[Trade] Flames acquire Mike Smith (25% retained) for Chad Johnson, Brandon Hickey, & cond 3rd

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Reading between the lines from the Treliving interview it sounded to me like he'd prefer to let Rittich and Gillies continue to develop in Stockton. He emphasized how it was Gillies first pro year and Rittich's first in NA. I mean injuries happen in sports and you acquire depth to handle them. Do you seriously think Treliving would want to head into next season a Smith injury away from an extremely inexperienced Gillies/Rittich duo? I sure don't. I'd expect us to acquire a backup.

Lots of rumours Chad Johnson may in fact sign back here in free agency. Makes sense to me and Treliving sounded very open to it, very complimentary of Chad and said Chad very much liked it here.

Agreed. I expect to see Johnson back. And they got Smith because they wanted someone who had been a true #1 and could carry heavy workload. Unlike Elliott, Smith can hopefully get over bad goals and bad games. Halak not a true #1 and I suspect that was the difference.

[Dion]

I see the Chad signing another contract with the Flames. He likes it here and the Flames brass seems to like him too.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

The last 3 seasons Halak has started 59, 36 and 28 games.

I would have been OK acquiring to be a platoon guy with a younger goalie like Grubauer or Raanta.

It appears the Flames wanted an actual #1 goalie. They don't want a platoon anymore after the last 3 seasons.

Halak only played fewer games over the last two seasons because he lost his starter's job to Greiss.

Before that he played 50+ games pretty regularly.

The same thing was happening to Mike Smith in 14/15, but Arizona chose to trade away Dubnyk because he was screwing up their McDavid tank.

[Beninho]

I find it funny people are mad about this but would be totally ok giving up the first + for Raanta... no thank you. Raanta means that Parsons and Gillies would have to wait that much longer creating a massive log jam in net. Flames need a stop gap goalie and everyone here can bitch and moan about it but that's where this teams at. You want a goalie for the future? You have to develop them over years and signing a long term goalie like Raanta/Bishop/Fleury would hinder their development as both should be ready to play in the NHL within 2 years or sooner while Bishop and Fleury will be declining, and Raanta being far more expeinsive from a contractual stand point and the actual cost it would take to acquire him.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

Halak only played fewer games over the last two seasons because he lost his starter's job to Greiss.

Before that he played 50+ games pretty regularly.

The same thing was happening to Mike Smith in 14/15, but Arizona chose to trade away Dubnyk because he was screwing up their McDavid tank.

I know why Halak was playing less games, that doesn't change the fact that he was playing less games.

Flames obviously wanted a proven starter who has repeatedly handled that workload, including the very recent past. (not 3 seasons ago)

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Blech. Never been a believer in Halak. I've seen Smith play Vezina nominee type goaltending for a mediocre team and play good goaltending on a horrid team. I think Smith obviously carries some risk but I feel his upside is a lot higher than Halak's. Smith has played multiple years as an above average starter. Halak to me is an average to below average starter.

Well Mike Smith had the better single season between the two.

I think over their careers there isn't much to separate them.

Halak at .917% and Smith at .913% over their careers.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

I know why Halak was playing less games, that doesn't change the fact that he was playing less games.

Flames obviously wanted a proven starter who has repeatedly handled that workload, including the very recent past. (not 3 seasons ago)

That's a fair point.

[united]

Mike Smith of the last few years is fine with me...what concerns me is we are getting 35 and 36 year old Mike Smith. Like with NFL QBs, at some point in the 34-37 age range, all but the biggest outlier goalies don't just see a drop in their play, it completely falls off a cliff. Unless Smith is one of those outliers, we don't know when his play will submarine, only that it almost certainly will at some point in the next three years. That is a risky bet by Treliving given this team is on the verge of its contender window, regardless of price. (basically Smith for a second-round pick).

John Chayka certainly likes dealing with Treliving.

[Kipper_3434]

Now that I've digested this trade a bit more, I don't really hate it. Hopefully Smith ties up enough cash, that we don't overspend on free agents.

[CroFlames]

I'm just sitting here hoping for a new goalie coach.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

[united]

From the other side:

Craig Morgan‏ @craigsmorgan
Coyotes GM John Chayka thinks there'll be opportunities for a No. 1 goalie when the protected lists are announced for the expansion draft.

"The reality is Mike Smith is a 35-year-old goaltender and when some of our players are reaching their prime years then he's probably on the wrong side of his career.
Until we determine exactly what we can do with these newly allocated resources, it's still to be determined what the real return is on this trade... This move wasn't made in isolation. It was made to set up other moves to improve our club."

