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

[colbym72]

Its okay to say Smith was bad early, pretty good lately, and had a rough game last night. All of those are true. Rittich had a rough stretch of games and Smith suddenly played well. I bet Rittich gets a chance now at getting the net back. We can't expect perfection. We won seven in a row and lose one game and everyone is freaking out about the goaltending again

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

WHO CARES ABOUT NEXT SEASON

Best Flames team in 30 years:

"I bet they will be better next year."

I just don't understand it. I don't think I ever will.

Because having a good team once every ten years sucks
The best chance to get a cup is not to go all in for a single run this year but rather give yourself a chance for multiple years
But feel free to use even larger font and maybe that will convince people you are right

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

WHO CARES ABOUT NEXT SEASON

Best Flames team in 30 years:

"I bet they will be better next year."

I just don't understand it. I don't think I ever will.

Yeah, every year counts in a "window". With the parity these days, windows may only last 2 or 3 seasons. If you don't capitalize on one of those years, it becomes increasingly difficult to convince players to stay or sign.

There are always examples every season of teams that crash after a big season. Not saying that will be the Flames (god, I hope not), but the team was freakishly healthy this season. A key injury probably erases a year of the window as well. Plus, we can't count on 5 or 6 top line/pairing players having career years again.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by LWcrowfoot

It's bordering on unforgivable to build such a fantastic team but start the season with Rittich and Smith. Besides a good run and two small streaks but Smith they've let us down and no one is surprised. Rittich would be good in a 1B role but Smith isn't that 1A that the tandem needs.

If goaltending ruins us in the playoffs the team needs to take a serious look at the GM.

House built on sand.

God, I hope not. It most often takes YEARS to build a championship team without falling ass backwards into a generational talent like Sydney Crosby at the draft. Treliving has but an excellent team that is still really young, and locked up most of it's key players to phenomenally good contracts. If the only hole on this team is goaltending after five years I can't see how anyone doesn't think that is excellent work.

Brad Treliving might be the best General Manager this team has employed since Cliff Fletcher. It is beyond foolish to hope for his dismissal at this point.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Because having a good team once every ten years sucks
The best chance to get a cup is not to go all in for a single run this year
But feel free to use even larger font and maybe that will convince people you are right

That's the largest font you've got.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

WHO CARES ABOUT NEXT SEASON...

I DO.

A LOT.
u

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

It has little to do with Rittich and everything to do with Sigalet and his obsession with contrived tandems. We're never gonna get a #1 goalie if we never trust anyone to be a #1 goalie. Rittich has a couple bad games against the highest scoring team and the third highest scoring team and he's suddenly the backup because Smith beat the Arizona ****ing Coyotes.

I expect Peters makes decisions on starting which goaltender, no?

[Flash Walken]

Since the trade deadline, I've noticed something about the general direction of discussion on the board.

Lots of resigned 'next season' talk. Talk about how the Lightning are a foregone conclusion, how the Flames better hold onto their picks, about how the window is just opening so no need to do anything drastic like try to improve the team this year.

It feels to me, anecdotally, that a lot of the fanbase on this board was so underwhelmed by the trade deadline that they've shifted focus to next year already.

"How to address the goaltending?" "Is Talbot salvageable?" "Who can the Flames take a run at in free agency?" "Expect the Zucker deal to happen in the summer."

I think most of us see it, some are willing to talk about it, while others have shifted gear. 'Positivity' is still the order of the day for many of these posters, but the topic of positivity has shifted away from a team 2nd overall onto a nebulous 'next season'.

It's sad, honestly.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

I expect Peters makes decisions on starting which goaltender, no?

Not based on every interview Peters have given where he talks about "not touching the goaltending" and "letting Siggy decide".

Seems to me Sigalet has been given full autonomy outside of those goalie pull moments in-game.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I don't know what comments the poster was referring to but this is from the Sun article:

“Just a mistake behind the net with the puck,” said Smith, owning up his error post-game. “You can’t make mistakes like that in close games, and tonight, it bit us.”

Gio, as always, is such a stand up guy and defended him:
“Smitty, one of his best parts of his game is playing the puck, and we want him to go out and play every puck,” the veteran defenceman said. “Those things are going to happen every once in a while. But the other thousand times that he comes out and plays it clean, it’s going to help us break the puck out.”

https://calgarysun.com/sports/hockey...ht-at-the-dome

Later this on being razzed after the 4th goal:
“I don’t think anyone likes to be jeered at home,” Smith said. “I think that’s just human nature. But they’re passionate fans, and mistakes are going to happen in games. I’m telling you that right now they’re going to happen.

“Unfortunately (Saturday night), it went the other way. That’s part of playing sports and being a professional. Obviously, they’re passionate fans, and when things are going well, they’re right there with you. But there are mistakes in games that happen, and they paid their money to come here to voice their displeasures, and that’s what happened.

