[PGT] Blues 3 - Flames 1

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

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.

It’s still a better gamble than thinking a 36 year old goalie can turn it around. A goalie who was never once elite and has been bad for a year and a half. There just seems to be no reward with Smith, he’s not an NHL goalie anymore. Fathertime is undefeated

[chummer]

Originally Posted by Beninho

It’s still a better gamble than thinking a 36 year old goalie can turn it around. A goalie who was never once elite and has been bad for a year and a half. There just seems to be no reward with Smith, he’s not an NHL goalie anymore. Fathertime is undefeated

Jesus man we hear ya, just because your posts aren't getting thanks doesn't mean we don't read them.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by 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.

Again...

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Please note that there is a stark difference between defending Mike Smith and recognizing that in their current situation the Flames don't really have any option to make any changes to their goaltending. I see a bunch of people who are aware of this, and virtually NO ONE defending Smith's poor performance in goal today.

[MisterJoji]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

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.

You can’t be serious. Every single one of those goalies except maybe for Jarry is a definite upgrade and none of them would have a high acquisition cost

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by chummer

Jesus man we hear ya, just because your posts aren't getting thanks doesn't mean we don't read them.

I’m responding to a post

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Saint Troy

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

No one just jumps in to a 60-game starter's schedule at the NHL level. I have no doubt that the coaches are extremely concerned about ensuring that Rittich is set in the best position to succeed, and are managing his starts as a result.

[Beninho]

Last post on smith because obviously some posters are tired of seeing similar posts. Even after another one of Smiths #### show games his save % actually went up which is remarkable to me. So I guess that is a positive! Hope everyone has a great holiday break, see you guys vs the Jets.

[gamesaver]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

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.

You are right of course, goalies are wierd and success is never granted. Every trade is risky, you never know what you will get, but we know already what we have in Smith.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Beninho

It’s still a better gamble than thinking a 36 year old goalie can turn it around. A goalie who was never once elite and has been bad for a year and a half. There just seems to be no reward with Smith, he’s not an NHL goalie anymore. Fathertime is undefeated

I disagree about there being a better gamble. Moreover, I don't see any reason to expect that Smith will not continue to win more than half his games, even with no improvement at all. He will most likely have another run or two of good starts this season and will probably finish with close to 25 wins. He could do all that and the Flames would remain a +100-point team.

Like I have said all along: There is not a great urgency to make changes right now. The best course of action is for the Flames to ride this out until at least the TD.

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I disagree about there being a better gamble. Moreover, I don't see any reason to expect that Smith will not continue to win more than half his games, even with no improvement at all. He will most likely have another run or two of good starts this season and will probably finish with close to 25 wins. He could do all that and the Flames would remain a +100-point team.

Like I have said all along: There is not a great urgency to make changes right now. The best course of action is for the Flames to ride this out until at least the TD.

Fair enough, we shall see what the flames decide to do. I would also like to have a backup I can trust in case of an injury to Rittich. This season is too important to have it be ruined by a guy who is playing past his expiration date. I’d gladly take Brian Eliott right now as a back up over smith

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by gamesaver

You are right of course, goalies are wierd and success is never granted. Every trade is risky, you never know what you will get, but we know already what we have in Smith.

Exactly. He is a goalie who will still win games, will still manage to perform for all his faults. He is having a bad season—there is no question about that, but it really is not costing the Flames enough to prioritize making a significant change.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by MisterJoji

You can’t be serious. Every single one of those goalies except maybe for Jarry is a definite upgrade and none of them would have a high acquisition cost

I am completely serious.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I disagree about there being a better gamble. Moreover, I don't see any reason to expect that Smith will not continue to win more than half his games, even with no improvement at all. He will most likely have another run or two of good starts this season and will probably finish with close to 25 wins. He could do all that and the Flames would remain a +100-point team.

Like I have said all along: There is not a great urgency to make changes right now. The best course of action is for the Flames to ride this out until at least the TD.

I think you're downplaying things too much. I'll defend Smith against the crazy "he sneezed the wrong way so I hate him"crowd. But again ,how can you not try and find more goaltending before the deadline. You want to try for a deep run on a relatively unproven starter and one that's an inevitable injury away from leaving a big hole in the line up? Do you trust Gillies or Parsons to walk in in case of an injury to Ritter? You want to risk Smith regressing further if Ritter goes down?

Honestly, Priority #1 should be getting goaltending sorted out this season. During. Preferably before the deadline.

[Saint Troy]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

No one just jumps in to a 60-game starter's schedule at the NHL level. I have no doubt that the coaches are extremely concerned about ensuring that Rittich is set in the best position to succeed, and are managing his starts as a result.

Miller, Rinne, Crawford, Lundqvist...but they were younger, Rittich is 26. Look, I get what you are saying, but Smith is consistently letting in a beer league goal per game, and it’s not like the Flames have a 10 point cushion in the standings.

[dino7c]

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.

has everything to do with the team in from of him...he was well on his way to losing his last start until he got hurt letting in four of five shots

If Smith was on a bad or even average team he would be getting absolutely lit up. Blues had very few chances this game, they went 16 mins or so without a shot and then hit a crossbar.

Their softy was probably the Blues first decent chance in over a period and it was caused by a bad rebound

11-7 is not a good record on a quality team like the Flames

[Always Earned Never Given]

Originally Posted by DownhillGoat

Eh Nashville just dropped 4 straight too.

Yup and haven't won on the road in their last 10!

[dino7c]

Nashville has major injuries

[MisterJoji]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Exactly. He is a goalie who will still win games, will still manage to perform for all his faults. He is having a bad season—there is no question about that, but it really is not costing the Flames enough to prioritize making a significant change.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by dammage79

I think you're downplaying things too much. I'll defend Smith against the crazy "he sneezed the wrong way so I hate him"crowd. But again ,how can you not try and find more goaltending before the deadline. You want to try for a deep run on a relatively unproven starter and one that's an inevitable injury away from leaving a big hole in the line up? Do you trust Gillies or Parsons to walk in in case of an injury to Ritter? You want to risk Smith regressing further if Ritter goes down?

Honestly, Priority #1 should be getting goaltending sorted out this season. During. Preferably before the deadline.

I don't disagree at all, but I really think the Flames need to be extremely careful here. The way I see it, while goaltending is probably a top priority, and movement as of today or over the course of the next several weeks is not much of a priority at all. I think there is a chance the Flames might be able to trade for a goalie closer to the TD, but that is still weeks away. Furthermore, these are the sorts of trades that need to be done dispassionately, and with a clear view of the cost and future implications. People are angry because Smith's performance has been poor, but these sorts of reactionary responses from a GM almost never work out.

Right now the team is in a good spot even with a big question mark in goal. If they can manage to stay the course under the current conditions, where is the incentive to spend assets to make a change? We're still not close enough to that tipping point just yet.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by MisterJoji

Yeah, one of the top teams in the league. SO costly. The horror. The horror.