Yahoo Ranks the Top 30 Starting Goalies

[Plett25]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Accepting that the Flames are likely to finish 7th in the Pacific is looking at it objectively.

Fearing that the team could finish higher than that is desiring failure.

Actively arguing that Ramo proving to be a good NHL goaltender and causing the team to finish above expectations would be a bad thing is simply Edmontonian.

fyp

[strombad]

I think Mike Smith is probably overrated here by a good 10-14 places. He's a decent goalie playing in an outstanding system. He had a good first year as a Coyote, and was average last year (having a lower GAA and SV% than Bryz did in 3 out of his 4 years). In fact, his performance last year was equivalent to Bryz's performance in his first year as a Flyer. The only reason I bring up Bryz as a comparison is because the guy left the Yotes and is now not even considered a dependable starter at this point. I think the same would happen to Smith.

He has quite literally had ONE good season and people are calling him elite. He's decent at best, playing in a good system. That's it.

[bubbsy]

it's amazing what a coaching staff and style of play can do for a goalie.

Kipper was a good to great goalie in his own right, but the sutter/playfair years where the team was a strong defensive, tough to play against group, he was elite.

Sutter goes on to LA, and makes another strong goalie just that much better.

Tippet is another one of those coaches that are able to create a game plan that limits opportunities, and allows good goalies to flourish.

[kyuss275]

The list does not seem to be fair on how they grade.

Bobrovsky on a half season, albiet great season, is ranked #5

Holtby is ranked #20, and the reasoning they have him down that far is because of the small sample size.

[strombad]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

The list does not seem to be fair on how they grade.

Bobrovsky on a half season, albiet great season, is ranked #5

Holtby is ranked #20, and the reasoning they have him down that far is because of the small sample size.

It seems to be entirely on the whims of the author and not based on any actual evidence. Bobrovsky is being judged on 38 games, and they're putting him 5th. Holtby has almost identical numbers over 21 games, and he's 20th because of "sample size". It's just silly.

[WilderPegasus]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

The list does not seem to be fair on how they grade.

Bobrovsky on a half season, albiet great season, is ranked #5

Holtby is ranked #20, and the reasoning they have him down that far is because of the small sample size.

That's because when it comes to hockey Yahoo is a joke. Worse than ESPN. Much worse.

[korzym12]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

1. You can't finish 9th in a seven team division.

2. It would be just terrible if the Flames were better than you hoped.

Wow you can obsess over minor details!

You know what I meant. Not everyone has time to look into the nhl's new playoff format.

Ramo is rated 30th and I hope he doesn't do better than that. That would be great as it increases our odds at getting Reinhart. If you want the best thing for your team, you want that to happen.

You don't get elite players by finishing just outside of the playoffs. Straying from our rebuild process just so you can be entertained in the short term is pretty idiotic. You clearly don't understand how to acquire world class elite players.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by korzym12

Wow you can obsess over minor details!

You know what I meant. Not everyone has time to look into the nhl's new playoff format.

Ramo is rated 30th and I hope he doesn't do better than that. That would be great as it increases our odds at getting Reinhart. If you want the best thing for your team, you want that to happen.

You clearly don't understand how to acquire world class elite players. You don't get them by finishing just outside of the playoffs. Straying from our rebuild process just so you can be entertained in the short term is pretty idiotic.

Why would you not want him to turn out to be a top 5 goalie? Just for Reinhart? Top end Goalies are just as hard to find.

I personally don't think much will come of the "2 best goalies not in the NHL", but i would gladly "eat crow" if we got a true #1 goalie out of one of them.

[GreenLantern]

I don't think the Flames "desperately" hope he figures it out... there are a few other options floating around. It would be nice, but there is no desperation with this team right now.

[strombad]

Originally Posted by korzym12

You don't get elite players by finishing just outside of the playoffs. Straying from our rebuild process just so you can be entertained in the short term is pretty idiotic. You clearly don't understand how to acquire world class elite players.

And you clearly don't understand how to develop players. You don't do it by sitting them on a last place team year after year. You hope they do as well as possible, because winning helps team development more than a top 5 draft pick. Hoping the Flames place 30th is great if all you care about is 1 player, but just brutal if you hope the 20+ prospects you have actually develop.

So sure, go nuts, cheer for 30th and hope we get Reinhart. Because finishing at the bottom year after year has really paid off for Edmonton, Colorado, Florida, Tampa, etc. MIGHT it pay off? Sure, but all of these teams have been bottom feeders for 5 or 6 years, so I'm not sure why you think finishing 25-30 is so significantly better than 16-25

[Coach]

Originally Posted by korzym12

Wow you can obsess over minor details!

You know what I meant. Not everyone has time to look into the nhl's new playoff format.

Ramo is rated 30th and I hope he doesn't do better than that. That would be great as it increases our odds at getting Reinhart. If you want the best thing for your team, you want that to happen.

You don't get elite players by finishing just outside of the playoffs. Straying from our rebuild process just so you can be entertained in the short term is pretty idiotic. You clearly don't understand how to acquire world class elite players.

