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

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Rittich started 2 of the previous 7 games before last night as well.

Which is not by any definition the meaning of “stapled to the bench.”


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[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I don't have the energy to say more, but Smith was excellent against the Islanders, a legitimate division-leading playoff team. He made some game-saving stops. My hope is that he can do that many more times this year.

The Flames dominated the game. Smith was good or fine, but it was 17 saves on 19 shots and the 1st Islanders goal wasn't great.

[gamesaver]

Rittich has started 33 games, has 22 wins and 5 regulation losses. 3/5 of those losses were when his team failed to score a single goal.

With this record it's hard to believe he would lost the net so easily, especially to a goalie who is struggling for the whole calendar year now, 5 games win streak simply can't make up for it. There is obviously something else going on behind the scene. I am almost convinced it has a lot to do with Rittich's RFA status and upcoming arbitration. Rittich having a great leverage based on his 1A stats would put Tre in a really tough situation as he needs to sign Tkachuk and Bennet.

I am glad I am not in Tre's position. His history with Smith, combined with no activity at the TDL would put him under lot of pressure if it's gonna go down to Smith blowing this season in the first round. But if they give the net to Rittich and he has a great playoffs, they might face a tough decision after the season: Tkachuk or Rittich. Everyone, including me would say Tkachuk immediatly. But then our goaltending situation would get even worse, with not enough cap space to sign a real high end guy and a questionable depth.

[LWcrowfoot]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

This strikes me as a monumentally trivial point.

That's great.

Thanks to TheScorpion and AC who cleared things up without being a real textcritic about it.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by ResAlien

Are we all going to pretend the Flames aren’t riding Smith like he’s the #1 again? After Rittich’s multi game gaffe parade he’s been quite stapled to the bench. It certainly feels like they’ve put him back as the starter and are treating BSD like the backup. That’s a concern.

This exactly. If Smith wasn't playing the majority of the games - then whatever - everyone has bad games. The worry I think most people have is that they want Smith to be the starter and they will force it in the playoffs and he'll do something like that yesterday's game and cost us a series.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by LWcrowfoot

That's great.



Thanks to TheScorpion and AC who cleared things up without being a real textcritic about it.

Ignoring the circumstances of the Flames game on Long Island, the Islanders are two points out of the Division lead with a game in hand. Your point was trivial. I will continue to call things as I see them.


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[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

This exactly. If Smith wasn't playing the majority of the games - then whatever - everyone has bad games. The worry I think most people have is that they want Smith to be the starter and they will force it in the playoffs and he'll do something like that yesterday's game and cost us a series.

I understand why people are concerned, but it is unbelievable to me that the coaches would jeopardize the success of this season for the sake of one player’s feelings—which is something that I see here repeated with some frequency. I personally think the coaches’s preference boils down entirely to experience: Smith has it, Rittich does not yet. It’s a perfectly justifiable rationale, so long as both goalies appear to be playing near the same level.

I think the coaches deserve some benefit of doubt here. They have steered this ship to a wildly successful outcome so far—it seems reasonable to think that they will do what’s best when it matters the most.


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[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

They were at the time the Flames played them, and they were still Division leaders after the game was over. If the Islanders win their next game they could lead the Division again. This strikes me as a monumentally trivial point.


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Can something be “monumentally trivial”?

[zamler]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Can something be “monumentally trivial”?

Something so huge it is tiny.

[BACKCHECK!!!]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Can something be “monumentally trivial”?

This seems like an extremely reasonable question. Wildly reasonable even.

[TheRealPepman]

Originally Posted by ResAlien

Are we all going to pretend the Flames aren’t riding Smith like he’s the #1 again? After Rittich’s multi game gaffe parade he’s been quite stapled to the bench. It certainly feels like they’ve put him back as the starter and are treating BSD like the backup. That’s a concern.

Oh boy I thought I'm the only who sees this. Why is it that Flames are so in awe of Mike Smith? Why are they so afraid to "punish" him? They should have traded him to Detroit for Jimmy Howard. Instead, the Flames are becoming loyal to a fault toward Smith.

It seems that the Flames brass (Treliving, Peters, etc.) and some media members associated with the team (Wills, Francis, Hrudey, Campbell-Pascall) are doing everything to give Smith opportunities to make himself look great in any way, when really Smith faltered time and time again. He may have had two decent stretches of consecutive wins, but majority of the wins required the Flames to rely on their strong offence to win games.

Remember when Peters decided to stick with Smith after he let in the Wild's third goal? Ugh. Meanwhile, one mistake by BSD, boom, he's out.

