Smith is the starter, so while agree Rittich has played well, he needs to do it consistently when called upon, not just given the reigns to go for it after 11 games.
I think the “how will you know if you don’t give him another chance?” argument is incredibly premature. He’s played parts of the last 3/4 games. Nobody has closed the door on him, so let’s stop pretending that Rittich is at a “now or never” Stage of his development, or that the Flames are at that point in their season for that matter.
But how many times are you going to let Smith piss away points waiting to see if he’ll find his game? Points are worth the same in October as they are in April. Play the guy who has looked better. And not just a little better, a lot.
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But how many times are you going to let Smith piss away points waiting to see if he’ll find his game? Points are worth the same in October as they are in April. Play the guy who has looked better. And not just a little better, a lot.
They have been. He’s had two of the past 4 starts.
My expectation for each game is that we will give up at least the first goal and that we will be behind by the 10 minute mark of the first period each game.
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I still like the Peters hiring but if he goes back to Smith on Monday I’m gonna be livid. Yes, Smith looked better the 2nd half of that game but the numbers are black and white.
I don’t care who was anointed starter at the beginning of the year. Play the guy that gives you the best chance at a W. That is without a doubt, Rittich.
Livid is a pretty strong word.
I could see being disappointed, shaking your head, or the like.
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Exp:
Quote:
Originally Posted by PepsiFree
How do we know that Smith won’t return to form?
Smith is the starter, so while agree Rittich has played well, he needs to do it consistently when called upon, not just given the reigns to go for it after 11 games.
I think the “how will you know if you don’t give him another chance?” argument is incredibly premature. He’s played parts of the last 3/4 games. Nobody has closed the door on him, so let’s stop pretending that Rittich is at a “now or never” Stage of his development, or that the Flames are at that point in their season for that matter.
If Smith continues with his inconsistent play he needs to have a shorter leash. Don't keep going back to him with hopes that his game improves.
Rittich should be given the same opportunity as Smith. If he plays well, you ride him until he lays an egg. At some point we need to find out if Rittich can handle the #1 position.
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Positives: under 30 shots against, some emotion, and overall a decent game imo
Yes. The 9-1 disaster aside, so far this team is at least more entertaining than last year's. For one thing, they may actually score a PP goal here and there. For another, they seem to respond after being scored on, and they already have two 6-5 goals.
They have been. He’s had two of the past 4 starts.
And Rittich is 1-1 in those games. Smith is 0-2-1 his last 3 starts. Rittich should be getting the lions shares of the starts until either he starts to falter or Smith starts to improve.
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To sprinkle a bit of positivity tonight, I thought Andersson was fantastic. I’m really excited about him.
I agree, i was at today's game and he really was amazing. It made me think that with the Flames getting younger for the most part, it may be that the big trade in the offseason and the up and coming group of defensemen set us up much better for the next few years. It may not pan out this year though, how far can you go with 3 very young defensemen?
Hannifin was very good as well and I don't agree that he has been generally bad, although he had a couple of challenging games out of 11. The goalie position does have to be addressed though, that is by far the biggest problem that the Flames have. They absolutely have to find out this year if Rittich has it, otherwise it may be time to move on. Smith is done as a starter, he needs to be relegated to the bullpen.
And Rittich is 1-1 in those games. Smith is 0-2-1 his last 3 starts. Rittich should be getting the lions shares of the starts until either he starts to falter or Smith starts to improve.
Sure... and how do you suppose you’ll notice if Smith starts to improve with Rittich getting “the lion’s share”?
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Isn't Smith like the oldest goalie in the league? I wasn't expecting much from him this season anyway. With LA doing bad I wonder what Quick can be had for?
I really liked Andersson tonight as well, getting NHL minutes is really helping him.
On the otherside, I'm really starting to dislike Johnny's size issues. Guy gets pushed off the puck too often and can't figure into corners. And trying to shoot at an 85° angle from the corner only works when the goalie is out of position.
And another goalie gets his first win in the NHL over the Flames. They should have been throwing everything they could on him in the third but tried to be too pretty.
So many people say this and I personally disagree.
If I am playing my 4th NHL game in net, I want you throwing everything at me. If you are throwing everything on net then chances are the majority are not great scoring chances. Let me touch the puck, get into the game and build confidence. These are the best in the world and just because they are a backup doesn't mean they are bad. I am sure most backups are not far off from the starter in terms of GAA and SV%.
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Honestly, I am not at all upset with this result. I loved the resiliency to come back from 2-0 down and from 3-2 down with 2 minutes left after the Capitals had just suffocated the team. There are three key hockey clichés that I find become more real as I get older:
1. At the end of a winning streak, you probably win some games you shouldn't win and likewise at the end of a losing streak, you likely lose some games you should have won.
2. It takes about 20 games at the beginning of the season to find out what you have. It also takes 20-30 games to get used to a new coach and 20 games for a new defenseman to adjust to a new system.
3. Washington lost 8-2 last year early in the season, Pittsburgh lost 10-1. We are neither of those teams, but as much fun as it is to laugh at others for these results, they do not define a team. The bounce back does.
For those that are finding themselves giving up on the team and the season, I encourage you to look at the Gaskal's around the league report as a mirror. Seven of the eight teams in our division are separated by 4 points after 10 games. Almost every fan base thought they would be a playoff team this year and wonder/worry about their team during any given streak. The reality is that this will be a dog fight until the end by which point the Flames can hopefully separate themselves by a few points to get some breathing room. Enjoy the ride - this is one of the best teams that management has put together and the most the owners have ever paid for a team in our city. Let's see if they can find a way to gel.
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Mike Smith. No goaltender has played more minutes and sucked harder. .869 S%, good for 57th of 64 goaltenders have appeared in the NHL this season. 3.91 GAA, good for 54th of 64 goaltenders to have played this season. How can anyone defend this guy?
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