[PGT] Blues 3 - Flames 1

[Beninho]

This team can’t afford to have a goalie like smith be even the back up. This team when they are going play a fast up tempo style where the D is very involved leading to scoring chances the other way. When smith is net he 1. Let’s in awful goals 2. Forces the team to not play so aggressively on offense because they know the liability they have in net. That’s why they look better with Rittich on the ice, because they take these chances. Starting smith forces the team to change the entire way they play, even his playing of the puck results in extremely sketchy moments.

They can’t use him anymore, he still looked awful in the games he won over that 6 game stretch. Believe he still had 3-4 awful goals conceded in those games.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by MisterJoji

Lehner (2.54 / .917) has put up quality backup-like numbers. Islanders will likely be seller soon.

Tristan Jarry (2.89 / .909) is behind Murray and DeSmith and has put up decent numbers in the AHL.

Darcy Kuemper (2.81 / .910) is on a bottom feeding team and Adin Hill has seized the starting spot with Raanta down.

Chicago is being forced to rebuild and Forsberg (2.76 / .912) wouldn’t cost a tonne to acquire.

Mrazek (2.60 / .897) and McE (2.36 / .920) could be had from Carolina.

There are options out there.

Not really. Not a single one of these options looks especially viable to me. I see a collection of young goalies who are more likely barely marginal upgrades, or otherwise too expensive.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Beninho

This team can’t afford to have a goalie like smith be even the back up. This team when they are going play a fast up tempo style where the D is very involved leading to scoring chances the other way. When smith is net he 1. Let’s in awful goals 2. Forces the team to not play so aggressively on offense because they know the liability they have in net.

They can’t use him anymore, he still looked awful in the games he won over that 6 game stretch. Believe he still had 3-4 awful goals conceded in those games.

Hey. How bad is Mike Smith?

[timbit]

Originally Posted by mrdonkey

A very Calgary Flames loss. This team is good but not Nashville or Winnipeg good yet.

Have you checked out Nashville’s results, lately?

[Saint Troy]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Because the Christmas break was imminent. Rittich is not going to start 60-games this season, and it would be foolish to leave your other goalie on the bench for at least two weeks of inactivity.

The Flames are in a difficult position, but one for which there really is not a good solution. They are going to have to ride this out.

Rittich has 20 starts, nowhere near being overplayed.

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Hey. How bad is Mike Smith?

Worst goalie in the league and this team can’t go back to him fast enough

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by zamler

Today? He has the 3rd worst save % in the league.

He had five wins in his past seven starts before today. As a second option in goal his 11-7-0-1 record is fairly palatable.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Saint Troy

Rittich has 20 starts, nowhere near being overplayed.

He is on track to start more games this year than at any time in his professional hockey career. And that is with a split between both goalies.

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

He had five wins in his past seven starts before today. As a second option in goal his 11-7-0-1 record is fairly palatable.

Because he plays for a very good team. C’mon, you know wins and losses mean little for a goalie. Especially a goalie who plays for a good team. He looks awful in the majority of games he’s played , in games he wins he still isn’t convincing. Worst goalie in the league, he doesn’t even have an excuse like vertigo

[gamesaver]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

So, your second sentence is utter nonsense, but I am interested to hear who you think might be available, affordable, and would provide a tangible upgrade on Mike Smith.

Pretty much any goalie in the league right now, except Corey Schneider. And like half of the AHL goalies, there is a bunch of decent ones. For example, you can easily trade for Pavel Francouz. 28, new in North America, but big time pro, would be a rental as he is singed only for 1 season. Is a friend with Rittich, played together for the Czech national team. Avs signed him before Grubauer decided to accept their offer, so they do not really need him now. But you can pick anyone else and its still going to be an upgrade. At this point, I would be ok with calling up one of our prospects and test him by fire. If he lets in a stinker, it´s no worse when Smith does it, but atleast you are developing someone.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

He had five wins in his past seven starts before today. As a second option in goal his 11-7-0-1 record is fairly palatable.

When people said you'd defend Smith even after today's game I thought, nah. I stand corrected.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Beninho

Because he plays for a very good team. C’mon, you know wins and losses mean little for a goalie. Especially a goalie who plays for a good team. He looks awful in 8 out of 10 games, in games he wins he still isn’t convincing.

And this is precisely why I don't think making an upgrade in goal is especially urgent. Not now. Not for what it would cost.

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

And this is precisely why I don't think making an upgrade in goal is especially urgent. Not now. Not for what it would cost.

I wouldn’t want them to expend assets either but like others are saying there are cheap options available and you just cannot keep using a goalie with this save %. It’s extremely bad, imagine if he played on a bad team. He should not be in the league anymore. They have got to just ride BSD this season and see how much work he can take and do their best to get a cheap back up option who can sustain a .900 save %. That’s not exactly asking for alot

[LWcrowfoot]

No disrespect Textcritic but pretend Smith was playing like this on any other team besides the Flames. Would you still be protecting him so vehemently? Even you must see how brutal he's been. Not an NHL goalie anymore.

I know it, you know it, Calgarypuck knows it.

[chummer]

Originally Posted by mrdonkey

A very Calgary Flames loss. This team is good but not Nashville or Winnipeg good yet.

Blues shut out Winnipeg at home.

[Saint Troy]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

He is on track to start more games this year than at any time in his professional hockey career. And that is with a split between both goalies.

Well yes, because he is playing great and he’s earned it.

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by zamler

When people said you'd defend Smith even after today's game I thought, nah. I stand corrected.

I think at this point he just wants attention so he continues to defend him.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by gamesaver

Pretty much any goalie in the league right now, except Corey Schneider. And like half of the AHL goalies, there is a bunch of decent ones. For example, you can easily trade for Pavel Francouz. 28, new in North America, but big time pro, would be a rental as he is singed only for 1 season. Is a friend with Rittich, played together for the Czech national team. Avs signed him before Grubauer decided to accept their offer, so they do not really need him now. But you can pick anyone else and its still going to be an upgrade. At this point, I would be ok with calling up one of our prospects and test him by fire. If he lets in a stinker, it´s no worse when Smith does it, but atleast you are developing someone.

People like to think so, but I am highly sceptical. Hockey history is awash with great looking backup and AHL goalies who fumble when they are promoted or moved. This is absolutely not a sure thing, and carries with it a tonne of risk.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Beninho

I’d rather the flames use Jon Gillies and let him stink up the joint than watch a 36 year old goalie who will be off the team next year let in goals for fun.

Way too much loyalty to a guy whose done nothing for this team. Again, he should never play a game for the flames again.

This team has mental block with veteran players. They put them up on a pedastal and are stubborn to change for whatever reason.

If this organization cares at all about actually being a contender this season. You have to play the best players and give ice time to the players who deserve it most. Smith should only get back to back games and Neal should see a reduction in minutes. He did have one of his better games today, but even then still can’t buy a goal. In games where he’s bad, it just hurts the team.

I’d also play the PP1 unit more, that second unit eats up a lot of time for very little production and execution. It’s a very inefficient use of prime powerplay time.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by mrdonkey

A very Calgary Flames loss. This team is good but not Nashville or Winnipeg good yet.

Eh Nashville just dropped 4 straight too.