Examining different options to replace Mike Smith

[Strange Brew]

Brilliant post Scorp, thank you.

I don’t think McBackup spends his evenings on waivers though. Maybe “sortie” is the word you want there?

[The Original FFIV]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Wait you think Treliving overpaid for Smith? He cost the team a 3rd round pick and the Yotes retain 25% of his cap hit.

I would rather go after Jake Allen than Darling if we are bargain bin shopping. Let’s not acquire a goalie that was pure garbage when he played for our coach last year.

I think Smith would have been a cap dump to any other team but us. Our situation allowed Chayka to extract an asset from us.

I like the Allen option as well provided price is right. Another name is Anton Forsberg. Good numbers in the ahl and has nhl experience.

Upcoming expansion draft makes it easier to give up assets that would otherwise be left unprotected. as long as the upgrade is there and cost is fair, GMBT should act.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

The Red Wings' roster features a number of potential fits for the Flames' lineup, including wingers Gustav Nyquist and Thomas Vanek.

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Giving Detroit a 1st would only work for me if the Flames could add to it and get a couple of pieces.

Say, a 1st and a guy like Foo for Howard and a lesser pending UFA, like Vanek or Nick Jensen.

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

And Thomas Vanek! And Nick Jensen! And Jimmy Howard!

Let's just turn into the Red Wings and get ALL of their pending UFAs!

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Vanek makes it 3-0 Detroit. Man, it's been really cool to see him remain very effective into his mid-thirties.

Stop trying to make Vanek happen. It's never going to happen. If you really need a winger, target someone on the right side of 30.

[dammage79]

The 1st being traded is fine if you get that goalie that puts you over the edge. Because if you get the right goalie, we're not picking until the end of the round anyways. With the team being this good this year I don't think keeping the 1st matters as much as previous years where we were just trying to get to where we are now. that being said, I'd hope that 1st is dealt with a longer term approach in net, like most of Trelivings trades, bringing in a cost controlled asset for a few years.

I'm fine if we don't move it also. But I'm certainly not as attached to this years 1st as I was previous years picks.

Smiths regressions has at least opened up the conversation in the managers office. Has to.

[Bonded]

Yeah, with those being our options. You might as well say eff it and try Gilles in a couple games and see what happens by the deadline at that point one of the teams with a back will have hopefully fallen out of the race

[dammage79]

Allen
Binnington
Forsberg
Would be tops on my list.

Then guys like Howard, Mrazek.

Then the holy grail guys like Bob or Varlamov. But those are questionable.

Maybe Chicago wants to tear it down a little and Crawford can be available. His injuries this year though are sketchy. maybe drives the price down a tad.

[joejoe3]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

I really like the Lehner option TBH. That is found money for a retooling Islanders team on a 1 year deal, so I’m sure they would be happy to have assets back for him. They had no expectations for him after his poor performance and mental health issues, but he seems to be NHL caliber again. I’ve watched a handful of his minutes and he looks really sharp. So good in fact that he could be a viable starter should Rittich falter (not that he will, but contingency plans are a good idea).

Other than that, McHardtospell is probably the best option, but I think the Hurricanes would be reticent to be rid of their de facto starter unless they are well out of the playoff hunt.

Could you imagine though

McAHL + Ferland for Smith and plus?

[Robbob]

I think that is exactly why the Flames have been trying to work through it. There isn't a whole lot of reasonable options right now.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by The Original FFIV

I think Smith would have been a cap dump to any other team but us. Our situation allowed Chayka to extract an asset from us.

I like the Allen option as well provided price is right. Another name is Anton Forsberg. Good numbers in the ahl and has nhl experience.

Upcoming expansion draft makes it easier to give up assets that would otherwise be left unprotected. as long as the upgrade is there and cost is fair, GMBT should act.

It was a cap dump we traded a 3rd round pick for a goalie with over 5 years of being a legit number 1 and he had greater than a .910 save % in 4 of the 5 years prior.

In my opinion the Flames got Smith at a discount and not an overpay. Having said that the fact they missed the playoffs cost the team a 3rd as opposed to the 2nd it would have cost had they qualified.

Definitely agree Treliving needs to try and improve this position this season if possible. I do wonder if the Flames and Oilers would do a Smith-Talbot swap? If the Flames take back Jake Allen’s contract could that lower the price on Schenn?

[Saqe]

How about Koskinen? I know he's an Oiler.. but those are some solid numbers he's posting behind that horrific defense.

[Yoho]

We don’t need a #1 with the way Rittich is playing, we just need some NHL average goalie to backstop. I have a feeling it will be a trade because waiving Smith will be seen as “too harsh” and disrespectful which might cost the Flames more of a sweetener pick.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Allen
Binnington
Forsberg
Would be tops on my list.

