Who should Treliving target as a potential replacement for Mike Smith?

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I have posted this like six times in the past week, but Parson’s numbers require the benefit of added context. He has played three starts, and in each one has been demonstrably better. He won his last game, allowing 2 goals on 28 shots for a tidy 0.929 SP.


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Parsons has played one good game. That's really all there is to say.

[Otto-matic]

I wonder if Smiths injury last year has limited his mobility in the crease a bit. He seems much more awkawrd in saves and his lateral movement is way off compared to last year on my eye test.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

for me, here is the problem with waiting:

I don't think it will be good enough for Rittich to just steal the starter's job from Smith, because that means Smith will still be getting backup level game rotations, and I don't know if he is playing well enough to help the team make the playoffs. I don't think Smith is giving the Flames backup quality minutes right now, and if he can't get them for Calgary as a backup, Rittich might have to have a 930+ sv% to counteract it.

Smith's even strength save percentage right now is just .890, but his short handed save percentage is a lowly/abysmal .778

I don't think you can make the playoffs with a goalie playing that poorly, even if he is the backup.

Even if Rittich takes over the starter spot, the Flames STILL need to acquire a goalie in my mind.

Unless, by keeping feeding Smith some playing time, he actually improves. Maybe to the point of his early season play last year, in which case you now have two good goalies.

Moving Smith now is incredibly difficult. And when you do, you don't know if the return is going to improve the position, given some of the names bandied about.

[blankall]

It seems like there are so few options for guaranteed consistency in net. Vasilievsky and Gibson seem like the only goalies I see as guaranteed to play at a top level over the next 3 years. The overall life expectancy of goalies these days seems so low. Managing to catch one as they enter a run of good play is a total feat.

All of the options look pretty bleak. If we give up a 1st, or other valuable asset, for an up and comer it's a huge gamble. So many of these guys seem to bust after a couple good years. The vets all seem to randomly fall off a cliff at various points in their 30s. So if you throw big money at a vet like Bobrovsky, you could end up in an equally bad situation.

[SportsJunky]

I'm all aboard the Rittich/Smith train, I guess. I just don't see a good solution. In a perfect world, I think Columbus would be my choice of trading partner. With Bob about to go UFA and Korpisalo in the wings, it seems like an opportunity for some GM to pry Bob loose. Plus, CBJ has Merzlikins, and a couple of other goalies that seem to be on the right track. My main issue is I don't believe trading a 1st away in a goalie deal is the best move. Window or no window, it's hard to recover from dealing away your 1sts.

So I'm going to try and be patient and hope that Rittich/Smith can keep Calgary in the hunt.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

for me, here is the problem with waiting:

I don't think it will be good enough for Rittich to just steal the starter's job from Smith, because that means Smith will still be getting backup level game rotations, and I don't know if he is playing well enough to help the team make the playoffs. I don't think Smith is giving the Flames backup quality minutes right now, and if he can't get them for Calgary as a backup, Rittich might have to have a 930+ sv% to counteract it.

Smith's even strength save percentage right now is just .890, but his short handed save percentage is a lowly/abysmal .778

I don't think you can make the playoffs with a goalie playing that poorly, even if he is the backup.

Even if Rittich takes over the starter spot, the Flames STILL need to acquire a goalie in my mind.

I assume the theory (hope really) is that a properly rested Smith as a back up is better than Smith as a starter.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

I wonder if Smiths injury last year has limited his mobility in the crease a bit. He seems much more awkawrd in saves and his lateral movement is way off compared to last year on my eye test.

You may well be right.

He's been a different goalie since that time.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Itse

CP seems to be pretty much in agreement for once. Giving Rittich the starter job looks to be the obvious and only option right now.

Unfortunately, early in the season is the worst time to make trades in general, and goalies are extra unlikely to be available, so most likely our only options are to play Smith as a backup or bring someone up.

In a month or two we might find a team that wants to fully embrace tanking. Trading a decent goalie for a terrible one would be a good move from that angle...

Agree. Smith will probably spot two ugly goalsa game...Riddich maybe one. Not much to lose and at least you find out what you have in your back up.

