[CP Story] Flames Acquire Mike Smith

[Bingo]

http://www.calgarypuck.com/2017/06/f...-from-arizona/

[TheScorpion]

Voted indifferent. Smith is a good puck-handler and is average in pretty much every other regard

[edn88]

Let me get back to you in 20 games - for now think it is a good deal based on what I have heard in the media. All options out there are either too expensive or wishful thinking.

[Strange Brew]

Thanks for the story Bingo. I feel you are maybe being too definitive in your evaluation of Hockey and that he's not destined for stardom. I guess given the odds you could say that about every prospect.

Not sure how to vote. I like Smith as the veteran goalie, and roughly see him as a MAF equivalent. So I'm happy he's here.

However I feel Treliving gave up too much and I'm rather astonished Phoenix was able to get quite a nice haul for an overpaid goalie on the tail end of his career.

[CsInMyBlood]

Good article Bingo.

Sums up how I feel about Smith coming here. Can't bring back Elliott. Smith works out, it's worth it. Smith doesn't work out, it's only 2 years. You haven't handcuffed yourself to a Bishop.

Plus you can see if Gilles-Parsons-Rittich can grab the backup spot or push Smith out, especially in year two.

[GranteedEV]

Indifferent and unimpressed, but not dumbfounded and frustrated like I might have been at some of Treliving's other moves in the past.

[VaporTrail]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Smith is a good puck-handler and is average in pretty much every other regard

So not accurate.
Smith is a bad puck-handler and is above average in pretty much every other regard.

[Roof-Daddy]

My first post about Smith in the poll thread I started said he was terrible and that the Flames should stay far away.

My stance softened considerably since then though, after looking deeper into the numbers over the next few weeks:

5v5 sv%
HD sv%
MD sv%
LD sv%

All very decent considering he faces the most shots behind an awful team.

Given the cost to acquire, I'm good with this trade.

Hopefully it works out.

[killer_carlson]

Cost to acquire was probably the conditional pick.

Cost to retain salary was probably Hickey

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by VaporTrail

So not accurate.
Smith is a bad puck-handler and is above average in pretty much every other regard.

Not sure why you think that. Smith has been regarded as one of the better puckhandling goalies for years. I've known about that reputation for like a decade. What makes you think he isn't and why should we believe you over the common opinion?

[Reggie Dunlop]

Indifferent.

Not the route I would have liked to have seen, nonetheless what's done is done.

[PugnaciousIntern]

Indifferent because it was a good 'trade', but not the ideal player.

I can go out and get a great deal on a hand-carved crystal duck, but if that's not really what I'm looking for, it was a bad decision.

It all depends on who is the second goalie, and if it is one of our prospects, whether they flourish and take over.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Not sure why you think that. Smith has been regarded as one of the better puckhandling goalies for years. I've known about that reputation for like a decade. What makes you think he isn't and why should we believe you over the common opinion?

I think the answer is somewhere in the middle. From what I have seen, Smith isn't a great puck handler like Price, Bishop, Holtby, or Rinne, but like Elliott he can handle the puck sufficiently and he loves to do so more than anybody in the league.

He's definitely not going to be Johnson or Hiller bad behind the net, those guys were just a cringe-fest and a half.

[PugnaciousIntern]

There's a difference between 'good' puck handler and 'confident' puck handler.

I think he's both. But the bad plays often end up in the back of your net, while the good plays often end up in a breakout out of your zone. One is much worse.

[Zoller]

If Rittich or Gillies is the backup next year and turns into a starter within 2 years this is a good deal.

If Brad goes out and gets another backup goalie and overcooks our goalie prospects resulting in them busting this is a bad deal.

[VaporTrail]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Not sure why you think that. Smith has been regarded as one of the better puckhandling goalies for years. I've known about that reputation for like a decade. What makes you think he isn't and why should we believe you over the common opinion?

Apparently my opinion must have been shaped by some gaffes I recall where Mike badly misplays the puck.

But I just made some research to confirm on that and it seems what you say is true. Puck handlig skills are singled out as Mike's biggest asset.

Happy to be proved wrong

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by VaporTrail

Apparently my opinion must have been shaped by some gaffes I recall where Mike badly misplays the puck.

But I just made some research to confirm on that and it seems what you say is true. Puck handlig skills are singled out as Mike's biggest asset.

Happy to be proved wrong

Well what was said earlier was true as well. He's VERY confident handling the puck and that occasionally leads to a brutal turnover goal. But he does outlet the puck a lot more than most goalies. I'm not surprised you'd remember the occasional howler

[Skaloper]

Originally Posted by edn88

Let me get back to you in 20 games - for now think it is a good deal based on what I have heard in the media. All options out there are either too expensive or wishful thinking.

20 games might not be enough based on last season

[simmer2]

Trading for a Raanta means likely signing a goalie to a 5 year deal and Gillies is hopefully the goalie of the future for the team....and they dont want to wait 5 years, only 2 years.

So for the veteran tenders out there, hopefully this works out.

I miss Kipper.

[MarkGio]

I'm just the kind of guy who believes people should be held accountable. Treliving has been juggling a goalie circus for several seasons now. I feel he's had a number of opportunities to rectify it based on what other teams have managed to do and I just can't see Smith being THE answer to the Flames ongoing rotation.

If Treliving doesn't fire Sigalet, and after the season we summarize that Smith didn't work out as planned, then I think Treliving should answer the bell.