Then guys like Howard, Mrazek.

Then the holy grail guys like Bob or Varlamov. But those are questionable.

Maybe Chicago wants to tear it down a little and Crawford can be available. His injuries this year though are sketchy. maybe drives the price down a tad.

We scouted St Louis...

I wonder if Smith + Frolik + 2019 1st for Schenn (money retained) + Allen might be something they’d look at?

St. Louis doesn’t have a first this year (...although I believe it’s top 10 protected or something, so they may lose their 2020 1st instead of their 2019), and given rumours of teams not wanting to give up their 1st round picks, it may work?

I think Allen and Schenn could thrive here.

[Toonage]

Allen & Maroon seem more likely / affordable

Also of note the Blues made a minor deal yesterday to bring in another goaltender. Might be something might be nothing.

[dammage79]

Schenn's a pipedream I think. He's a guy they can build with O'Reilly down the middle while they re-tool on the fly. Perhaps a Barbashev option would be better suited. Another 3 position forward. Young and cost controlled.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

I really like the Lehner option TBH. That is found money for a retooling Islanders team on a 1 year deal, so I’m sure they would be happy to have assets back for him. They had no expectations for him after his poor performance and mental health issues, but he seems to be NHL caliber again. I’ve watched a handful of his minutes and he looks really sharp. So good in fact that he could be a viable starter should Rittich falter (not that he will, but contingency plans are a good idea).

Other than that, McHardtospell is probably the best option, but I think the Hurricanes would be reticent to be rid of their de facto starter unless they are well out of the playoff hunt.

Highly highly unlikely you can get Lehner out of the Island. Though I agree he would be a great get.

That team is 1 point out of a playoff spot with games in hand. They are 3 points out of 1st place in their division and its a lot to do with Lehner. He has won his last 5 in a row giving up 7 goals during that stretch.

We can sit here and throw out names all day, but the reality is there is an extremely limited crop of guys that this team wants and can afford under the cap....unfortunately.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

We scouted St Louis...

I wonder if Smith + Frolik + 2019 1st for Schenn (money retained) + Allen might be something they’d look at?

St. Louis doesn’t have a first this year (...although I believe it’s top 10 protected or something, so they may lose their 2020 1st instead of their 2019), and given rumours of teams not wanting to give up their 1st round picks, it may work?

I think Allen and Schenn could thrive here.

Allen is signed for 4.3M for two more seasons after this one, which is 100k more than what Smith is costing the Flames now. I don't know if this fanbase can take two additional seasons of Jekyll and Hyde goal-tending. St. Louis would probably need to retain 500k. Even then, is losing Schenn and gaining a first worth getting out of the Allen contract? i don't see the benefit for them.

[DuffMan]

Smith + Neal for decent backup?

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

We scouted St Louis...

I wonder if Smith + Frolik + 2019 1st for Schenn (money retained) + Allen might be something they’d look at?

St. Louis doesn’t have a first this year (...although I believe it’s top 10 protected or something, so they may lose their 2020 1st instead of their 2019), and given rumours of teams not wanting to give up their 1st round picks, it may work?

I think Allen and Schenn could thrive here.

I would do this deal if we can lock Rittich up at a low cap hit for the next 2 years (say $2.5M per) Hopefully Allen would only need to be a 1b here and if he was horrible next year they can buyout the last year of his deal.

[zukes]

It is unlikely that anything will be done in the near future. The Flames play 9 games before they get a 9 day break. The only play 1 team that is currently in the playoffs and only once are there back to back games. Rittich, if healthy, likely plays 8, if not all 9 of these games.

Then after the break, they play two games and have another 3 day break, home game, 4 game road trip over 8 days, home for three every other day and then a 3 game road trip. The first game of the road trip is the day before the NHL trade deadline on the 25th of February, after which the Flames play back to back.

That is an easy workload and I would say that the Flames will have a chance to run with Rittich and know whether or not he can shoulder a Kiprusoff-like work load.

I know that the inclination is to fire Smith into the sun, but it may not be necessary until then, and if Rittich is playing well, then you just acquire a solid back-up type and pay next to nothing at the deadline, rather than overpaying in a panic right now.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I would do this deal if we can lock Rittich up at a low cap hit for the next 2 years (say $2.5M per) Hopefully Allen would only need to be a 1b here and if he was horrible next year they can buyout the last year of his deal.

Of course we all would do it, the problem is there is no way STL does. I don't think getting out of the Allen contract is worth losing Schenn and gaining a 25-31 draft pick.