Is Mike Smith the new Brian Elliot and is James Neal the new Troy Brouwer?

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Frank MetaMusil

Can't be thanked enough. How the flying eff does this guy escape the guillotine every offseason?

Because all the goalies are flexible and in shape, and continue to practice stopping pucks that’s about all he can do.

Unless he has instructed Mike Smike to stay deeper in the net than a Shooter Tuitor, he’s not the issue.

The inexplicable refusal by this organization to invest in high end talent for the position is the issue.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Common denominator: Jordan Sigalet.

How this guy has survived what is probably over half a dozen goalies that plateaued or declined while in a flames jersey is beyond me.

The athletic had an excellent article on Sigalet the other day.

https://theathletic.com/607543/2018/...-goalie-coach/

A BehindtheBenches.com chart shows the tenures of all 31 goalie coaches. Not including Vegas, 21 of them have been with their NHL teams for five or fewer seasons.

“I saw that,” said Sigalet, in his fifth winter with the Flames. “There’s definitely been a lot more turnover the last couple years. You used to see the head coach taking all the heat. Now the goalie coach is taking just as much heat as the head coach – it’s a high-pressure job. But, like a lot of guys in this position, I like the pressure. You feed off of it. It gets the adrenaline going. It feels like when I played. You feel personally responsible for a loss, still, and you’re not even on the ice.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

Is this what it is going to be like every time the Flames lose two in a row?

TBF, the Canadiens game was a crap effort and the Pens game was an embarrassing blowout.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by sempuki

Is it time for fans to crack each other’s heads open and feast on the goo inside?

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Because all the goalies are flexible and in shape, and continue to practice stopping pucks that’s about all he can do.

Unless he has instructed Mike Smike to stay deeper in the net than a Shooter Tuitor, he’s not the issue.

The inexplicable refusal by this organization to invest in high end talent for the position is the issue.

Yep, pretty much this.

We haven’t acquired a top tier goalie since Kipper.

Every goalie we’ve acquired since Kipper retired has effectively been magic beans. Hopes and dreams of finding the diamond in the rough, and ending up with quality near the bottom of the league. No goalie coach can remedy the fact that we acquire bad goalies.

[David Struch]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

We haven’t acquired a top tier goalie since Kipper.

Leland Irving not turning out then,

Karri Rämö
Reto Berra
Joey MacDonald
Joni Ortio
Jonas Hiller
Brian Elliott

[bluck]

Originally Posted by David Struch

Leland Irving not turning out then,

Karri Rämö
Reto Berra
Joey MacDonald
Joni Ortio
Jonas Hiller
Brian Elliott

Just burn my eyes out

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by David Struch

Leland Irving not turning out then,

Karri Rämö
Reto Berra
Joey MacDonald
Joni Ortio
Jonas Hiller
Brian Elliott

Chad Johnson
Eddie Lack

[Muta]

Originally Posted by David Struch

Leland Irving not turning out then,

Karri Rämö
Reto Berra
Joey MacDonald
Joni Ortio
Jonas Hiller
Brian Elliott

Hell yeah, Joey MacDonald! That guy was awesome!

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Smith was never that good to begin with. Before coming to the Flames, he only had 3 seasons where he played enough games to be considered a true starting goalie. Maybe arbitrary, but I use at least 60 games to be the benchmark for a 1A goalie. And now he is old. His 4.10 GAA and 0.866 SA% this season so far is gross.

I think Neal will come around, but he needs the ice-time to be effective.

Entirely arbitrary you mean?

9 goalies in the entire NHL played 60 or more games last year,

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Yep, pretty much this.

We haven’t acquired a top tier goalie since Kipper.

Every goalie we’ve acquired since Kipper retired has effectively been magic beans. Hopes and dreams of finding the diamond in the rough, and ending up with quality near the bottom of the league. No goalie coach can remedy the fact that we acquire bad goalies.

Most teams draft their top goalies and in fairness to the Flames, they've drafted consensus good goalie prospects. Gillies, Parsons, Macdonald, Irving, Krahn, Brossoit, all the way back to Kidd - they all were either highly thought of at the draft or highly thought of by the time they turned pro. They've also tried the Euro route (Ramo) and the high end backup route (Turek).

It's over a period of time that can't be explained by GM, scouting staff, goalie coaches or anything else.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Yep, pretty much this.

We haven’t acquired a top tier goalie since Kipper.

Every goalie we’ve acquired since Kipper retired has effectively been magic beans. Hopes and dreams of finding the diamond in the rough, and ending up with quality near the bottom of the league. No goalie coach can remedy the fact that we acquire bad goalies.

And when we got him he was a nobody. So technically we've never acquired a high end goalie since we drafted Trevor Kid.


BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[blankall]

James Neal, regardless of production, has a compete level that Brouwer simply did not have. It's not fair to compare the two. If Brouwer had been throwing hits, crashing nets, and getting in people's faces, I would have had zero problem with him. Neal is also getting shots and getting into the slot.

Brouwer was an offensive dead end. So many dead plays due to his lazy uninspired play.

I was wary of the Neal deal, and I think we overpaid, which is normal for FA. However, Neal is nothing like Brouwer.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

And when we got him he was a nobody. So technically we've never acquired a high end goalie since we drafted Trevor Kid.


BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Are you talking about Olympic Silver medalist Trevor Kidd?

[Brick]

Not a fan of Mike Smith at all, never have been.

I have a little more patience with James Neal.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

And when we got him he was a nobody. So technically we've never acquired a high end goalie since we drafted Trevor Kid.


BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Oh they’ve acquired plenty of great goalies. They were just all ready to retire when the Flames finally comitted.

[Iggy Snipe]

Smith is a competitor. I agree he has been hot garbage this season, but if he can find his groove, and at least make routine saves, the Flames have a fighting chance.

Neal will be fine. He is 10X the player Brouwer is. I don't even understand the comparison. Have you watched any game this year? Neal is trying to create offence, and has had tons of chances to score, but had failed to put the puck in the net until the Pitt game. That goal was garbage too, but thats how it goes in hockey. He will get his 20 goals.

He is going to be playing with Johnny and Mony on the top line eventually full time, as that is where his shot will be unitize the most.

[pepper24]

Smith has made all-star team the past 2 games. Last season he was our MVP until his injury. He’ll be good this season as well. I worry what we’ll do next season. There’s no comparison between him and Elliott.

[Corral]

I thought smith was to be the bridge to get us to when a goalie in our system would take the reign. Signing him was a risk given his age but for a short contract ok.

So the real problem is where is the heir apparent?

[CSharp]

Hahaha, if Neal becomes the new Brouwer, there's only one similarity between the two - which is Bennett! Frickin hell, what's up with this team!