during the Flames at Five segment, what a load of crap that was coming out of their mouths. Until Smitty got hurt in the Phillie game, his numbers and save percentage were very good. To slam him for a weak goal, when he obviously was injured and trying to play through it was totally unprofessional and disrespectful. Guy has a bad game and the pundits are ready to throw him under the bus. These so called experts have obviously never played the game or have never been injured while playing beer league hockey which would be the extent of their hockey experience. Instead of constantly criticizing a players performance, why not attempt to get to the bottom of why that player is playing poorly. These guys who are supposed to be fans as well as analysts, must spend a lot of time at emergency getting treated for skinned knees from jumping on and off the bandwagon. Note to the talking heads, report the facts, we the real fans don't want or care about your opinions.

[Jiri Hrdina]

No the analysts are not supposed to be fans

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Phaneufenstein

Nobody but Mike Smith could tell with a 100% certainty if he had tweaked something until that horrible goal...

So, why are you going on with these fabrications of your own imagination?

The only thing we know is that Smith injured himself badly enough to sit out the third period, and to miss at least another game or two.

We do not know what happened.

We do not know when it happened.

We do not know how he and the coaches and trainers handled it beyond the decision made to replace him with Rittich on Weds.

Everything else that you assert is empty conjecture.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Phaneufenstein

Nobody but Mike Smith could tell with a 100% certainty if he had tweaked something until that horrible goal, which he obviously did because he was not back out for the third period and is now listed day-to-day.

Given his emotional nature and the fact that it's his contract year, I wouldn't be surprised if he knew he wasn't "alright" (same as what Peters came out and said) and played the rest of the period thinking that it might blow over.

I didn't say he is purposely sabotaging the team, but to me that's not the most team-first mentality I've seen.

I don't think we realize the aches and pains the players, including goalies, play through on a regular basis. I have no doubt they get hurt, carry on and it's all good many times in a season. The fact that one such pain turned out to be a bigger issue that Smith realized is not an issue which says anything about his character IMO.

[Phaneufenstein]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

So, why are you going on with these fabrications of your own imagination?

The only thing we know is that Smith injured himself badly enough to sit out the third period, and to miss at least another game or two.

We do not know what happened.

We do not know when it happened.

We do not know how he and the coaches and trainers handled it beyond the decision made to replace him with Rittich on Weds.

Everything else that you assert is empty conjecture.

Lol, are you being disingenuous on purpose?

Yes, I'm speculating like most of us do on the board, but it's based on the fact that he's hurt now and didn't show up for the third.

How do you explain Weise goal if he's not playing hurt?

[Phaneufenstein]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I don't think we realize the aches and pains the players, including goalies, play through on a regular basis. I have no doubt they get hurt, carry on and it's all good many times in a season. The fact that one such pain turned out to be a bigger issue that Smith realized is not an issue which says anything about his character IMO.

And what I'm saying is that he's not a spring chicken with a history of injuries that needs to pay better attention to what his body is telling him for the benefit of the team. So that goals like Weise's don't happen.

There's a bunch of examples of goalies pulling themselves from the game.
The most recent one that comes to mind was when Rinne was replaced by Saros in their game against the Flames.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Phaneufenstein

And what I'm saying is that he's not a spring chicken with a history of injuries that needs to pay better attention to what his body is telling him for the benefit of the team. So that goals like Weise's don't happen.

There's a bunch of examples of goalies pulling themselves from the game.
The most recent one that comes to mind was when Rinne was replaced by Saros in their game against the Flames.

And Smith pulled himself from this game.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Phaneufenstein

Lol, are you being disingenuous on purpose?

Yes, I'm speculating like most of us do on the board, but it's based on the fact that he's hurt now and didn't show up for the third.

How do you explain Weise goal if he's not playing hurt?

I think he very likely was hurt, but I don't for a second pretend to know about what he was thinking, nor how he should have responded to his injury. In the last two posts you have suggested that Smith is behaving selfishly for continuing to play through something you know nothing about. THAT's what I have a problem with.

[the2bears]

Originally Posted by Phaneufenstein

It was damn close to a successful one, if not for the purple drink gang.

Horse shoes and hand grenades.

[MacDaddy77]

Gillies has a 1 way contract next year, I dont think the flames wil lpay him to play in the minors so they should be tentative to play him on Sunday. Give the guy a game and see what happens.

He wont stick for the year but if he's here he might as well play the 2nd of the back to back.

[Phaneufenstein]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I think he very likely was hurt, but I don't for a second pretend to know about what he was thinking, nor how he should have responded to his injury. In the last two posts you have suggested that Smith is behaving selfishly for continuing to play through something you know nothing about. THAT's what I have a problem with.

He's an older professional athlete playing a difficult position, they typically know right away when something is wrong, but you're correct in saying that there's no way anyone but him could know for sure. I'm basing my assessment on several factors that everyone can only speculate on. One of those would be him coming back after injury too early last year and having abysmal numbers down the stretch.

[Phaneufenstein]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

And Smith pulled himself from this game.

IMO should have done so sooner.

[tvp2003]

The Blues are garbage this year, so I would give Gillies a shot on Sunday with the back-to-back. Maybe a strong game could help him get his season back on track after a promising preseason.

I do think Smith needs the rest and I don't want to overplay Rittich with the Lightning coming into town on Thursday (even though its not a divisional or conference game i think it's a good measuring stick to see where they stand amongst the best in the league).

[Toonage]

2 games in a row won't be overplaying Rittich. He's very well rested to this point. If the Blues are bad, you want your best effort to bag those points.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Phaneufenstein

IMO should have done so sooner.

How much sooner?

[Split98]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

He's looked just fine in several games. They've been discussed. Tell me what was wrong in his SO of Nashville (43 shots), or the one against Minnie (31 shots). Against Toronto he was fine and his puckhandling was a big part of the win as well.

For clarity, I feel like I have to include a caveat every time I respond to in this thread, as follows: Smith has generally been bad. He's cost points. I'm not generally defending him, denigrating Rittich or suggesting Smith should be the clear starter. I just dislike debate based on fallacies.

Exactly this.

From the start of the season, a group of Smith Haters have merged into a super-group of hate

• I think there's a group that's curious as to what the plan is this year
• I think there's a group that's curious as to what the plan is next year
• I think there's a group that haven't had a lot of confidence in Smith for almost a calendar year
• I think there's a group that didn't see a 36 year old goalie regaining form, and were very frustrated at the games we were giving up

But his recovery was something a lot of us here should be giving him tons of credit for. I gave him back a lot of rope with how he's turned it on as of late, and the mountain of negativity and pessimism he had to climb to get there earns him a lot of respect with me - as well as Peters.

Goal #4 was obviously awful. I was frustrated with Smith as well, as this was too much of what we hoped was behind them. However, he pulled himself from the game and we know something's up.

I think you're reaching to throw shade after 1 bobbled injured/ill/out-of-sorts game in the middle of an upswing. It doesn't seem honest or helpful to be using a game the goalie pulled himself from as your platform for pessimism.


This, for the record, is coming from the 'I'm worried that 36 year old Mike Smith isn't the goalie to lead us to the promise land - especially not past this season' camp.