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

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by gamesaver

The reason why we are not chasing Tampa for the number 1 spot is because we are, unlike them, fine with the sub-par backup goaltending.

Who the hell says ‘we’ are fine with it?

The number of goaltenders that were acquired via trade by any NHL team from the start of the regular season to January 1, inclusive: Zero, zip, zilch, goose egg.

Goalies that have been traded since then: Anders Nilsson, Mike McKenna, and a 27-year-old AHL plug named Jared Coreau. None of those guys are a significant upgrade on Smith.

Looking at these facts, I'd say there just hasn't been a trade there to be made yet. You can't conclude that Treliving doesn't want to make one or hasn't been trying.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by Frank MetaMusil

My beer league captain was a damn plug. Worst player on the team by far.

He was always in players ears about skating harder, etc, but never took any responsibility for his own suckage.

If I'm Gaudreau and I hear "we need to be better" I'm thinking eff that dude we can't outscore his ####ty tending every game.

How would you react? I'd be relieved he's gone honestly.

I'm gonna have to agree with this. Nobody is going to outright say it in public, but I'm willing to bet when these guys talk amongst themselves in the privacy of their own homes (or in an uber ) they probably can't wait for Smith to be off the team.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

You have to manage the human side
How will the team react if they waive Smith?
I think you are oversimplifying a complex situation
Also not sure which team would deal their back up for Frolik
If only things were that easy

Fans always ask the players to have a little bit more killer instinct when they’re on the ice. I say management needs to have a little bit more killer instinct in this situation. Drop him and find any other option. Nilsson was just traded to a basement team in Ottawa, he’s probably available for cheap.

Mike Smith’s feelings ultimately do not matter in the long run for the Flames organization. We didn’t draft him, he’s a UFA at season’s end, he’ll be 37 and his performance has garnered absolutely no loyalty from the Flames side.

Loyalty is a tricky thing in the NHL. Chicago overpaid for Toews, Kane and Seabrook and now look where they are. LA did the same for Kopitar and Doughty and now they’re also paying the price. I’d have no problem showing Smith the door if the Flames pick up a better back up goaltender that aides the team for a long playoff run.

[gamesaver]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Who the hell says ‘we’ are fine with it?

The number of goaltenders that were acquired via trade by any NHL team from the start of the regular season to January 1, inclusive: Zero, zip, zilch, goose egg.

Goalies that have been traded since then: Anders Nilsson, Mike McKenna, and a 27-year-old AHL plug named Jared Coreau. None of those guys are a significant upgrade on Smith.

Looking at these facts, I'd say there just hasn't been a trade there to be made yet. You can't conclude that Treliving doesn't want to make one or hasn't been trying.

Fair enough, so why do we call up Gillies? We have Nick Schneider who is statistically the second best goalie in the organisation this season. Instead, while Rittich is banged up, we are rolling with two guys that doesn't even breach the 89% .My point is that the goaltending is still not addressed properly, because it's not perfomance based. Smith had to blow away a dozen of points while Rittich had to play like top 5 goalie to split starts between them. See my point?

[jlh2640]

I keep on seeing flashes of Smith playing well only to be fooled once again.

[Phagoof]

Another problem is teams no Smith's weakness. Five hole. He is just brutal at closing his legs.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Who the hell says ‘we’ are fine with it?

The number of goaltenders that were acquired via trade by any NHL team from the start of the regular season to January 1, inclusive: Zero, zip, zilch, goose egg.

Goalies that have been traded since then: Anders Nilsson, Mike McKenna, and a 27-year-old AHL plug named Jared Coreau. None of those guys are a significant upgrade on Smith.

Looking at these facts, I'd say there just hasn't been a trade there to be made yet. You can't conclude that Treliving doesn't want to make one or hasn't been trying.

You don’t know for certain that Nilsson or McKenna wouldn’t be upgrades on Smith. They are performing better on worse teams. It’s entirely possible that on the Flames, facing fewer shots on goal per game, they might do ok.

That’s really all the Flames need from their current back up right now, just ok. Mike Smith is not even giving the team ok. He’s been arguably the worst goaltender in the league this season. The last half of last season also seemed to be a precursor as he was quite bad from January to April as well.

[Strange Brew]

So the rumor was Neal called out Smith early in the season, telling him he needed to make a save.

I find that rather funny if true that those would be the two players involved in a you need to be better discussion.

