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

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by Igottago

I mean its not a disaster yet, but yes, its a concern.

For all the great things the coaching staff has done this year, if they continue to favour preparing Smith as the guy for the playoffs its a real head scratcher. I understand trying to get his confidence up but we've seen a more than ample sample size that suggests Rittich should be the guy they roll with as the starter. They should be going to Rittich for most of the remaining games and maybe give Smith the occasional start. Trying to force Smith into the starting role could result in exactly the nightmare scenario you've painted.

Not sure why we keep presuming to know what the coaching staff has in mind?

They may think Rittich playing in less than 50 regular season games is the ideal number to provide him the best opportunity to start and succeed in the playoffs. They might think Rittich is at his very best when it is uncertain who the 'starter' is. I don't know, neither do you.

[stone hands]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Hah. That's exactly NOT the nightmare scenario.

The nightmare scenario is Rittich starts and loses the first two playoff games at home, and Smith needs to go in and win 4 of 5.

i think the nightmare scenario is smith backstopping a flames team in the post season, regardless of the circumstances

[kukkudo]

Either way if the Flames get bounced out first round, both goalies will get blamed.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by The Boy Wonder

So maybe we SHOULD start smith rest of the season so we can get road team status throughout the playoffs???

Despite the demonstrably poorer performance of Flames goalies at the Saddledome they are still a damn good home team. The best thing about this team is that it does not matter where they play, they can win any game in any building, and they usually do so.

The short of it is this: The Flames are just as good as their Pacific Division rivals on home ice, but they are a hell of a lot better on the road than either. This bodes well for them.

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Not sure why we keep presuming to know what the coaching staff has in mind?

They may think Rittich playing in less than 50 regular season games is the ideal number to provide him the best opportunity to start and succeed in the playoffs. They might think Rittich is at his very best when it is uncertain who the 'starter' is. I don't know, neither do you.

We don't, that's why I used words like "if" or "could".

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by stone hands

i think the nightmare scenario is smith backstopping a flames team in the post season, regardless of the circumstances

The nightmare for some posters is Smith playing well in the postseason (not that I think he will start). Then they won't be able to say "I told you so".

[schteve_d]

My girlfriend has very little interest in any sports. Sometimes she'll sit there on her phone while I'm watching a game, but that's about it; normally she has "better things to do". I've been trying to change it for a while and get her into it but it's just not working. I really wanted to go to the Iginla retirement game though, of course, and she agreed to go. It was her first live game and I thought it would be a fun one. She enjoyed the energy of it all and had a great time. She wore my 2010 Iginla Olympic jersey. Fun night all around, despite the loss.

The next morning I was kind of joking when I asked if I could consider her a Flames fan now and without hesitation she replied: "Not with that goalie"!

I explained to her that we had a better one and I'm not sure why he wasn't playing but it just didn't make any sense to her. Thanks Mike Smith, you've probably set me back months.

[stone hands]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

The nightmare for some posters is Smith playing well in the postseason (not that I think he will start). Then they won't be able to say "I told you so".

i am a smith detractor and literally nothing would make me happier than mike smith punching father time in the teeth and playing well in the playoffs

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

The nightmare for some posters is Smith playing well in the postseason (not that I think he will start). Then they won't be able to say "I told you so".

Wow you really are a lawyer. And here I was beginning to doubt you.

Washington started Grubauer in game 1 last year against the BJs. And then he never played again for the rest of the playoffs, despite Holtby losing game 2.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Wow you really are a lawyer. And here I was beginning to doubt you.

Washington started Grubauer in game 1 last year against the BJs. And then he never played again for the rest of the playoffs, despite Holtby losing game 2.

Grubauer started Game 2. He did not finish it. Holtby recorded the loss because he allowed one goal in overtime after Grubauer surrendered four in two periods.


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[Toonage]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

The nightmare for some posters is Smith playing well in the postseason (not that I think he will start). Then they won't be able to say "I told you so".

Imagine if the Flames win the cup with Smith in net.

The mind. It bottles.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Grubauer started Game 2. He did not finish it. Holtby recorded the loss because he allowed one goal in overtime after Grubauer surrendered four in two periods.