[Par]

Originally Posted by united

From the other side:

Craig Morgan‏ @craigsmorgan
Coyotes GM John Chayka thinks there'll be opportunities for a No. 1 goalie when the protected lists are announced for the expansion draft.

"The reality is Mike Smith is a 35-year-old goaltender and when some of our players are reaching their prime years then he's probably on the wrong side of his career.
Until we determine exactly what we can do with these newly allocated resources, it's still to be determined what the real return is on this trade... This move wasn't made in isolation. It was made to set up other moves to improve our club."

Very smart GM. When the Flames did not sign Elliott and Johnson, that was like 2 steps in the right direction and now they get Smith, it like 2 steps back.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I'm just sitting here hoping for a new goalie coach.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

You will be disappointed. If the Flames had any plans to make a coaching change it would have happened weeks ago.

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by Par

Very smart GM. When the Flames did not sign Elliott and Johnson, that was like 2 steps in the right direction and now they get Smith, it like 2 steps back.

You are a wet blanket.

Did you even read what you wrote? He was saying by the time the Coyotes are competitive... which is YEARS away.

The Flames are in playoff contention now. In no way is this two steps back from what we saw in Elliot last year.

You're the same guy who two days ago was giving the Oilers a "best in the west" award for having more twitter rumours surrounding them and forecasting doom for the Flames because you hadn't heard they were in on anything.

Take a step back from the ledge.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by GoJetsGo

Take a step back from the ledge.

Par lives on the ledge.

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by united

Mike Smith of the last few years is fine with me...what concerns me is we are getting 35 and 36 year old Mike Smith. Like with NFL QBs, at some point in the 34-37 age range, all but the biggest outlier goalies don't just see a drop in their play, it completely falls off a cliff. Unless Smith is one of those outliers, we don't know when his play will submarine, only that it almost certainly will at some point in the next three years. That is a risky bet by Treliving given this team is on the verge of its contender window, regardless of price. (basically Smith for a second-round pick).

John Chayka certainly likes dealing with Treliving.

Treliving addressed this in his interview saying the bulk of Smith's workload didn't pick up until later in his career and they felt his "odometer was low" as a result.

Remains to be seen but it's a valid point.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Par

Very smart GM. When the Flames did not sign Elliott and Johnson, that was like 2 steps in the right direction and now they get Smith, it like 2 steps back.

The Flames' core is at least a couple years ahead of the Coyotes. Smith is a stopgap for a playoff team grooming a long term starter from their crop of >25-year-old goalies. Arizona will continue to be a lottery team for that same period of time. I think this counts as a fairly good deal for both teams.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Par

Very smart GM. When the Flames did not sign Elliott and Johnson, that was like 2 steps in the right direction and now they get Smith, it like 2 steps back.

Very smart GM indeed, he's acknowledging that his team's window to compete will begin to open beyond Smith's contract.

Meanwhile, our window to improve and buy our prospects some time to develop is now.

If you can't see the different set of circumstances, well...then, like...that's cool, man.

[megatron]

I was really excited when Elliott came here last season because I thought he would solidify the position, but look how that turned out. There's no way he could come back after that start and the playoff disaster.

I'm not really high on Smith, but I'll reserve judgement until a few months into the season. It can't be any worse than Elliott's start last year.

I agree that BT likely ran into some hard options:

- Bishop wanted to play in Dallas (and for big money/term)
- MAF didn't want to play here
- Raanta would cost an arm & a leg to acquire and there's no guarantee he would be the next Talbot

He went with a guy who he's familiar with (along with Maloney) who's a stopgap until Gillies and/or Parsons are ready. He'll provide 55-60 games of solid (not spectacular) goaltending and hopefully the with the team not having to learn GG system again, he will flourish.

I hope they leave Gillies in the AHL for another season, bring up Rittich as the backup and leave Parsons in the ECHL. Both of them need to play a lot of games and learn.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by TheOnlyBilko

Do we know this 100%? From what I understand we do not. We know he waived his NMC to be exposed in the expansion draft, yes, but we don't know 100% he said no about got to Calgary

The burden of proof for Fleury actually wanting to come to Calgary is on you with your ridiculously negative posts, not the other way around. If you think Fleury was an option for the Flames, then you prove it to the board, don't ask for the rest of the board to prove to you that he wasn't an option when all the information we do have access to suggests he didn't want to play for the Flames.