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

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by skudr248

Just trade him away for a used washing machine and be done with it

People keep saying trade him, but you need someone that will take him. I don't even think Chiarelli would take him, even though Smith makes better outlet passes than the majority of the Oilers Dmen.

[blender]

Originally Posted by Robbob

People keep saying trade him, but you need someone that will take him. I don't even think Chiarelli would take him, even though Smith makes better outlet passes than the majority of the Oilers Dmen.

All joking aside, maybe there is an idea! Oilers trade for Smith and dress him as a D-man. He would probably slot in nicely on their second pair.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by blender

All joking aside, maybe there is an idea! Oilers trade for Smith and dress him as a D-man. He would probably slot in nicely on their second pair.

It just might have more merit that Kylington moving to Wing.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Robbob

People keep saying trade him, but you need someone that will take him. I don't even think Chiarelli would take him, even though Smith makes better outlet passes than the majority of the Oilers Dmen.

I think Montreal would take him. They have the cap space and deep pockets. Price has injury history, Niemi hasn’t been good and they’re in the hunt for a wild card playoff spot. Seems like the type of team that would take on Smith for a draft pick.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

I think Montreal would take him. They have the cap space and deep pockets. Price has injury history, Niemi hasn’t been good and they’re in the hunt for a wild card playoff spot. Seems like the type of team that would take on Smith for a draft pick.

Why would they believe for any second that he can help them based on how he's played this year?
Makes zero sense. How can we on one hand all rail against Smith for his consistent poor play but then turn around and believe some team will think he can help them?

[TheScorpion]

It only makes sense to deal Smith to a team that's totally out of it and who would take him as a cap measure. The Nicklas Backstrom acquisition from 2016 is a prime example of this.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

It only makes sense to deal Smith to a team that's totally out of it and who would take him as a cap measure. The Nicklas Backstrom acquisition from 2016 is a prime example of this.

Backstrom was a 3rd goalie for minny and not even dressing down the stretch. Jones was involved in that trade wasn't he?

[TheScorpion]

It doesn't matter what Backstrom's status in Minnesota is. Heck, if Tre goes out and acquires a goalie tomorrow, Smith would be in exactly that #3G position.

Anyway, yes, the Wild got David Jones back as a rental for their playoff push, while the Flames took on Backstrom's relative uselessness to even out the salary. It didn't matter that Backstrom was terrible, because the Flames had nothing to play for. The Wild were able to add a player to their forward corps without having to deal with Backstrom's additional salary -- they were exactly in the position that Calgary is in now.

If the Flames deal Smith to a team like Detroit or New Jersey along with a pick for a player in return, that could make sense. Smith's value, in that sort of deal, is negligible -- he'd be a cap dumb there just to even out salaries. He wouldn't hurt the terrible team he'd be traded to because they'd have nothing to play for. What would really be of value to the team getting Smith would be the supplementary asset they'd receive.

For instance, as a hypothetical, say Calgary was to trade Smith, Mangiapane, and a 2nd to Detroit for Jimmy Howard. Smith would not hurt the Red Wings' aspirations -- they're bad, and they know it. He can play some games for them down the stretch, who cares. He's done at the end of the year anyway. From Detroit's perspective, they're getting Mangiapane and a 2nd for Howard -- they don't care about Smith being on their roster at all.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

It doesn't matter what Backstrom's status in Minnesota is. Heck, if Tre goes out and acquires a goalie tomorrow, Smith would be in exactly that #3G position.

Anyway, yes, the Wild got David Jones back as a rental for their playoff push, while the Flames took on Backstrom's relative uselessness to even out the salary. It didn't matter that Backstrom was terrible, because the Flames had nothing to play for. The Wild were able to add a player to their forward corps without having to deal with Backstrom's additional salary -- they were exactly in the position that Calgary is in now.

If the Flames deal Smith to a team like Detroit or New Jersey along with a pick for a player in return, that could make sense. Smith's value, in that sort of deal, is negligible -- he'd be a cap dumb there just to even out salaries. He wouldn't hurt the terrible team he'd be traded to because they'd have nothing to play for. What would really be of value to the team getting Smith would be the supplementary asset they'd receive.

For instance, as a hypothetical, say Calgary was to trade Smith, Mangiapane, and a 2nd to Detroit for Jimmy Howard. Smith would not hurt the Red Wings' aspirations -- they're bad, and they know it. He can play some games for them down the stretch, who cares. He's done at the end of the year anyway. From Detroit's perspective, they're getting Mangiapane and a 2nd for Howard -- they don't care about Smith being on their roster at all.

And all he did was cost us Patrick Laine.

Tkachuk is a decent consolation, but #### Nik Backstrom with Miikka Kiprusoff's Vezina trophy.

[jg13]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

And all he did was cost us Patrick Laine.

Tkachuk is a decent consolation, but #### Nik Backstrom with Miikka Kiprusoff's Vezina trophy.