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Let's hope that's as long a leash either goaltender gets.

[The Boy Wonder]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Imagine if the Flames win the cup with Smith in net.

The mind. It bottles.

IF this happens, and I would be totally thrilled if it did, then I would eat crow.

However, the differnece between wanting smith to fail in playoffs and hoping the team doesn't start smith is that for many of us, Smith's body of work doesn't inspire any confidence in his ability to win 4/7 games. Many of us believe that the team is wasting an opportunity to go on a run by using a goalie who has proven himself incapable of rising to the occasion in key moments for basically the past calendar year.

Not a psychiatrist but maybe the reason we are saying we don't think smith will do well is just setting expectations for the flames postseason instead of blindly believing that this goalie is going to miraculously transform back into a 31 year old version of himself.

Smith was, at his peak, a average to above average goalie in the NHL. Never was elite, and he is now 7 years removed from his last playoff run.

Personally, if smith plays well and the flames win the cup I will celebrate with everyone else, and admit that I was wrong on smith being capable as a playoff goalie.

However, the odds on that are quite long and I think the chances of Rittich getting hot and going on a run are just that much better.

and IF smith does go on a run, the flames better not sign him to another contract...

[Toonage]

I've been hard on Smith too. We all have.

But look at it this way. If Smith starts the playoffs, and performs the same way then that he did over the past 6 games, we're onto round 2.

[Manhattanboy]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Imagine if the Flames win the cup with Smith in net.

The mind. It bottles.

If that happens the Calgary Tower gets re-named the Tower of Mike Smith.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Wow you really are a lawyer. And here I was beginning to doubt you.

Washington started Grubauer in game 1 last year against the BJs. And then he never played again for the rest of the playoffs, despite Holtby losing game 2.

I was being facetious with my post, though I am pretty sure a small number of posters secretly value being right above team success.

But I'm not sure what your second point has to do with it, although I agree that was an example of a goalie with a pretty lacklustre season going on to star in the POs. TBF, Holtby had a much much better career history than Smith though.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

The nightmare for some posters is Smith playing well in the postseason (not that I think he will start). Then they won't be able to say "I told you so".

Lol yah, not even close.

How the heck can some people watch this season and objectively think Smith won't get lit up in the playoffs as soon as he faces any sort of pressure from a good team? Am I on crazy pills, or are some people just not seeing how weak his body of work is this season? The guy is letting in beer league caliber goals. If Rittich falters in the playoffs, the Flames are pretty much done.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

Lol yah, not even close.

How the heck can some people watch this season and objectively think Smith won't get lit up in the playoffs as soon as he faces any sort of pressure from a good team? Am I on crazy pills, or are some people just not seeing how weak his body of work is this season? The guy is letting in beer league caliber goals. If Rittich falters in the playoffs, the Flames are pretty much done.

How is your response in any way an answer to my post?

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by The Boy Wonder

IF this happens, and I would be totally thrilled if it did, then I would eat crow...

Personally, if smith plays well and the flames win the cup I will celebrate with everyone else, and admit that I was wrong on smith being capable as a playoff goalie.

However, the odds on that are quite long and I think the chances of Rittich getting hot and going on a run are just that much better...

Gee, way to go out on a limb there. The Flames's odds of winning the Stanley Cup are long regardless of whomever plays in goal.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

Lol yah, not even close.

How the heck can some people watch this season and objectively think Smith won't get lit up in the playoffs as soon as he faces any sort of pressure from a good team? Am I on crazy pills, or are some people just not seeing how weak his body of work is this season? The guy is letting in beer league caliber goals. If Rittich falters in the playoffs, the Flames are pretty much done.

I am not under any illusion that Mike Smith has performed consistently well this year. He has not. It has been a bad year for him punctuated by poor performances amid a handful of excellent games here or there. But I have been around long enough to see that a goalie—ANY goalie—can go on a heater in April and May and carry his team to the Cup Final. So, I am not at all ready to discount the possibility that it could happen to the Flames, even in front of Mike Smith playing goal. I sure don't expect it to happen, but am definitely not willing to concede that the Flames have no chance of winning with him in the net.