conundrumed
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Posts posted by conundrumed
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17 minutes ago, CheersMan said:
If Gillis was gifted the keys to the A then it was because Rittich out played him, leaving him behind on his way to the Bigs.
Rittich did not arrive here 2.5 yrs ago the goalie that he is today, far from it, otherwise he would’ve shown it well before now. I’ve seen a huge improvement in his play since he arrived with this Org. If I remember correctly over the past couple of seasons, Rittich had issues with his edges, meaning not being able to stay in position between the posts, but rather sliding to far out of position. I also remember this non-existent puck handling skill, handled the puck like a grenade.
We all like Rittich (right now) but please throw some water on your “Rittich vs the World” theory because he had a ton of help from Smith and Sigalet along the way, lets give the Org a little credit.
Sigalet takes it on the chin for all the goaltenders that have failed, but when one does make it (Rittich) he takes it on the chin too, LOL.
It’s now Rittich’s time, lets see what he can do.
Thanks Mrs Sigalet.
I entirely disagree.
Rittich's mechanics are obvious. You don't get that base, all of a sudden, at 24.
The goaltending philosophy and coaching has been an atrocity.
But I'm sure you have examples to show me how it hasn't been both an albatross and a joke.
Good luck.
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3 hours ago, Carty said:
Hard to say what is happening with Smith... Maybe he's got the start of a flu, or another bug... and I hope that is all the problem is...
I've said it before, but I'll add it here again... I still think that Smith has never been 100% since his injury last February... He has been looking better lately, but earlier in the season there were quite a few times when he sure did not seem to have his usual mobility... He didn't have the same lateral quickness. and looked a lot slower getting up after he went down for a save... Even lately, Smith is looking better, but something is still off...
If he has a lingering groin problem, overplaying him could bring an early end to his season... No doubt Smith wants to play as many games as he can, he would play all of them if it was his choice... As on old goalie I can say that's how i felt about playing, and I'm sure that the rest of those here that played felt the same way... The same desire to play no doubt affected my judgement when I had an injury, and I always thought I could play through it and it would just heal up... and I would always tell coaches or other players on the team it wasn't that bad even when the pain level was getting worse... I'm also pretty sure there are others here that did the same thing, it's just a desire to play the game and win...
Let's all hope this is a minor issue for Smith, and he is back on the ice soon... But even if he is, if it were up to me I would limit the number of games he plays even if he is doing well... With Smith being 36 and having a pretty serious injury just last season, Peters has to weigh the odds and not take a gamble that could have a serious impact on the rest of the season... Rittich is doing just fine with a .921 SV% and 2.31 GAA (actually still better this season than Smith who has a .888 SV% and 2.99 GAA)... Let him play more often and keep him sharp... Rittich started out last season pretty well, but wasn't getting that many games in once Smith got hot, and when the Flames had to rely on him when Smith went down it seemed like Rittich had problems with the pressure. and maybe he just wasn't ready for it... At this point and under the circumstances, let both goalies play often, feed off the competition and try and outdo each other... If one of them falters, then you lean heavier on the one who is doing a better job keeping the puck out of the net... But either way you still don't let one sit out long enough that they go cold...
So true Carty, and when you're battling another goalie for starts, you're definitely convincing yourself, "it's not that bad".
Rittich, imho, has been poorly developed since he got with the org. Good thing he was developed well before us.
Gillies was gifted the keys in the A, Rittich played well, never mattered. Backs up Smith last year, played well, didn't matter.
So when Smith went down, we had never handed any keys to Rittich ever, then it gets sprung on him.
Imho, the whole affair was just poor mgmt of him. I honestly credit Rittich this year for taking it on himself that the keys may get handed to him again, and this time, he'll be ready.
One concern I have with Smith, is it an injury or his confidence?
He said maybe a month ago, "I've talked to the coaches, family, friends about my struggles" to paraphrase.
We don't need to ride Smith until he fails. But it looks like we were starting to do that after a couple of good wins.
I'm growing more on fire everyday with our goalie coaching.
It's pathetic. Rittich brought all the science, but didn't play much. Gillies is falling through the cracks, Smith pretty much said he's struggling with the mental aspect.
Yet we seem to give him support as, Mike Smith: Legend. Rather than, Mike Smith: Person and Goalie.
Maybe Mason MacDonald would've turned into a goalie elsewhere. Parsons?
BT's shortcoming will always be understanding goaltending. So swallow your pride and damn well hire someone that understands it.
Sigalet should change professions and build a peaceable kingdom teaching yoga.