[tvp2003]

In trying to understand Smith's poor play this season, I've looked at other goalies who have struggled this year, in hopes of finding a link (i.e. equipment? rule changes?). One of those goalies is Tuukka Rask, who has been outplayed by backup Jaroslav Halak this year.

Well, Rask was just granted a leave of absence relating to a personal matter, so that might explain his below-average performance this year: https://www.nhl.com/bruins/news/brui...sk/c-301766002

[redforever]

Originally Posted by MisterJoji

Almost any goaltender in the league is an upgrade on Smith at this point. Schneider is one of the more interesting options out there. Kinkaid appears to have taken the starting spot, 6 million cap hit isn’t too disgusting, 3 years left isn’t too disgusting and he’s coming if an injury so you would hope his numbers should return close to his career averages (2.37/.920). Given his AAV and term left I don’t think the acquisition cost would be crippling either (or NJ would have to retain a decent portion of his cap hit). I still think letting Rittich take the ball and run with it is the better option and this point but if he falters, Smith will sewer the team’s playoff chances barring a miraculous return to form.

I am not really interested in an older goalie coming off an injury or surgery. Smith already fits that description.

[flamesfever]

Originally Posted by stemit14

Sounds perfect. Don’t give your teammates the gears for losing a guy in coverage or deflecting the shot. Don’t try to make breakout passes or think you can rim the puck around the boards so good that it will get out. And don’t get down on yourself or panic every a puck gets behind you... simply put: “when the puck comes toward the net, you save it. That’s all we want you to do.”


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I agree. It seems obvious to me that Smith is trying to do too much. He scares me every time he strays too far out of the net.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Even if Rittich takes over the starter spot, the Flames STILL need to acquire a goalie in my mind.

I agree. I just don't think there's one available right now.

[Hey Connor, It's Mess]

Ryan Miller for the duration of the year. Re-evaluate situation in the off season.

[bax]

Originally Posted by Hey Connor, It's Mess

Ryan Miller for the duration of the year. Re-evaluate situation in the off season.

The Ducks aren't looking to rebuild. I doubt they are interested in trading their veteran backup. Especially with how injury prone Gibson seems to be.

[Fan in Exile]

I don't think it's tolerable for Treliving to spend more assets on another stop-gap right now. He has one more good chance to redeem himself by finding a durable goaltending solution in free agency next off-season. Thank God Rittich has stepped up so far. Time to step up his workload and give Smith some time to work on his game before we give a trade serious consideration.

Another thing Treliving should seriously consider before swinging a trade is bringing in a new goaltending coach.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Hey Connor, It's Mess

Ryan Miller for the duration of the year. Re-evaluate situation in the off season.

I think we should get accustomed to the idea that there is likely not a solution for the season beyond hoping that between Smith and Rittich the goaltending sorts itself out. For the next few weeks I think they should play close to a 50:50 split, and if Rittich continues to progress I would like to see his starts increased accordingly.

The Flames will need a new goalie next year, but I still believe the opportunities to make that change prior to the TD will be slim to none.

[dammage79]

Has Rittich REALLY stepped up or is he just showing to be a capable back up. There's nothing but Smiths performace to compare it to so our bar is set extremely low in terms of what we are seeing out there.

I do think Rittich has been fine but I also believe it's a mirage effect of Smiths performance. Anything looks better than a pile of poo on your plate.

[Toonage]

Rittich's numbers are in line with that of a bonafide starter, which is why so many of us are clamoring to see more of him. To determine if this is in fact the real thing.

[Itse]

No division rival is going to help us fix our biggest problem, because that would be incredibly stupid.

Unlikely even a conference rival would do that.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Has Rittich REALLY stepped up or is he just showing to be a capable back up. There's nothing but Smiths performace to compare it to so our bar is set extremely low in terms of what we are seeing out there.

I do think Rittich has been fine but I also believe it's a mirage effect of Smiths performance. Anything looks better than a pile of poo on your plate.

Rittich is statistically speaking among the top goalies in the League right now, so I would say his performance has certainly been more than just a mirage.