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

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by nik-

lol. Are you getting interviewed by Scott Oake or something?

As long as I give it 110%, that is all you can ask for. Just need to take it one day at a time and things will take care of things themselves.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

No way! "Whoas!" was some of my best work.

Umm, what?

Maybe it’s your expertise in forgeries speaking but I coined that phrase, not you.

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Haha. Can we change the thread title to "The Whoas of Dougie Hamilton" and make it about all the nice plays he's made this season?

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Umm, what?

Maybe it’s your expertise in forgeries speaking but I coined that phrase, not you.

Yeah, I know. I didn't mean to take credit; sorry for that. I assumed TheScorpion's response was directed at me for changing the title of the thread. It's all yours.

[LWcrowfoot]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I personally love the thread title change. Nicely done, Scorp.

Eating crows? Who knows!

Ain't no one eating crow over Mike Smith.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

I was just joking. It was a team effort.


This new title is hilarious though. It’s very clever.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

I was just joking. It was a team effort.


This new title is hilarious though. It’s very clever.

Could have worked low blow ho in there somewhere...

[SuperMatt18]

I have to say though...the whole media narrative that Smith has turned his game around is kind of annoying, he's yet to have a save percentage above .900 for a month this season.

October
Smith: 4-4-1, .878
Rittich: 3-1-0, .939

November
Smith: 2-3-0, .891
Rittich: 5-1-1, .911

December
Smith: 4-1-0, .899
Rittich: 4-2-2, .925

January
Smith: 3-1-0, .888
Rittich: 6-0-1, .911

Crazy to me to have a goalie with a 14-10-1 record, and a .889 save percentage.

Honestly if he's at a .905 save percentage that's 10 fewer goals against and probably at around 3-4 more wins which would put us tied with Tampa Bay in the President's Trophy race.

[Toonage]

He's settled into backup territory in every sense which is fine, but there is also truth to the Flames needing to outscore his gaffs at times.

So really, we're all right. Haters & defenders alike. Which is no fun.

[transplant99]

Yeah...honestly if the backup G position is the biggest problem with this club, then things are in really good shape.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Toonage

He's settled into backup territory in every sense which is fine, but there is also truth to the Flames needing to outscore his gaffs at times.

So really, we're all right. Haters & defenders alike. Which is no fun.

The whole situation is like a Carolina Hurricanes post-game celebration.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

The whole situation is like a Carolina Hurricanes post-game celebration.

Oh no you don't.

[LWcrowfoot]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I have to say though...the whole media narrative that Smith has turned his game around is kind of annoying, he's yet to have a save percentage above .900 for a month this season.

He had a "good" six game run in late November-Early December which some read too much into, stretching that into his next few games to turn it into a ten game segment and he's turned it around.

However the more games he plays, the further-away that six game run is the less the turned his game around narrative works. He's an AHL level goaltender at this point. No if ands or buts about it.

The next start the back ups scheduled for I'd like to see Gillies given the start. Gillies hasn't exactly stoned the AHL this year but what's the worse that can happen? The Flames need four goals to win when Smith starts, the worst that can happen is Gillies sucks too. Or maybe he surprises you and his numbers are better than the terrible Stockton Heat him surrounding him.

Smith is the worst goalie on the 2nd best team in the NHL. The Flames are fighting for or in 1st with a halfway capable back-up.

And because some people need to hear this in a post "bashing" Mike, he's a real sweet guy and a great family man.

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Yeah...honestly if the backup G position is the biggest problem with this club, then things are in really good shape.

Except if the starter gets injured... the Flames are screwed because Smith plays like trash. Way more detrimental than losing Gaudreau or Giordano imo (which would also really suck)

[LWcrowfoot]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Yeah...honestly if the backup G position is the biggest problem with this club, then things are in really good shape.

100% agreed. But that doesn't make it okay. We're a Rittich injury away from our entire season going up in smoke. Things can go from good shape to poorly pretty quickly.

[TheIronMaiden]

Rittich has already Surpassed Smith in games played. Rittich has started 28 games, and Smith has started 25. There are 29 Games left. I think that we shouldn't be surprised to see smith start 10 of those before the playoffs start.

For me, the magic number is keeping Rittich under 50 games in the regular season. Anything more than that the Flames start going into dangerous territory, because my suspicion is that Rittich will start every playoff game, meaning that if things go well, he will have to play in excess of 20 games in a row.

[TheScorpion]

- The Flames should add another goalie
- Smith has been better lately

Two things that are not mutually exclusive.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by keenan87

Except if the starter gets injured... the Flames are screwed because Smith plays like trash. Way more detrimental than losing Gaudreau or Giordano imo (which would also really suck)

If the starter gets injured what team isn't pretty much screwed?

[ResAlien]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

- The Flames should add another goalie
- Smith has been better lately

Two things that are not mutually exclusive.

Better than what? Better than having the goalie pulled for the entire game? Sure, probably. His last five he’s given up 4,4,1,5,3 and a save % of .900, .886, .956, .808, and .906.

The one decent game was against Arizona. Better lately? Yeah ok.

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

If the starter gets injured what team isn't pretty much screwed?

That is correct. But I would rather have a NHL calibre backup if it comes to that... not AHL or ECHL calibre which is what Smith currently is.

[TheIronMaiden]

What does a realistic back up goalie trade market look like?