Are we even trying to help our prospect goalies? Because this is extremely suspicious.
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2 hours ago, cross16 said:
I don't think there is, nor should there be, any consensus on how the Flames should pick. Should always just pick BPA anyway but with them having needs all over it should really just be BPA.
I agree with that at this point.
Then I think the issue becomes how you rank specific skills and foresighting exactly what kind of team you envision.
I realize hindsight is 20/20 in revisiting old drafts by almost every team, but I don't understand why historical data seems basically ignored.Rather than learn from it.
The draft is virtually the same, every year. A lot of consensus, a lot of promotion, a lot of attack.
Something is wrong imho. We stat the crap out of minutiae, but imho we talk about old drafts revisited. No one seems to trend why the surprises are NHLers and the commonalities of play styles.
BPA has to meet the GM's vision of what he's building. A big shot, good finish, heavy game decent skater RW might be right there alongside of a fast, skilled, smaller, extreme vision and set ups LW. Who do you take? The scouts HAVE to work to the GM's vision, there has to be one. A light to follow.
IMHO, that's not a decision to make on the draft floor.
The vision has to be in place.
Then it's BPA to the vision.
The era of building a team around Lemieux doesn't work in a cap world, as we're seeing quite clearly recently. Draft to a vision, and be hard on your scouts to drive home the vision.
Give everyone the plan and a voice, adjust the plan accordingly, everyone sticks with it.
Hire Russians with guns to keep your scouts scared. j/k
But I hope our scouts take anonymity to the rinks. That "scouts" section is a bunch of back-slapping, keg-tapping "oracles of hockey" that would do better treating it as hard work.So here we are, we can trend the most important thing, drafting, with a ton of more reliable historical data.
If anyone is doing it, it's kept incredibly on the down-low in the media.
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20 minutes ago, robrob74 said:
Yup!
I, never a goalie aside from lacing them up once against alternative high school students (a lot of youth at risk), feel the same. I didn’t like the idea of Rittich when they first signed him because he was taking these starts away from our goalie of the future, and doing very well. As a drafted goalie I wanted Gillies to develop into a great starter. actually seeing them play I changed my mind and was wowed by his positioning and calmness/patience in net.
I almost never wanna see Gillies start a game for Calgary again because I just don’t trust him. But I am rooting for Rittich big time. Gillies reminds me of this year’s Smith.
The bolded was my advice to a 10 ye old girl who was trying net for the first time. She, My coworker’s daughter, has played in net since. I said something like watch the play, stay a step ahead. Think about what it’s like when you play D or F. If you get scored on, don’t worry because goals happen. Keep making saves and Stop the next one.
its like 5+ years later and she is a goalie now.
As far as kids go, every kid should play every position and then decide by 14.
And in all honesty.
Look at the Satoshi Nakamoto we waste money on. This is Canada.
Free hockey gear for everyone 0-15.
Every parent will vote that one in. How many kids can't play? Whytf is it a rich man's sport here?
It's sickening. Some National Sport we leverage all income ranges of parents to uphold.
The unfortunate....I guess that's unfortunate.
Does Canada actually have any culture? I thought hockey was a huge one.
But no. Government doesn't really embrace it, our fearless leaders.
Sorry for getting off topic. Just assumed "National Sport" has the connotations of heavy govt funding. Not municipalities struggling to keep rinks open and leagues afloat,
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3 hours ago, robrob74 said:
I am 427lbs, I might be his biggest fan.
Not a snowballs chance in hell I'm buying that, or you're 8'2".
I get the, "biggest fan" part is unintentionally obnoxious. But it was me giving long-winded over-the-top posts re Rittich's play a long time ago.
Don't accuse me of, "I told you so" either, I despise that mentality.
Just observation by a very former Jr B goalie that Rittich is my kinda goalie and has been since taking over for Gillies in the A playoffs a few years back (when I actually got to watch him enough).
I love Quick as a goalie but I love Rittich as the polar opposite of a highlight reel goalie. He rarely puts himself in needing a highlight reel predicament (although the team puts him there on occasion).
I know this makes me a homer, but keep emotion away from Rittich and he might be the best "science of goaltending" in the league.
Also the polar opposite of Smith.
I honestly think that works in our favour, so long as Rittich simply stays with that and doesn't have to overthink or get caught up in emotion.
Now I'm rambling, but I'm so hopeful for him.
He plays the position the right way. No drama. I really hope this is his year. Just keep doing the same thing whether you give up 1 or 7. Don't get rattled.
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I think the G position is still a work in progress.
Smith playing better but still a few wrinkles.