You say this, but then conclude that it would be detrimental for the team if one of our goalies turns out to be an elite player? Arguable the most important position on a team. I get that people want top picks, but the team also has to improve. The idea that players we want and expect to be part of the solution going forward improving is a bad thing is the truely idiotic thing here. If Backlund, Baertschi, Brodie, Ramo, perhaps Monahan and ca couple other young/rookie players surprise and have break out seasons and the flames do well this is bad thing? Were not going to jump from 30th to first on the back of an 18-yearold draft pick. The team will likely gradually improve. And yes this will probably mean they will barely miss the playoff a couple times in the next few years.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by bax

You forgot Braden Holtby at #20 who actually got invited to the Olympic camp over Ward.

Ward is always categorized as an elite goaltender and he has won a cup but I can't remember a top goaltender that has looked so bad at times as Ward has. When he's on he's good but when he's off he lets in more soft goals than in a season than some goaltenders in their careers.

[neo45]

I actually think the list is pretty good. Smith and Price are too high though, neither are elite goalies. Luongo and Niemi are better

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by korzym12

Wow you can obsess over minor details!

You know what I meant. Not everyone has time to look into the nhl's new playoff format.

Ramo is rated 30th and I hope he doesn't do better than that. That would be great as it increases our odds at getting Reinhart. If you want the best thing for your team, you want that to happen.

You don't get elite players by finishing just outside of the playoffs. Straying from our rebuild process just so you can be entertained in the short term is pretty idiotic. You clearly don't understand how to acquire world class elite players.

Your IQ must be in the single digits if you think that having the worst goaltending in the league is the best thing for the team. The best thing for the team is for one of our young goalies to prove he can be a higher end netminder in this league. If Ramo pulls that off, that is a very good thing for the team, now and into the future.

MattyC nailed it. The goal is for Ramo to be part of the solution. That means we want him to succeed. And his success is more important to this franchise long term than satisfying your desire to be a loser.

[korzym12]

Originally Posted by strombad

And you clearly don't understand how to develop players. You don't do it by sitting them on a last place team year after year. You hope they do as well as possible, because winning helps team development more than a top 5 draft pick. Hoping the Flames place 30th is great if all you care about is 1 player, but just brutal if you hope the 20+ prospects you have actually develop.

So sure, go nuts, cheer for 30th and hope we get Reinhart. Because finishing at the bottom year after year has really paid off for Edmonton, Colorado, Florida, Tampa, etc. MIGHT it pay off? Sure, but all of these teams have been bottom feeders for 5 or 6 years, so I'm not sure why you think finishing 25-30 is so significantly better than 16-25

How come you left the islanders off that list? You've only listed teams in the process of rebuilds, all at different stages. I'd love to have Stamkos-Drouin on my team.

A lot of you are in denial. It's a fact that you gain more assets the higher you draft - which does lead to a better NHL team. Even Kipper got lit up last year, so don't think it will be any different this year with an inexperienced goalie playing behind a bad d-core.

[korzym12]

Originally Posted by strombad

And you clearly don't understand how to develop players. You don't do it by sitting them on a last place team year after year. You hope they do as well as possible, because winning helps team development more than a top 5 draft pick. Hoping the Flames place 30th is great if all you care about is 1 player, but just brutal if you hope the 20+ prospects you have actually develop.

So sure, go nuts, cheer for 30th and hope we get Reinhart. Because finishing at the bottom year after year has really paid off for Edmonton, Colorado, Florida, Tampa, etc. MIGHT it pay off? Sure, but all of these teams have been bottom feeders for 5 or 6 years, so I'm not sure why you think finishing 25-30 is so significantly better than 16-25

Which "20+ prospects" are you talking about? We only have three high end prospects. Only three. So we need more assets, intelligently, you want them to be high draft picks. They'll get all the development they need. The Pens did bad for a few years with Crosby and he didn't turn out that bad.

[Igottago]

I think its going to be tough to replace what Flames fans are used to. We had probably the best goalie in franchise history in Kipper. It'll take a miracle to get that again immediately. Usually you have to cycle through a few goalies and some time for that type of performer to emerge again. Look how many goalies the team went through between Vernon and Kipper. That could be how long it may take to get an elite level player in the position again.

[MisterJoji]

Originally Posted by korzym12

How come you left the islanders off that list? You've only listed teams in the process of rebuilds, all at different stages. I'd love to have Stamkos-Drouin on my team.

A lot of you are in denial. It's a fact that you gain more assets the higher you draft - which does lead to a better NHL team. Even Kipper got lit up last year, so don't think it will be any different this year with an inexperienced goalie playing behind a bad d-core.

For real? The Islanders? So you want the Flames to finish last in their division until 2019/20 and then go out in the 1st round when they finally make the playoffs? Yep, the Islanders are the gold standard to model a franchise after. I mean take a team like Detroit who hasn't had a top 10 pick in decades, it's obvious they're doing something wrong.

[Freddy]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Ward is always categorized as an elite goaltender and he has won a cup but I can't remember a top goaltender that has looked so bad at times as Ward has. When he's on he's good but when he's off he lets in more soft goals than in a season than some goaltenders in their careers.

In addition to a cup; Conn Smythe, 1 WC Gold & 2 Silvers, and now ranked 10th despite half a decade of stopping pucks behind a below average D core. Name a goalie ranked higher than Ward who has had a worse defense in front of them (I doubt anyone has faced more shots). Last season was a typical example of how the Hurricanes fate is largely determined by Wards health.