Peters and his assistants are also reported to prefer Smith to start in the playoffs regardless of opponent because of his experience. Dude, come on. Smith only had one big playoff run. One. And that was when power ruled the game and not speed. 2012. Seven years ago. Long time. And his other experience was in 2011 when Dwayne Roloson had issues.

This Smith experiment is due for a big screw-up. I'd like to say that everyone in the Team Smith should have a change of heart, but that will never happen.

Hope BSD realizes that the Flames are not really giving him opportunities to succeed. He better play God mode/well-look-at-me-screw-you-for-not-seeing-the-best-of-me from here on. I won't be surprised if he decides to move on with the Flames this summer because of the royal treatment Smith is getting right now. I'll cry if that happens. #FREERITTICH #ORBETTERMAKEBOTHHAPPY

[TheScorpion]

Good luck getting Jimmy Howard for Mike Smith.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by TheRealPepman

Meanwhile, one mistake by BSD, boom, he's out.

No, two quick mistakes. Had the fourth goal been the third goal Peters would have probably pulled Smith or atleast he should have.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I understand why people are concerned, but it is unbelievable to me that the coaches would jeopardize the success of this season for the sake of one player’s feelings—which is something that I see here repeated with some frequency. I personally think the coaches’s preference boils down entirely to experience: Smith has it, Rittich does not yet. It’s a perfectly justifiable rationale, so long as both goalies appear to be playing near the same level.

I think the coaches deserve some benefit of doubt here. They have steered this ship to a wildly successful outcome so far—it seems reasonable to think that they will do what’s best when it matters the most.


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I agree - its all based on experience. But they aren't playing near the same level this year. And I don't want experience to win out over the better goalie.

To be honest - its a similar situation with James Neal. If the playoffs come and Czarnik and Mangiapane are out playing him - I want them dressed instead of Neal.

[kukkudo]

Had a dream last night Flames got swept 4-0 in the first round and Smith played all the games

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

I agree - its all based on experience. But they aren't playing near the same level this year. And I don't want experience to win out over the better goalie...

Over the course of the full season, yes, Rittich has been clearly the better goalie. But that has not been the case for the last month;the last six weeks; not even since the New Year. Both goalies have been pretty comparable for a while now. I tend to think that coaches set a higher value on what is happening now than they do on what occurred in the second week of November.


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[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Over the course of the full season, yes, Rittich has been clearly the better goalie. But that has not been the case for the last month;the last six weeks; not even since the New Year. Both goalies have been pretty comparable for a while now.

I agree that both goalies are playing comparably right now. But to me it's again important to consider that this last month was Rittich's worst stretch, while it has been Smith's best. Chances are this is probably as good as Smith gets, while Rittich has demonstrated that he has an extra gear. Both goalies need to play down the stretch, but we should put our faith in the guy who has shown he can play even better.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Over the course of the full season, yes, Rittich has been clearly the better goalie. But that has not been the case for the last month;the last six weeks; not even since the New Year. Both goalies have been pretty comparable for a while now. I tend to think that coaches set a higher value on what is happening now than they do on what occurred in the second week of November.


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I was assured just yesterday that this is in fact, not the case, but much more importantly what has happened since seasons beginning (the ONLY numbers that matter in fact apparently).

My narrative is that David Rittich is the much better goaltender and his season long stats, the only ones that actually matter,

It flies in the face of logic and common sense, but it was certainly made clear.

Something about brain soup IIRC.

It's mind boggling to me that people want to just completely disregard the actual comparison between the two goaltenders and how they have been playing in recent times. Why wouldn't you want to know this information? Why would we blindly want to just go to one guy over the other...just because?

If BSD has lost 6 straight heading into the playoffs while surrendering 3+ a night, meanwhile Smith had won 3 straight even with a GAA of only .895 on the season...which guy would you start?

Switch those scenarios and its obvious which way you go, but not so much the other way.

Truly bizarre to me as I could not care less who it is, as long as its one of them (preferably both) playing well at the right time of the year.

[Fan in Exile]

You can do whatever sophistry and mental gymnastics you want to try to convince yourselves that Smith is actually playing just as well as Rittich and Rittich hasn't proven he can carry the load and Peters has things just right.

The fact is if we rely on Smith, it will blow up in our face. Treliving has done a lot of great things as GM but he absolutely does not get the benefit of the doubt when it comes to goalies. He has failed there time after time after time. Peters also does not get benefit of the doubt on goalies. This organization's stubborn faith in Smith is misplaced just like our misplaced faith in Elliott caused our last playoff run to end prematurely.

I really hope the Flames do right by Rittich. He has a future. Smith does not. If we leave it to Treliving to go find another two goalies, I have no confidence whatsoever he does things right this time.

[Shazam]

Aw crap.

Wills on the radio said that there's things they know that they can't say, and those are the reasons why Smith is playing so much.