Rittich has been inconsistent in the past and hopefully that’s ironed out.
I’m very hopeful our goaltending solidifies between now and Christmas from hopeful to stalwart.
Ideally Rittich has given Smith the time he needed and Rittich keeps pressing to limit Smith’s starts.
Rittich’s up there for MVP rn for me. Holding the fort for a hugely struggling Smith is a very big deal imo.
Also consider we’ve had a couple of throwaway losses and we could be 1st in the NHL.
B2B walking into Edmonton, good time for Peters to tell the skaters why they’re first in the West.
C’mon Rittich, I’ve been your biggest fan for a while now, big night tonight will cost me a new jersey...!!
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Pros: seeing the old feller so invigorated
Cons: this team is bad
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Hitch kix it off with a win.
Seems like a good time to mention Martin Jones has been hot garbage all year.
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National plebiscites. "we've taken it out of your hands".
Few are pretending to speak for many.
End it.
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On 11/7/2018 at 6:51 PM, Cowtownguy said:
If there is a god, then McLellan will not be replaced by Q. If he is, then there is not god.
Ummmmm,uh
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2 hours ago, sak22 said:
Benning was an undrafted college guy, less heralded than Cagiula but a much better find.
And he also might be the worst Dman in the entire league.
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3 minutes ago, Going4TheCup said:
I believe that David Rittich is confirmed to get the start tomorrow!
I'm not sure team's around the league are going to be too fond of Rittich giving them nowhere to shoot and no rebounds.
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4 minutes ago, cross16 said:
I think you stick with the 1A 1B for now, you just flip who the A and the B are and Rittich gets more of thenstsrts.
Still plenty of time of make him the starter if he earns it.
For the short term I agree. Rittich has earned the right to have a bad game with no effect.
He's near putting on a clinic of goaltending 101.
And god knows he's the most jubilant guy when we win.
Some goalies are really struggling with the narrower gear.
Rittich doesn't seem to be one of them. Fundies are the same.
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4 hours ago, travel_dude said:
I was. How many of those were quality shots, though.
I wonder if Philly is as much a goalie wasteland as the Flames have been.
Rittich has been a breath of fresh air this year.
Early yet, but considering how well the team in front is playing, we should be crushing it.
Ummm...considering the goalies, all of them?
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We think we have goalie problems? Anyone watching TBay vs Philly?
Domingue vs Picard. Ouch.
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57 minutes ago, flames-fan-in-jets-land said:
I stayed unathletic, indifferent, and out of shape purposely so the eventual downward spiral wouldnt be much of a shock.
That's epic. lol
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3 minutes ago, travel_dude said:
Comments from Sigalet:
“When Smitty has struggled in the past, we’ve put clips together of things he has done well and what has made him successful — whether it’s a highlight reel or just clips where he’s on and letting pucks come to him,” Sigalet said. “That’s something we’ve done in a past and something he likes. Instead of focusing on the bad, you focus on the good. And then just a lot of one-on-one conversation, trying to get his confidence up and get his ego up.
“I think he’s had streaks like this in the past, and you always see him come out of it … He just has to take the pressure off himself. Just play.”
“It’s tough, and you feel it right away,” said Sigalet, whose own puck-stopping resume includes NCAA, AHL and a sliver of NHL action. “And it makes it even tougher when the team is playing really well in front of you and you’re watching the other guy at the other end making save after save. And then you start to think a little bit and get a little tight, knowing that you don’t want to let in the next shot because this guy is standing on his head.
“It’s not easy in a game like that.”
It's easy to compare Price's situation this year and Smith's. Two vets that have played well in the past and have battled their way back. The problem with that is that Proce and Rinne and Holtby have been elite tenders, while Smith is a good goalie that has been great at times. I'm not sure that Sigalet's methods work, because when Smith has struggled, he has not found his way back. A couple of good games after he returned, but the bad parts are still there. Just because Smith likes it doesn;t mean it works. If you never work on the plays that result in goals, how do you fix it. It's not 100% confidence. His technique is leading to the goals. All you need to do is look at the first saves by Rittich. Square to the puck. Don't get too deep too soon. Don't play too small. Sit out and pay attention to the other goalie.
JFC Sigalet, kid gloves with Smith's personality?
I can almost say, so that's what happened.
Don't be nice, challenge him, show him the bad, get him fired up.
He's a big boy, he can handle it. I guarantee he's not nice when someone else screws up.
Focus on the bad with a, "wtf was that"?
Holding hands and singing kumbaya isn't going to help him. Be a coach. Moreso, be a man. Motivate him. You're not his buddy, you're his boss.
