Mike Smith's... woes? He blows? Eating crows? Who knows! (Also David Rittich exists!)

[Chonger]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

After 52-games?



Yeah, a change is not coming. Smith wins more than he loses, and the plan is not to play him in the playoffs.

Thats a #### plan for a contender to go past the deadline with one goalie

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Originally Posted by jonkaupp

Anyone who thinks Smith is an acceptable backup has a very poor hockey mind.

Is there anyone on this site that thinks Smith has had a great, or even good, year? That he's playing well? That he's a great backup option?

I'm not even sure who you're talking to.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Is there anyone on this site that thinks Smith has had a great, or even good, year? That he's playing well? That he's a great backup option?

I'm not even sure who you're talking to.

lots of people have said he is a good backup, played well recently, good record ect.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Originally Posted by dino7c

lots of people have said he is a good backup

Really? Not saying you're wrong, I just don't recall it.

He's had a rough season, for me he's the backup until we get a better backup.

[The Boy Wonder]

Smith would clear waivers even if his salary was only 1mil.

He is terrible. We are the only playoff team employing an ahl quality goalie as a backup

[Duffalufagus]

What was his save percentage again? Soft goals again. No doubt.

But are we pretending in here that we know better than Bill? I give a lot of rope here. He’s earned it. And, if I’m guessing what the coaching staff and management are thinking it is that they aren’t convinced the kid who choked last year when given the starter’s net is just going to maintain a ~.920 save percentage in the playoffs.

I wouldn’t. This team is deep enough from the blueline out to win the cup imo but no one wins without stellar goaltending. And I get the team trying to work Smith back up to at least have options at the end of the year. It may not happen. I’m with you guy in that I don’t like what I see.

But they’re not paying a first for Howard, and that is the only option that represents a practical upgrade. The big contract pending UFA’s are junk. The other marginal names Won’t bring the cup home and, in my view, that is where management’s head is at right now with their expectations.

So, on we go. Smith starting tonight is the best evidence of this argument there is. The team hasn’t bailed.

[The Boy Wonder]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Really? Not saying you're wrong, I just don't recall it.

He's had a rough season, for me he's the backup until we get a better backup.

It’s more the people connected to the team. Loubo and wills both talk about smith as if he’s a 1a just ready to break out.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Really? Not saying you're wrong, I just don't recall it.

He's had a rough season, for me he's the backup until we get a better backup.

Check the GDT

and we can say backup all we want but he has played 26 ####ing games...Rittich has only played a few more

[Pizza]

TSN's Craig Button thinks Smith looks lost out there too and thinks Flames needs to find some reliable backup for Rittich

https://www.tsn.ca/video/should-the-...in-net~1534592

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

Worse yet, I think they view Smith as more of a 1B than a back-up. Otherwise why give him the first start after the break?

Easy. They are splitting 2 road games.

Peters wants to beat Carolina, his old team.

Saving Rittich for his homecoming.

[Duffalufagus]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Check the GDT

and we can say backup all we want but he has played 26 ####ing games...Rittich has only played a few more

Pro tip: Rittich has proven nothing at this level. Nothing. For a team with cup aspirations you need options.

All in on Rittich is bananas. The team knows it. And they want to see if Smith can regain the form he has pre-injury last year. I get that. The alternatives are junk.

I think he’s done too, but fingers crossed, I guess?

Edit: if nothing else, they keep Rittich fresh. I’m with everyone that if it costs them the division than the wolves will be out.

But it is easy to armchair coach/manage from the cheap seats.

I trust Bill.

[The Boy Wonder]

Originally Posted by Duffalufagus

Pro tip: Rittich has proven nothing at this level. Nothing. For a team with cup aspirations you need options.

All in on Rittich is bananas. The team knows it. And they want to see if Smith can regain the form he has pre-injury last year. I get that. The alternatives are junk.

I think he’s done too, but fingers crossed, I guess?

Pro tip: Smith is done. The age cliff is real. Father Time and all that.

