The Goaltending Carousel

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Sandman

You think the 'Nucks won't sign him?

I think they can't...how do they find the cap space on a long term deal? Plus they can only protect one of them in the expansion draft

[SeanCharles]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Talbot had a .733 Save Percentage in the biggest game of the year

The skaters were playing the best I remember seeing them play all season and postseason long.

They were providing puck support to one another, the dmen were pinching at the correct times and keeping pucks in play; they were flying out there.

I will admit right when Lucic took the penalty I was worried they would come back to tie the game.

Most of that feeling came from how I feel about Talbot..

I like him but don’t think he is a starting caliber goalie.

He let in a lot of deflating goals this season that I don’t believe an ideal NHL starting goalie lets in.

I don’t blame Talbot for losing the series but that game he was atrocious and it was the biggest game of the year.

Completely inexcusable and it’s just been the same old story for our team for far too many years.

We have had good teams and patchwork goaltending.

This is why I think we should keep Rittich, let Talbot walk and make a trade for a goalie who will be an expansion draft casualty for another team.

Rittich still has potential as he has had solid showings and it seems the times he has looked really bad is when reports of him battling injury would pop up.

Talbot is not the answer in net, nor was any of the long list of guys we’ve had since Kipper retired.

I think with the expansion draft looming Treliving absolutely has to take advantage.

[David Struch]

Yes, we all thought we were getting a goalie in the last expansion draft... what sort of casualties may be up for grabs this time around?

[dino7c]

Last 3 elimination games starting goalie stats

Talbot .733
Smith .844
Elliott .667

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Last 3 elimination games starting goalie stats

Talbot .733
Smith .844
Elliott .667

Red to Tree regarding his goaltenders:

[GioforPM]

I think Talbot is the steadier goalie and Rittich the more likely to steal a game. POs might be too much stress for Rittich - I don’t know but he seems excitable.

FWIW Talbot agreed with the decision to be pulled (though obviously there’s some team player aspect to that).

[dino7c]

And just for fun Rittich in game 6

.667

[SeanCharles]

Originally Posted by David Struch

Yes, we all thought we were getting a goalie in the last expansion draft... what sort of casualties may be up for grabs this time around?

Murray/Jarry
Kuemper/Raanta
Markstrom/Demko
Georgiev/Shesterkin
Korpisalo/Merzlikens
Lehner/Fleury

Holtby along with the bolded are UFA’s this offseason but it seems Lehner and Markstrom have a good chance of re-signing. Samsonov will likely take the reins in Washington.

There are also rumours of Andersen being available.

[powderjunkie]

Are both of CBJ and NYRs guys exposable?

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

Are both of CBJ and NYRs guys exposable?

According to CapFriendly Shesterkin and Merzilkins are exempt from the expansion draft.

IMO that makes it much less likely Georgiev or Korpisalo get traded.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Last 3 elimination games starting goalie stats

Talbot .733
Smith .844
Elliott .667

Not a full game sample. Talbot shouldn’t have been pulled in a tie game.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Not a full game sample. Talbot shouldn’t have been pulled in a tie game.

Yeah, he could have hit Elliott numbers if he was in for the full game! Talbot was the only reason why that game was tied in the first place. He deserved the pull, but given the state Rittich was in it was still a brutal call by Ward.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Yeah, he could have hit Elliott numbers if he was in for the full game! Talbot was the only reason why that game was tied in the first place. He deserved the pull, but given the state Rittich was in it was still a brutal call by Ward.

It was a difficult position to be in, and I am not sure how it could have played out otherwise. Was there another clear opportunity to give Rittich game-time in the playoffs that would have better prepared him for Game #6? I don't see when.

[The Professor]

It seems like not only are there a bunch of goalies potentially available, but there are a tonne of teams in need of goaltending. I expect a larger than usual goaltending carousel this offseason.

I guess we will keep either Talbot or Rittich and find another piece of a tandem via trade or UFA. I assume the big $$$ options in Lehner and Markstrom are off the table. Holtby, Georgiev, Fleury (plus a first), Kuemper, Murray, Andersen - frig, who knows.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

It was a difficult position to be in, and I am not sure how it could have played out otherwise. Was there another clear opportunity to give Rittich game-time in the playoffs that would have better prepared him for Game #6? I don't see when.

It could easily have gone another way, knowing BSD, and Ward would have looked like a genius. It's pretty tough to say you can't use your backup at all in that situation.

I suppose they could have thrown Rittich a game in the play-in, but they all turned out to be pretty big.

But at the end of the day results matter and Ward picked the wrong horse.

[Strange Brew]

The dilemma with Rittich is that he has yet to prove he can be an everyday starter. And he doesn't seem to have the mental makeup you'd like in a backup who always needs to be ready. The Flames basically went into the playoffs with one goalie.

That works Ok in the regular season where Rittich can clearly give you some very good games and you don't need to have clear roles.

If the Flames bring in a clear starter on a big salary, what do you do with Rittich?

[Stanley]

Is Kuemper actually being shopped? Jeezus jump on that!

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

The dilemma with Rittich is that he has yet to prove he can be an everyday starter. And he doesn't seem to have the mental makeup you'd like in a backup who always needs to be ready. The Flames basically went into the playoffs with one goalie.

That works Ok in the regular season where Rittich can clearly give you some very good games and you don't need to have clear roles.

If the Flames bring in a clear starter on a big salary, what do you do with Rittich?

He has proven himself as a top tier 1B guy. He can handle 30'ish games at a high level - which has utility, and he's paid accordingly. What we need is a true leader of a tandem. We need our Rask.

Originally Posted by Stanley

Is Kuemper actually being shopped? Jeezus jump on that!

My thoughts as well.

[dammage79]

I get the sense that Ritter is done as a Flame. I say this because it wasn't even a contest as to who got starts in the restart. So you can imagine a couple of things.

1. Rittich was terrible in camp
2. Has a negative competitiveness I.e is super pissed when he isnt the guy and his attitude tailspun heading into games.
3. None of the above, they went with Talbot because of experience
4. Rittich doesn't have enough in the tank to be consistent across an entire season and everyone knows it.

End of the day, I feel Ward made the right call. Ride or die with one goalie. Flames play very differently in front of both goalies and the Flames played a more structured game in front of Talbot. And Talbot was fine. Game 6 was where ward blundered and got Ritter in there.

[David Struch]

Matt Murray should be the prime target.

The other available goalies (Kuemper/Raanta, Lehner/Fleury) are in the West and the acquisition cost for the Flames will be higher because of this.

Suggested pieces that may interest the Penguins (according to some article last week)

Sam Bennett
Dillon Dubé
Oliver Kylington
Mathias Emilio Pettersen