“But I don’t think anyone likes to feel like that at home,” Smith continued. “It’s one thing to go on the road and get booed, but you don’t like to hear it in your own rink. But that’s the way it is. That’s part of the sport, and you just accept it and keep moving on.”

Interesting; This comment made me wonder if he really owned up to it, or if he feels Hanifin got in the way?

[Jiri Hrdina]

^to flash
A ton of assumptions in that post including you bringing together several different posts made by several different posters
Some of us are able to think and talk about both the current season and the long term
Nothing sad about it
You are allowing your own viewpoint to colour how you see other opinions

[LWcrowfoot]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

God, I hope not. It most often takes YEARS to build a championship team without falling ass backwards into a generational talent like Sydney Crosby at the draft. Treliving has but an excellent team that is still really young, and locked up most of it's key players to phenomenally good contracts. If the only hole on this team is goaltending after five years I can't see how anyone doesn't think that is excellent work.

Treliving has done a lot of good here, a lot of good. It's not out of the realm of possibility that if his team falters because of the biggest glaring issue that everyone knew about he shouldn't have a hard look in his direction.

We don't even need an all-star, we need two average goalies.

Brad Treliving might be the best General Manager this team has employed since Cliff Fletcher. .

He certainly might. Looking through the list, it's not that impressive however.

It is beyond foolish to hope for his dismissal at this point

Wasn't doing that, but I appreciate the patented Textcritic dismissal with a flutter of condescending.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Not based on every interview Peters have given where he talks about "not touching the goaltending" and "letting Siggy decide".

Seems to me Sigalet has been given full autonomy outside of those goalie pull moments in-game.

Are you saying Sigalet decides who starts?
That seems odd

[Manhattanboy]

Originally Posted by DazzlinDino

Interesting; This comment made me wonder if he really owned up to it, or if he feels Hanifin got in the way?

C’mon, Smith own up to it?

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Since the trade deadline, I've noticed something about the general direction of discussion on the board.

Lots of resigned 'next season' talk. Talk about how the Lightning are a foregone conclusion, how the Flames better hold onto their picks, about how the window is just opening so no need to do anything drastic like try to improve the team this year.

It feels to me, anecdotally, that a lot of the fanbase on this board was so underwhelmed by the trade deadline that they've shifted focus to next year already.

"How to address the goaltending?" "Is Talbot salvageable?" "Who can the Flames take a run at in free agency?" "Expect the Zucker deal to happen in the summer."

I think most of us see it, some are willing to talk about it, while others have shifted gear. 'Positivity' is still the order of the day for many of these posters, but the topic of positivity has shifted away from a team 2nd overall onto a nebulous 'next season'.

It's sad, honestly.

I think you are reading selectively, and following a seven-game win streak I would not characterize the general mood of the Board as "sad."

The truth is that there were lots of posters who talked about how goaltending would not be addressed at the deadline, and that this was something which would need to be fixed in the off-season. Posters have been saying as much since well before Christmas.

Leading up to the trade deadline there was a lot of excitement about the Flames making a major push to acquire Mark Stone, but there was also a lot of angst about the cost of such an addition. In the poll there were numerous posters who called for the Flames to stand pat, or only to make some depth moves.

I think it is abundantly clear here that you are projecting your own disappointment on the fanbase and on CP. Let's be real, here: YOU are disappointed. YOU are the poster who is sad.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Not based on every interview Peters have given where he talks about "not touching the goaltending" and "letting Siggy decide".

Seems to me Sigalet has been given full autonomy outside of those goalie pull moments in-game.

Bill Peters decides who starts every position in every game.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

^to flash
A ton of assumptions in that post including you bringing together several different posts made by several different posters
Some of us are able to think and talk about both the current season and the long term
Nothing sad about it
You are allowing your own viewpoint to colour how you see other opinions

I'm painting with a wide brush to be sure.

Perhaps a poll would illuminate things.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Are you saying Sigalet decides who starts?
That seems odd

It would be if it was true.

It's not.

[AC]

I dislike the narrative that Smith blames his teammates and is all ego, etc.

He's come out and faced the music after plenty of bad moments and games this season.

After the loss vs Montreal at home:
https://twitter.com/NHLFlames/status...00674379628544

"That's obviously a goal that can't happen. I'm as mind-boggled as you guys are right now probably."

"It's obviously disappointing when you feel like you let your team down it's probably the biggest... frustration / disappointment that ever can happen in your career is when you've dropped the ball."

"Our team played such a great game tonight and deserved a lot better fate... and when something happens like that and you know it's on you... you know it's obviously... it's disappointing and like I said you feel like you let your whole team down."

Yeah, what an egomaniac that won't take responsibility and only blames teammates.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by LWcrowfoot

...Wasn't doing that, but I appreciate the patented Textcritic dismissal with a flutter of condescending.

I am always happy to oblige.