[News] Smith: 'Age is just a number

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by kehatch

Gilles was a star in college and has been a high profile goalie prospect in the NHL. Rittich was a depth AHL signing from the Czech league. 18-months also makes a big difference at this stage, and Gilles is a year behind due to injury. Does that make anything certain. No, but it is relevant since we are talking about potential. Regardless. Does anyone reasonably expect either of these guys to save our season if Smith doesn't play well or is away for an extended period of time?

The message is the same, the Flames need to get better in net but they didn't make any changes to the position and our starter is coming off an injury and is 36. It is a big gamble.

Hopefully Smith plays like he did in the first half, stays relatively healthy, and Rittich can continue to be a strong back-up.

Take a look at goalies around the league. There is far less correlation with pedigree and eventual success than you might expect.

Dismissing a goalie who has elevated himself to the NHL by the age of 26, simply because you don't think he has the pedigree, is very close-minded.

Also, 'starter is coming off an injury' ... and? So are many goalies throughout the league. Unless you want to try and make the case that he is injury-prone, you are again just being sensationalist and presenting an emotional argument.

If in fact it turns out that you are right, and Smith gets hurt again, and neither Rittich or Gillies progress, then I guess Ricardodw will turn out correct as well, and the Flames will have a season like the Jets did 2 years ago in which they miss the playoffs, score a lottery pick, and draft a Laine.

Happy?

[kehatch]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Take a look at goalies around the league. There is far less correlation with pedigree and eventual success than you might expect.

Dismissing a goalie who has elevated himself to the NHL by the age of 26, simply because you don't think he has the pedigree, is very close-minded.

Also, 'starter is coming off an injury' ... and? So are many goalies throughout the league. Unless you want to try and make the case that he is injury-prone, you are again just being sensationalist and presenting an emotional argument.

If in fact it turns out that you are right, and Smith gets hurt again, and neither Rittich or Gillies progress, then I guess Ricardodw will turn out correct as well, and the Flames will have a season like the Jets did 2 years ago in which they miss the playoffs, score a lottery pick, and draft a Laine.

Happy?

I have looked at goalies around the league. Have you? There are very few (if any) that took a path remotely similar to Rittich. But there is a monster sized number of examples where it didn't.

It is the same argument every time (Ramo, Berra, etc). It isn't impossible that it can't work, so it is possible that it will work, so we take any comments that it may not work personally.

I am not being sensational or emtional. You are the one that is talking about the next Kipper, or drafting Laine, etc. If you disagree that Rittich is a long shot, or that we are at risk of Smith regressing, or that the Flames need to take a step forward (not backward) in net to contend, great. Make an argument. I think all three are true and it amounts to a big gamble this season.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

You should go back and look at the stats again. In the last two seasons of which Oavelec played for the Jets, he registered a .904 and .888 sv% respectively, and a 2.78 and 3.55 GAA.

You can’t just make numbers up. People are going to catch them. Even if you push it out to include Pavelec’s .920 sv% the season before those two seasons, you still have him dropping off significantly two years in a row, which Smith has actually improved.

I said the last 2 years before the Jets gave up on him. I did not count the 8 game NHL season where they paid him 3.9 M to play in the AHL.


Maybe last year for the Flames should take into account Eddie Lack's 3 games?

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by kehatch

I have looked at goalies around the league. Have you? There are very few (if any) that took a path remotely similar to Rittich. But there is a monster sized number of examples where it didn't.

It is the same argument every time (Ramo, Berra, etc). It isn't impossible that it can't work, so it is possible that it will work, so we take any comments that it may not work personally.

I am not being sensational or emtional. You are the one that is talking about the next Kipper, or drafting Laine, etc. If you disagree that Rittich is a long shot, or that we are at risk of Smith regressing, or that the Flames need to take a step forward (not backward) in net to contend, great. Make an argument. I think all three are true and it amounts to a big gamble this season.

I'm curious, do you believe you've summarized my views here? Or anyone's for that matter?

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

I said the last 2 years before the Jets gave up on him. I did not count the 8 game NHL season where they paid him 3.9 M to play in the AHL.


Maybe last year for the Flames should take into account Eddie Lack's 3 games?

Which, again, showed a decline from .920 to .904, whereas Smith showed an increase from .914 to .916 during his two last seasons.

Even if you look at the last four seasons (the last four for Smith, and the last four before Pavelec’s 8 game season that apparently does not count), then you’d see:

Pavelec registered a SV% above .905 ONCE in 4 years (fun fact, he’s only ever been above .906 3 times in his 11 year career).

While Smith, in the last four years, registered a SV% BELOW .914 only once (another fun fact, he’s been above .906 8 times in his 12 year career, and above his career average of .913 another 5 times).

So, anyway, keep doing your thing. I know facts don’t matter.

[jlh2640]

I would re-sign this guy for 2 years right now if it was me. That is if he is willing to have a lesser cap hit for a 2 year deal

[Bingo]

Hang on ... he may be on to something.

If you take Pavelec's last year in Winnipeg 15/16 .904 save percentage, and Smith last year in Calgary with .914 save percentage it doesn't look good.

But if you sort them so you keep Pavelec's 20 best games and Smith's 20 worst games the numbers come out showing something completely different.

Pavelec .937 save percentage
Smith .849 save percentage

He's right.