[dustygoon]

It’s not whether BT trades for a goalie. Get ready to see a high price paid for a middle of the road tender. But he has no choice.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

You don’t know for certain that Nilsson or McKenna wouldn’t be upgrades on Smith. They are performing better on worse teams. It’s entirely possible that on the Flames, facing fewer shots on goal per game, they might do ok.

That’s really all the Flames need from their current back up right now, just ok. Mike Smith is not even giving the team ok. He’s been arguably the worst goaltender in the league this season. The last half of last season also seemed to be a precursor as he was quite bad from January to April as well.

They might be upgrades, maybe even probably. But if Treliving makes a goalie move, it doesn’t need to be massive, but we should probably shoot higher than Anders Nilsson.

[GreenLantern2814]

Said it in the game thread, but there's no longer any credible way to argue Mike Smith is the 2nd best human being under contract with the Flames playing goalie.

2/3 games Smith is in net, he does not give the Flames a quality start.

He's done, and continuing to play him against all but the worst the NHL has to offer is untenable.

[Phagoof]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

So the rumor was Neal called out Smith early in the season, telling him he needed to make a save.

I find that rather funny if true that those would be the two players involved in a you need to be better discussion.

Neal should be the absolute last person calling anyone out. He should STFU and put in some work on the ice before he opens his mouth.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

You don’t know for certain that Nilsson or McKenna wouldn’t be upgrades on Smith. They are performing better on worse teams.

Actually, they're performing just about identically on worse teams. And those teams are worse largely because they don't score as many goals.

There's a reason why neither Nilsson nor McKenna has earned more than a cup of coffee in the NHL so far.

[Wolfman]

Mike smith pisses me off

[RedHawk12]

Nobody here is "fine" with subpar goaltending. Given the opportunity, no doubt Tre gets an upgrade.

The problem is you can't just blow assets left right and center hoping to find a fit. Guys like McKenna, Nilsson, and Coreau are NOT upgrades. Smith wins last game and loses tonight. McKenna comes in and wins the first game and loses the next. It's a wash.

I'm sure Tre is looking for an UPGRADE. As some posters suggested, that takes patience. The price has to be right and this time, Tre needs to get it right. Can't keep wasting 2nds and 3rds on guys like Elliott and Smith.

[The Boy Wonder]

This team will not go anywhere if we are relying on smith.

Which is a shame because we have a chance to be special

Same thing with frolik, if you can’t get on board and do your job then we don’t need or want you.

Whoever said killer instinct is right, not the time to ##### foot around and “ensure the future”

Just win baby

[FlamesAddiction]

It's kind of weird that Smith and Neal are good friends off the ice and both of them are sucking this year. Neal seemed to fall off a cliff. Smith was showing signs of decline last season, but it seems to have accelerated now.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

They might be upgrades, maybe even probably. But if Treliving makes a goalie move, it doesn’t need to be massive, but we should probably shoot higher than Anders Nilsson.

It was really just a convienent, yet realistic example. The truth is, it’d probably be too expensive to acquire a top tier goaltender for just a back up. The sheer number of picks and assets this organization has spent over the years to find a replacement for Kipper is absolutely bewildering. The irony is that we picked up Rittich for free and he’s been the best of the bunch.

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I have zero confidence in Smith but also believe patience is prudent. Not with him but using whatever time you have to hopefully acquire a better backup
The closer to the deadline the more teams will be out of it.
I don’t think a lot of teams will be looking for goaltending so hopefully the acquisition cost is low
And the higher the chance that a team is willing to take Smith back to balance salary
I have to believe Bt knows this ain’t working but is trying to use time to his advantage
And nothing he says publicly will reveal how he really feels or how urgently he is working to find another option

Being patient:

A) will most probably get you a better deal and
B) can be afforded because we are still top of the division.

I don’t understand the mad rush to get him out of here. You make bad decisions when you rush stuff like this.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Actually, they're performing just about identically on worse teams. And those teams are worse largely because they don't score as many goals.

There's a reason why neither Nilsson nor McKenna has earned more than a cup of coffee in the NHL so far.

My point is that on a better defensive team like the Flames, these 2 goaltenders would be performing better than they have on their previous bad teams. You might personally think that the difference has been negligible. But I’d argue that their current sv% of .895 or .897 would make a huge difference for this team. For Smith, those sv% would mean approximately 12 to 14 goals less over the course of an entire 82 game season which would be the equivalent of how many additional extra points/wins in the standings?

I would absolutely take an .895 sv% from Smith. One whole percentage worth can be the difference between an average goaltender vs a Vezina calibre goaltender.