Also, if you actually have watched a game you would see that rittich is waaaay better than smith because he at minimum

A) can be square to a shooter
B) make saves when needed

[Duffalufagus]

Originally Posted by The Boy Wonder

Pro tip: Smith is done. The age cliff is real. Father Time and all that.

Also, if you actually have watched a game you would see that rittich is waaaay better than smith because he at minimum

A) can be square to a shooter
B) make saves when needed

Oh. I need to watch the games. Cool take.

You know more than Peters and his staff. For sure. This post proves it. Start Rittich the rest of the year and burn a pick/prospect on a backup that won’t help you win anything. Sounds good.

Cheers.

[Dajazz]

There are several issues with his goaltending right now.

1) somethings up with that right leg, it flops around and he can’t really get down fast enough (injury/age?)
2) stuuuupid decisions with the puck
3) horrible, horrible positioning - too deep or too far out and rarely square to the shooter
4) man that five hole, perhaps a result of point 1), but man you can slide Chara through that opening
5) reactivate saves - kicks, gloves etc - looks flashy but he’s overreaching due to not being in position or not getting low fast enough

The guy is done unless someone does a proper mind job on him.

I’m guessing management are hoping that he’ll regain past glory, but I’ve seen enough.

[The Boy Wonder]

Originally Posted by Duffalufagus

Oh. I need to watch the games. Cool take.

You know more than Peters and his staff. For sure. This post proves it. Start Rittich the rest of the year and burn a pick/prospect on a backup that won’t help you win anything. Sounds good.

Cheers.

Did I say that?

No obviously don’t burn out rittich.

But at this point we’d be best served by either retiring smith or sending him to Stockton and either calling up one of our ####ty ahl goalies or acquiring all but 2 other backups in the NHL. That’s statistically how ####ty smith is. He isn’t nhl calibre and we should shore that up. I agree that rittich needs rest but smith isn’t the way to ensure even a single easy win if he doesn’t play

[Duffalufagus]

Originally Posted by The Boy Wonder

Did I say that?

No obviously don’t burn out rittich.

But at this point we’d be best served by either retiring smith or sending him to Stockton and either calling up one of our ####ty ahl goalies or acquiring all but 2 other backups in the NHL. That’s statistically how ####ty smith is. He isn’t nhl calibre and we should shore that up. I agree that rittich needs rest but smith isn’t the way to ensure even a single easy win if he doesn’t play

It is the show and the guy is a vet’s vet. Theyaren’t sending him down. Let’s be realistic. There are no good options. The market is ####. All they can do is see if he can regain form.

I agree that they can’t lose the div by pursuing this experiment. But I hve no doubt Peters and his staff have done the math on that. How much rope they can give. But they aren’t sending him to the farm for a struggling AHLer.

Obvious that is what they are doing here. No other (persuasive) explanation for why Smith started tonight.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Originally Posted by The Boy Wonder

But at this point we’d be best served by either retiring smith or sending him to Stockton and either calling up one of our ####ty ahl goalies or acquiring all but 2 other backups in the NHL. That’s statistically how ####ty smith is. He isn’t nhl calibre and we should shore that up. I agree that rittich needs rest but smith isn’t the way to ensure even a single easy win if he doesn’t play

How do you 'retire' a goalie?

And he's not going to Stockton.

[Large11]

I've never posted on here, been lurking for over a year... can we close this and ban all the butt hurt people?

And to everyone saying send him down, who are you replacing him with?? oh right, the AHL goalies with no experience... great idea...

This is why i never talk on this forum, most people have a knee jerk reaction, and have clearly never played the game before, or think they know everything because they have,

[Geeoff]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Easy. They are splitting 2 road games.

Peters wants to beat Carolina, his old team.

Saving Rittich for his homecoming.

I think Peters is trying to "get Smitty going" which I'm pretty sure is just not gonna happen at this point.

[Angelino]

Originally Posted by The Boy Wonder

He is terrible. We are the only playoff team employing an ahl quality goalie as a backup

Please don’t denigrate AHL goaltending quality with this comment. Thank you!