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

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by jg13

Came here to see if this made it to CP yet...lol

[cral12]

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.

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?

To be fair, we are talking Marc Bergevin, who gave Niemi a last lifeline in the NHL...

If ya need to be reminded, Bergevin's trades:
http://www.nhltradetracker.com/user/...rc_Bergevin/17

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by 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.

Smith may be a locker room leader, I really don’t know. Certainly possible.

But this first part is flat wrong. He struggled before and after the injury last year. After the injury he only had one game with an above .900 save percentage. His play this year didn’t come out of nowhere.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Smith may be a locker room leader, I really don’t know. Certainly possible.

But this first part is flat wrong. He struggled before and after the injury last year. After the injury he only had one game with an above .900 save percentage. His play this year didn’t come out of nowhere.

Nah he was not letting in the soft goals last year, before or after injury, as he is this year. He had the team sniffing around the playoffs until early Feb.

He was their best defender, as a Gio was saddled with Hamilton, Brodie looking terrible without Gio, as supposed Selke candidate Backlund a team wore in plus minus. By the time he returned after the injury, Rittich and Gillies had struggled and the team was out...but again, the types of goals he was letting in were nowhere near as weak nor was he fighting the puck like he is.

Regardless, current is as current is. It’s a problem if he doesn’t snap out of it.

[jonkaupp]

Originally Posted by browna

Nah he was not letting in the soft goals last year, before or after injury, as he is this year. He had the team sniffing around the playoffs until early Feb.

He was their best defender, as a Gio was saddled with Hamilton, Brodie looking terrible without Gio, as supposed Selke candidate Backlund a team wore in plus minus. By the time he returned after the injury, Rittich and Gillies had struggled and the team was out...but again, the types of goals he was letting in were nowhere near as weak nor was he fighting the puck like he is.

Regardless, current is as current is. It’s a problem if he doesn’t snap out of it.

If you think Smith was good post injury last year then there is no need to bother having an argument. And the Gio Hamilton thing is further proof.

[jonkaupp]

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.

You’re right. Bury him in the minors. Literally anyone would be better at this point. He doesn’t belong on an NHL roster, let alone one competing for top spot in the West

[jonkaupp]

Originally Posted by 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.

This has to be Mike Smith. No other explanation. Everything is wrong. But it loves some Mike Smith. Month and a half of hard times. Jfc this is the most absurd thing. ‘Got the yips at some point this season’ we talking like the first minute or the first five minutes? Absurd. Terrible. Worst post in the thread for sure. This is Mike Smith, no doubt. Posts as bad as he goaltends.

[Redrum]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

Rittich's falling apart last year was basically two bad games in a week.

4 goals on 15 shots vs Florida on Feb 17 and 7 goals on 26 shots on Feb 21. He was average besides those two games.

Also the team took a massive dump in front of him. They had clearly given up shortly after Rittich/Gillies took over. Though it was probably a combination of the goalies being "meh" and the team being mentally weak feeding off each other and sending the Flames into the toilet.

[jonkaupp]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Any non-playoff team willing to trade a goalie to the Flames will want youth and picks back. They aren't going to want Smith, Frolik, Stone, etc.

Assuming Treliving isn't desperate enough to trade away another 1st, that means something like a 2nd and a B-level prospect like Mangiapane for a proven starter like Howard, maybe a little less for someone like Kuemper.

We don’t need a proven starter. We need a backup. Price won’t be very high, especially since almost any backup in the league would be better than we’ve gotten from Smith. If they aren’t going to do that then bring Gillies up, Id just prefer he stays in the minors.

[Jay Random]

It wasn't just about the team being mentally weak, either. Several guys were trying to play through serious injuries at that time, and some of those were shut down for the season soon after. The Flames limped to the finish last year with a painfully thin roster.

[jonkaupp]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

It wasn't just about the team being mentally weak, either. Several guys were trying to play through serious injuries at that time, and some of those were shut down for the season soon after. The Flames limped to the finish last year with a painfully thin roster.

Is this supposed to be a defense of Mike Smith? Ya he was partly terrible last year because of that. But that’s completely irrelevant. He’s been terrible all year this year with an excellent team in front of him. There is no defense for him left, period. Unless you’re actually mike smith aka browna posting and want to yada yada about being a fiery leader, which is exactly what Mike Smith would say. I just can’t believe there is even one poster alive who would decide to go on the Internet and spend his time making up excuses for Mike Smith at this point. He sucks. End of question. Literally out anyone else in. Hell, put jay random in. I don’t five a ####.

[jonkaupp]

Still in awe of Browna’s post. Worst one ever for sure but also my favourite. Have read it three different times now. Incredible.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by jonkaupp

Is this supposed to be a defense of Mike Smith?

No, it's a partial analysis of why the team finished last season so badly. It has nothing to do with Smith one way or the other.

Ya he was partly terrible last year because of that. But that’s completely irrelevant.

It's completely relevant to what I was saying, which was a response to Redrum's comment about why Rittich's stats deteriorated when he was filling in as the starter.