Laine still has the higher ceiling yes but Tkachuk is having a way better season than Laine is up to this point.

Matthews, Laine, Tkachuk would prob go top 3 in that order in a redraft but the gap between Laine and Tkachuk is pretty close IMO.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Why would they believe for any second that he can help them based on how he's played this year?
Makes zero sense. How can we on one hand all rail against Smith for his consistent poor play but then turn around and believe some team will think he can help them?

Duh Jiri, the issue is the goalie coach. New goalie coach and Smith will magically be able to stop pucks again.

[AC]

The idea that the draft lottery results would be identical in a different scenario is incorrect.

Say Calgary and Winnipeg were swapped, they still have to use a random number generator to assign the lottery ball combinations to the teams, and those combinations would not be identical.

[bax]

Originally Posted by jg13

Laine still has the higher ceiling yes but Tkachuk is having a way better season than Laine is up to this point.

Matthews, Laine, Tkachuk would prob go top 3 in that order in a redraft but the gap between Laine and Tkachuk is pretty close IMO.

Very true, Laine is an out of this world sniper, but Tkachuk has definitely narrowed that gap between them this year.

[TheScorpion]

2016 draft lottery transgressions aside, dealing Smith to an awful team as a cap dump could even be appealing to GMs perhaps looking to improve their lottery odds.

[TheoFleury]

I'd almost rather have Tkachuk tbh. He can get as many, or more, points as Laine but contributes in many different ways besides offense. A true player you win with. Meanwhile in Winnipeg, Laine is basically a one timer/pp specialist at this point. They can't trust him 5 v 5 and he doesn't drive the play like Tkachuk does.

[Always Earned Never Given]

Originally Posted by TheoFleury

I'd almost rather have Tkachuk tbh. He can get as many, or more, points as Laine but contributes in many different ways besides offense. A true player you win with. Meanwhile in Winnipeg, Laine is basically a one timer/pp specialist at this point. They can't trust him 5 v 5 and he doesn't drive the play like Tkachuk does.

Yes plus Laine has the tendency to once in a while score in his own net.... Could you imagine the stare Smitty would give him?

He d scare him so much we would only have 4 players in our zone when Patty would be on the ice!

Rather have Chucky and all the intangibles he will bring come june!

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Why would they believe for any second that he can help them based on how he's played this year?
Makes zero sense. How can we on one hand all rail against Smith for his consistent poor play but then turn around and believe some team will think he can help them?

Just throwing out a potential team that might consider giving him a chance. This is not heavily researched or something I’ve heard through the grapvine or something. Personally I really don’t care where he finishes this season. If he ends up in Stockton, so be it. Just as long as he’s not on the Flames.

[Flamenfame]

Hated this signing from beggining had one good year in his career that is it , he also showboats when he does make a great save , team can't get rid of him fast enough ,good news offence on team looks phenom , team just needs a top 15 -20 goalie in league and it will go deep in playoffs , smith is bottom of barrell Rittich has a solid future , but is still inexperienced

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by jg13

It's very seldom I laugh out loud uncontrollably at one of these. I don't know why I find this so funny but well done!

[browna]

A few things.

5th goal was terrible last night.

Don’t know where his confidence went in the toilet, he came back after the injury last year and played fine to end the season. He got the yips at some point in the season this year, but it’s tough to pinpoint where. And now he’s over compensating.

He is trying to make saves now, rather then dial it back to basics and start with trying to block the puck and let the puck hit him. It’s subtle, but by instead trying to make saves he’s thinking too much and adjusting his body and arms and legs too much, which is why so many pucks are getting through him on these crappy goals.

This last point isn’t going to be well received, and I know the Flames are on a roll and this is turning into a potentially special year the way the top guys and most of the team is following and full of confidence...but, I do think the room likes Smith, a lot.

He’s a fiery leader it sounds like. He basically pulled a team into a playoff spot until hurt last year. I think the GM and coach like him a lot as a competitor and see the mental toll that is costing games, but they still see the work ethic and physical ability he has, if he can get over the yips.

So I think it’s very calculated to make a major change to the dressing room wth the way things are going so well, by pulling out a major piece. Pulling Smith out of the room via trade or popcorn row, as a room favourite, for a guy McBackup, as an example, is not going to be great for that.

I think BT is exploring options, but really really hopes that Smith can pull it together in the shortened January for those reason, to not mess up chemistry by having to move him on and hope goalie #3 is the answer.

I also don’t think Treliving is 100% sold on Rittich being the guy that’s going to lead the team far into the playoffs quite yet. He’s certainly improved over last year when he took over, which is great, but the final push and then games in late April are unknown territory for the Flames confidence in Rittich.

So BT has to weigh the dressing room implications of pulling a leader who has falling on hard times the last month and a half vs the team needing a very solid goaltender (2 actually) to advance them in and through the playoffs without confidence issues.