QOTD: Goalie Split - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Bingo · 08-19-2019, 07:42 AM

Bringing back the Question of the Day to get us through the final stretch of summer. Will do my best to keep them interesting enough to have a little discussion.

Day one goaltending.

How do you see the goaltending split for games in Calgary this year?

jayswin · 08-19-2019, 07:49 AM

Many fans soured on Rittich being a legit number one after his injury in January. I think a lot of that is because it wasn't really disclosed/talked about, therefore fans just figured he'd fallen off second half because of workload or not being as good as we thought.

Personally, I feel like I saw a top 10 goalie in this league before his injury and without injury this season I think we'll see that again.

jayswin · 08-19-2019, 07:52 AM

And I think Talbot will have a bit of a resurgence on a team with legitimate defense and a fire to prove people wrong, stealing the net here and there. But overall I think it's Rittich's year.

However, I do think even if Rittich is showing top 10 stuff, the team will stay the course and still give the back up major reps (as is the trend in the NHL). So 50/30 split.

Bingo · 08-19-2019, 08:06 AM

Yeah it was good to hear Rittich was fighting something because it explained the slide in his play to some degree.

The other issue that had me worried though was his penchant for giving up short side high goals once the league seemed to figure him out.

Toonage · 08-19-2019, 08:08 AM

I'm a little more concerned about Talbot giving up the first shot of the game. That was funny when he was an Oiler. Not so much now.

crapshoot · 08-19-2019, 08:15 AM

I like the whole idea of Talbot with a limited workload. He's excelled in that role before, and now he's also got a career to salvage. Rittich will be good, because I really believe he has what it takes to be a starting goalie in this league. I really look forward to watching the goaltending this year.

jayswin · 08-19-2019, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crapshoot

I like the whole idea of Talbot with a limited workload. He's excelled in that role before, and now he's also got a career to salvage. Rittich will be good, because I really believe he has what it takes to be a starting goalie in this league. I really look forward to watching the goaltending this year.

I think Brad nailed goaltending for this season.

savardandjokinen · 08-19-2019, 08:18 AM

I voted rittich 45/35, but my hope is that they do what they did in 14/15 where they split every game for the first 10 games or so, then assess how they’re both doing and figure it out from there

Bingo · 08-19-2019, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayswin

I think Brad nailed goaltending for this season.

That says something given his record for goaltenders!

CroFlames · 08-19-2019, 08:51 AM

When healthy, Rittich looked like a starter. Cam Talbot has shown he can be a starter. Rittich is being developed to hopefully become THE goalie for the Flames, so I suspect he gets 45-55 starts.

This is the first time I've gone into a season comfortable with the goalie situation since the Brian Elliott days. Turns out I should not have been comfortable.

mikephoen · 08-19-2019, 09:18 AM

I went with an even split. I think both guys will have times when they seem like they've taken the number 1 job, but in the end it will work out pretty even. Hopefully Peters has a hard decision going into the playoffs, with both guys playing well.

lazypucker · 08-19-2019, 09:27 AM

I think Rittich will get even more than 50 games. I think 55-60. If the Flames is thinking that he IS the number 1 goalie, why continue to protect and baby him? 55 to 60 games is like 70%, still not a super heavy workload.

BTW, 45/35 split is essentially half and half split....

tvp2003 · 08-19-2019, 09:41 AM

I'm excited for a full season of Rittich, without the noise of Mike Smith hanging over him. He has shown that he can be a top ten goalie in this league -- now he just has to do it over a full season. If he stays healthy, I definitely think he can.

And I want Talbot to bounce back as well just for the Chiadenfreude. At the very least, I can't see him being worse than Smith was in the first few months of last season.

52/30 would be perfect IMO.

The Fonz · 08-19-2019, 09:52 AM

I'm pretty excited about Talbot. I think that behind a stronger team, and in a stronger room, he's going to be unrecognizable in contrast to last season.

Voted: Talbot 45/35

dangler22 · 08-19-2019, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazypucker

I think Rittich will get even more than 50 games. I think 55-60. If the Flames is thinking that he IS the number 1 goalie, why continue to protect and baby him? 55 to 60 games is like 70%, still not a super heavy workload.

BTW, 45/35 split is essentially half and half split....

The lesser the workload, the fresher Rittich will be for the playoffs. I don't want him starting 60 games because to me that would signal that Talbot was a flop in the backup role.

Sent from my SM-G955W using Tapatalk

Strange Brew · 08-19-2019, 09:58 AM

I have this feeling we see a different goalie go into the playoffs as the starter.

TheIronMaiden · 08-19-2019, 10:05 AM

I am a big believer that a starting goalie shouldn't play more then 50 games in a season. I don't really care who plays the lions share of the games so long as they don't ride one goalie like a rented mule.

Jacks · 08-19-2019, 10:10 AM

I have a feeling that Talbot is going to have a comeback year. He was in the tire fire long enought o temporarily break his spirit but hopefully not have permanently damaged him. Hopefully it's a hard decision who to put in all year.

Geeoff · 08-19-2019, 10:31 AM

I think the split should be determined by play but I'd give Rittich game 1.

That being said, I don't think Peters has that much faith in BSD, so I wouldn't be surprised if Talbot ends up as 1A

Zulu29 · 08-19-2019, 10:38 AM

I have a feeling that Talbot is going to take the reigns this year, I think he’s got a lot to prove and was hung out to dry on one of if not the worst defence in the league. He seems to have great positioning at all times whereas sometimes I find Rittich let’s in goals where it appeared he “lost his net”. Either way, it’s nice to finally have two solid options where I would be confident in both to win games against anyone.