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11 minutes ago, travel_dude said:
With Smith's age factored in, there is some truth that he's reached the point of no return. Only the select few ever stay at a high level at that age.
Some goal scored seem to be a lack of confidence, while others seem to be slow reaction time. Perhaps both can be attributed to confidence. Don't know.
The team hasn't given up on him yet, but they need to be very careful in how they dole out the starts and how they manage the next few weeks.
Rittich has the net now, and should be given enough rope to prove he isn;t a flash in the pan. I admit I was skeptical he could recover from how he played the end of last season, but the guy is so even-keeled that he used it as a learning experience. He's playing at a level right now that you expect from your starter. Play him like that for the next few weeks. Smith needs to do something different. Throw out the red pads and buy another set. Burn the old ones outside the Saddledome. Come to the rink as the backup and show that you are ready to win a game when you get a chance. It may not be until they play Vegas or Arizona on the road.
I know Smith has said he's talked to his Coaches, teammates, family etc about his struggles and just trying to get his head in the right place.
It sounds like something any good goalie coach can work with. It takes time though. Don't need to rebuild him, just get him to relax and get comfortable.
He looks so unsure of himself and frustration is written all over his face. When things aren't working for vet goalies they have to take a step back and get back to the basics.
This is where Rittich is the polar opposite of Smith. Rittich completely relies on the fundamentals for all 60 minutes, Smith relies on athleticism.
He needs to think the game better. Pucks hit you and you absorb them, have you're angles perfected. Don't cheat, stay loose.
He's playing like his own worst enemy.
On a brighter note, does Rittich pull out the old skool awesome poke check again tonight?
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I seem to be part of a dying crowd that still thinks Smith will be okay.
With Rittich playing well, it's time to let Smith take a step back and address what's ailing him.
If Rittich were struggling rn too, we'd be in big trouble.
Smith will come around, I know it's hard too watch. Players go through these confidence killers all of the time.
The team has overcome the Pens trauma, but Smith hasn't. Pucks are just going through him, that's a mental issue.
Hopefully Rittich can buy him some time to get to his happy place.
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I mean it looks like it worked perfectly.
You've been baited. Be careful what you eat.
There are good fats and bad fats.
Information comes at the cost of those providing it and the ability of individuals to absorb it.
And a group, however big or small, can influence it.
So maybe let everyone know that off the hop, before the I'm right/you're wrong starts.
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1 hour ago, The_People1 said:
Your take on the Arab Spring and Left falling out of favour is completely not accurate but I digress.
Looks like it worked perfectly to be honest.
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13 minutes ago, robrob74 said:
I get why people like Kehatch are concerned
And they always will be. No offense to him, but he's been pretty sour lately in his posts.
Hopefully he comes around because he's a very intelligent poster.
You get too high and then a 6 game losing streak. You get too low and a 6 game win streak.
Cheques and balances. We could all complain endlessly.
I'm hear to cheer, not magnify mistakes.
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15 minutes ago, cross16 said:
Not even 20 games in yet. I don't really have a problem getting both guys going so long as Smith plays like he did in SJ and not against Colorado.
Plenty of time for this to sort itself out and certainly not even close to needing to make decisions for next year.
I agree, but just start your best player, so far it's Rittich. That's not an indictment of Smith. Perfect opportunity to limit his starts rn.
There's no saying Rittich won't fall apart when the pressure gets cranked, but take advantage now and give Smith time to work out the mechanics.
We don't have to force it rn is all I'm saying.
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3 minutes ago, robrob74 said:
I would go on a 1-1 run right now. Alternate the starts, and start grooming Rittich to be able to handle a higher work load.
Smith getting W’s is gonna get the team into the playoffs, but so is Rittich.
Rhe year Johnson was playing better, they had to get Elliott going so they sat a goalie who was in a zone. Elliott got into a zone, but it got Johnson out of it. Some say Johnson started losing, but stats will only show the losses now, but he was still playing good in those, until he sat for awhile.
This team handles goaltending horribly. They want a young guy to seize it, we have one doing his best to, but not letting him stay with it.
I just don't think we should be in, Smith needs to get going mode rn. Rittich just got married too, so he's playing for an NHL salary and longevity. Not that that matters, but it's a huge motivator towards stability.
Smith's in yr 2 of placeholder. We need to know if Rittich can be our starter next year.
It's totally up in the air. The way he's going now is a great opportunity, more important than worrying about a vet approaching retirement getting going.
We're overthinking it, imho. Take advantage of Rittich playing well under Smith's tutelage. Was that not the plan all along?
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