2018/19 Goaltending Options for the Flames - Page 2 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Erick Estrada · 03-30-2018, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N-E-B

It’s going to be Smith again. I think the plan was to play him for two years and hope one of our three young goalies emerges and takes over. I can’t see them addressing goaltending this offseason.

Yes I believe this was the plan and they probably should see it through next season but when has this organization ever stuck with a long term plan?

jayswin · 03-30-2018, 04:00 PM

Contrary to recent opinion I think our goaltending is pretty solid next season as is. Rittich came in and played excellently in a back up role which is way more than most goaltending prospects ever do.

On top of that Mike Smith was one of the best goalies in the league before he got hurt. As soon as he went down Rittich was thrown into the deep end as a starter and struggled but gained some valuable experience that will have him way more confident next season.

jayswin · 03-30-2018, 04:00 PM

I don't think people fully understand the difference between a back up and starter role. They just think "oh, he was playing great and then he played bad, must not be an NHL level goalie".

It's a hill and mountain, and Rittich looked great on the hill, and I have faith he can start to climb the mountain.

codynw · 03-30-2018, 04:45 PM

One Philipp Grubauer plz

madmike · 03-30-2018, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayswin

I don't think people fully understand the difference between a back up and starter role. They just think "oh, he was playing great and then he played bad, must not be an NHL level goalie".

It's a hill and mountain, and Rittich looked great on the hill, and I have faith he can start to climb the mountain.

Smith cant be playing at a 60+ game pace at his age. The Flames need a backup who can handle a big workload. I dont see Rittich being that kind of guy.

Toonage · 03-30-2018, 05:26 PM

Rittich or Gillies could be the guy to take on a bigger role but they would need to be eased in. With Smith being the starter next year there is no room to ease someone in. Not yet. We need a guy who can play 30-40 games if needed. We all saw what happened this year and they can't take that risk on a larger scale if Smith goes down early in the season.

FireGilbert · 03-30-2018, 05:36 PM

Keep Smith, sign Raatna, trade Rittich, keep Gillies in the AHL, and pray to the hockey gods that Parsons can be ready in a year.

I like Rittich and consider him an average backup but with Smith's injury troubles the Flames need more than average. With Gillies, I've lost faith he can even be a backup but he deserves another year thanks to the strange development curve of goalies.

Poe969 · 03-30-2018, 05:40 PM

If they can get one of the good RFA's from another team in a trade, they should. One of Saros, grubeaur, Danks, korpisalo or someone like that should be the target, Smith did well for a lot of the season but I do think think he'll be the same after that injury. Sign a guy like Carter Hutton and force a prospect to play their best, IMO the goaltending for this team isn't really a strong point.

memphusk · 03-30-2018, 06:29 PM

Taking into consideration that Smith celebrates his 57th birthday this summer, theres a good chance he will get hurt again at some point. Get someone who can play 30-40 games next season and start over again season after that.

Easeback · 03-30-2018, 06:50 PM

Sign the best goalie in Europe (Ilya Ezhov) not playing in the NHL. (7 SOs in the K)

Or

Sign Garrett Sparks as backup (best goalie in the A)

getbak · 03-30-2018, 07:31 PM

I have no problem with keeping Smith and Rittich next year with Gillies and Parsons splitting time on the farm.

Like others have said, it's well-past time to get a new goalie coach. I'd love for it to be Burke, but he seems to have his sights set on a GM position.

Calgary4LIfe · 03-31-2018, 12:30 AM

I am fine with another season of Smith as the starter, and either Rittich or Gillies as the backup.

It was YEARS and YEARS of having backups that couldn't win a damn game during the Kiprusoff years that make me really love Rittich and Gillies so much more. They did excellent in a back-up role, and when Smith went down they struggled more, but were not laughably bad. The team played laughably bad defence.

Smith and then rotate Rittich and Gillies through the back-up role and give them more time in Stockton to work on their games sounds like the most sensible plan.

djsFlames · 03-31-2018, 12:43 AM

The Flames need to go on a coaching and hockey operations cleanse first (Gulutzan, Cameron, Sigalet, Burke, King....), but yeah I'd stick with Rittich as the BU.

Say, how's that Parsons kid coming along?

FireGilbert · 03-31-2018, 04:15 AM

This thread has got me thinking about how other than Kipper the Flames history of goaltending decisions has been pathetic. The backup swap in the Gilmour trade, drafting Kidd over Brodeur, trading Vernon, letting Roloson and Giguere go, Ken Wreggett, Fuhr and Vernon 2.0, wasting a 1st rounder on Krahn, drafting Gillies over Murray, drafting MacDonald over Demko, the three headed goalie monster, a draft pick for Elliot and probably a few more I am forgetting. Heck even the best backup in the league right now, McBackup, was a former Flames draft pick although it's tough to fault management on that one. So frustrating!

JohnnyB · 03-31-2018, 05:02 AM

It's kind of hard to believe that it's so hard to find the talent sufficient to fill a spot for one/team in a 31 team league. Is the talent gap so large between starters and second stringers? Is it difficult to fill because there's only one spot per team, which means you basically need to be elite or you can't cut it? Or is the problem the team in front? I'm honestly not sure.

Mitt31 · 03-31-2018, 06:49 AM

I think a package with Rittich and Brodie could get a #1 pick in the draft as Rittich has higher interest grade after this season then Gillies.

My personal opinion and hope is that Gillies will develop into the next Smith and Calgary will have outstanding Goaltending in 2018 and 2019

Then you develope Parsons and MacDonald in with the Heat and the Flames Net will be the least of their concerns till the end of time (another decade atleast)

Husky · 03-31-2018, 07:34 AM

Gilles reminds me mord of dubnyk. Big goalie and if he puts it all together will be later in life.

Geeoff · 03-31-2018, 08:07 AM

I say A and spend the resources you would have spent on goaltending on improving the forward core

dissentowner · 03-31-2018, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FireGilbert

This thread has got me thinking about how other than Kipper the Flames history of goaltending decisions has been pathetic. The backup swap in the Gilmour trade, drafting Kidd over Brodeur, trading Vernon, letting Roloson and Giguere go, Ken Wreggett, Fuhr and Vernon 2.0, wasting a 1st rounder on Krahn, drafting Gillies over Murray, drafting MacDonald over Demko, the three headed goalie monster, a draft pick for Elliot and probably a few more I am forgetting. Heck even the best backup in the league right now, McBackup, was a former Flames draft pick although it's tough to fault management on that one. So frustrating!

On the good news front, Parsons should be ready in a year or two and will be an elite goalie imo.

jayswin · 03-31-2018, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissentowner

On the good news front, Parsons should be ready in a year or two and will be an elite goalie imo.

I hope so, I'm really hoping for him to be an elite starter. That's part of why I'm fine with Smith and Rittich next season, as I think Parsons will start to show signs of Matt Murray with a full time AHL gig.