Keep up or clam up.

[jonkaupp]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

No, it's a partial analysis of why the team finished last season so badly. It has nothing to do with Smith one way or the other.



It's completely relevant to what I was saying, which was a response to Redrum's comment about why Rittich's stats deteriorated when he was filling in as the starter.

Keep up or clam up.

Oh I’m keeping up and you’ve been one of the biggest supporters of the terrible goalie all year so sorry for assuming you were just continuing your merry ball hugging support as always. You are right tho, Rittich and Smith were bad to end the year largely because the team was terrible after giving up on its terrible coach. And that has zero to do with this year, whether it be about Smith or Rittich.

Also sorry for assuming that you were talking about Smith... in the Smith thread. Maybe use the quote button next time, it’s not difficult.

[MolsonInBothHands]

Jonkaupp tone the obnoxious factor down about 9 notches. You are drowning out any decent point you may have with your ridiculous dramatic dribble.

[jonkaupp]

Originally Posted by MolsonInBothHands

Jonkaupp tone the obnoxious factor down about 9 notches. You are drowning out any decent point you may have with your ridiculous dramatic dribble.

no

[AC]

Originally Posted by browna

Nah he was not letting in the soft goals last year, before or after injury, as he is this year.

Well this is definitely just not true.

He came back and had 2 good games (both against Edmonton at home), but struggled in the other 6.

These 6 were definitely awful:
https://youtu.be/wJXMjoOtWGE?t=22
https://youtu.be/wJXMjoOtWGE?t=299
https://youtu.be/wJXMjoOtWGE?t=386
https://youtu.be/rNh_9wMpLh4?t=280
https://youtu.be/v6fva8X91yw?t=426
https://youtu.be/t356PET7RIk?t=192

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Jay Random
It wasn't just about the team being mentally weak, either. Several guys were trying to play through serious injuries at that time, and some of those were shut down for the season soon after. The Flames limped to the finish last year with a painfully thin roster.

Originally Posted by jonkaupp

Is this supposed to be a defense of Mike Smith? Ya he was partly terrible last year because of that. But that’s completely irrelevant. He’s been terrible all year this year with an excellent team in front of him. There is no defense for him left, period. Unless you’re actually mike smith aka browna posting and want to yada yada about being a fiery leader, which is exactly what Mike Smith would say. I just can’t believe there is even one poster alive who would decide to go on the Internet and spend his time making up excuses for Mike Smith at this point. He sucks. End of question. Literally out anyone else in. Hell, put jay random in. I don’t five a ####.

I never took Jay's quote as a defense of Smith.

I think he was alluding to the fact that other Flames had serious injuries they tried to play through like Monahan who required four surgeries after the season was over.

[Ped]

Originally Posted by cral12

To be fair, we are talking Marc Bergevin, who gave Niemi a last lifeline in the NHL...

If ya need to be reminded, Bergevin's trades:
http://www.nhltradetracker.com/user/...rc_Bergevin/17

While I don't think Bergevin is a great GM by any stretch, he is quite often a victim of the initial reaction to trades that often don't turn out to be as bad as they first look, and even turn out favourable for the Habs.


Look at the trades he got hammered for:


Drouin for Sergachev: Sergachev has regressed a bitthis year and Drouin has been very good. This good flip the other way but right now it looks like at least a wash


Domi for Galchenyuk: right now a clear win for Mtl


Sekac for Smith-Pelley: Sekac turned into nothing, for all the hand-wringing


Pacioretty for Tatar: Tatar has slowed down and Pacioretty has heated up, but this season Tatar has been better and Pacioretty's contract could be terrible


Andrighetto for Martinsen: Martinsen turned into nothing, but while Andrighetto is an NHL player, he hasn't turned into a very good one.


Beaulieu hasn't been that impressive in Buffalo



Meanwhile, he got decent value for a done Plekanec. He got Armia for getting rid of Mason's contract


He got Danault for spare parts.


He gave up comparatively very little for Petry.


He got good value for Gorges.


He gave up very little for Vanek


The only really bad trade I see are Subban for Weber (which is admittedly very very bad, but at least Weber is still a good player).


Drouin-Sergachev will probably flip back and forth, and Pacioretty could bite them, but at that cap hit and term, I doubt it.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by browna

Nah he was not letting in the soft goals last year, before or after injury, as he is this year. He had the team sniffing around the playoffs until early Feb.

He was their best defender, as a Gio was saddled with Hamilton, Brodie looking terrible without Gio, as supposed Selke candidate Backlund a team wore in plus minus. By the time he returned after the injury, Rittich and Gillies had struggled and the team was out...but again, the types of goals he was letting in were nowhere near as weak nor was he fighting the puck like he is.

Regardless, current is as current is. It’s a problem if he doesn’t snap out of it.

You should probably take another look at those games from last year. Point being, Treliving was well aware goaltending was a potential concern and I am rather confident he has been exploring options for quite some time. What that yields, well who knows? Your view that this came out of nowhere is off IMO.