travel_dude
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Everything posted by travel_dude
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To his credit (or lack of), the Oilers as a group onlly had two practices since he started. Most of the changes are one-offs. Play this situation like this. Don't do that. Specific things. Watching them play without McDavid is pretty much like watch an AHL team or worse. Maybe just an isolated event, but none of them looked good enough to play in our top 6. I don't know what's wrong with Draisailt, but he looks like he doesn't even want to play in the D-zone. Get me outa here, I want points.
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I don't know what to say. Rittich had an okay game against Dallas, then sat for two in a row. Giving up one or two bad goals tonight. The hook was as much to change momentum as anything else. Smith 1st shot in the 2nd was not exactly inspiring. I think the next start has to be well thought out. It could be a low scoring game, so we will need solid goaltending. WHomever gets ths start will get the 2nd game in the B2B against EDM.
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The majority of the current team was drafted prior to or the year of the rebuild. Only Tkachuk, Valimaki, Ras, Mangiapane (part timer for now), Bennett and Kylington (part timer) were post start of rebuild. Monahan was the 1st draft, but we were likely close to that considering how that year went. What has made us competetive is the core that existed before or and have risen during the post Iggy years. That combined with the trades like Lindy, Hanifin, Hamonic, and some astute FA signings. I wish we had assets to make additional trades, but by the same token glad we didn't trade for Kane. The stable is almost empty. Only by some luck have our later draft picks managed to look like anything more than AHL depth. Two late 2nd rounders getting NHL minutes and looking okay. A 4th rounder leading the team. A 4th rounder looking to spark Neal. A 4th rounder a #2 D.
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And the fans are back on the ledge;
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Here's a pic from the Hawks game, where Hamonic blocks a shot. For a big goalie, Smith looks extra small. Way too deep. I hope he fixes that sometime.
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The coach isn't saying much. He hasn't come out and said Smith is the man. He's playing it close to the vest. With that said, you have to alternate goalies until you know for sure. Rittich plays lights out, you give him another. They were working towards a certain number of starts for Smith, but that was to limit him. I think that's gone out the window. Smith had wins in two games where the Flames dominated. The latest was a win where the Flames were dominating, but let the game get away from them. SMith had stops that looked amazing, but some of them were as a result of his positioning. The scorpion was due to being flat on his face. I'll give credit where it is due. He's looked dialed in. That is what you need from him. Coach the dumb stickhandling out of him a bit, and he would be better overall. He does not need to hold the puck behind the net with forecheckers coming at him.
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One of their castoffs, Aberg, is enjoying his time in Anaheim. 11 points in 22 games. Wideman scratched already. Zykov hasn;t suited up yet. Puljujarvi 2 points in 14 games. Rattie mostly in the doghouse.
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Not sure what to think of the Oilers right now. 1-0 OT win against the Stars 3-2 win against the Kings 2-1 win against the Knights. Barely enough firepower to win, but getting good goaltending. Not dominating wins in any sense. 2 on 1 goal in OT. Late 3rd PP goal. Opening period breakaway against Vegas. Has Hitch improved the team, or has he gone wth the hot hand? There are stretches of games where they are absolutely dominated in the D-zone.
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That may be the case. Seems to me that is also where Smith gets beat. Maybe the numbers have balanced with his soft goals between the pads, but the eye test always seemed to be high glove side for Smith. WHatever it is with Talbot, you can;t excatly say they are tight in the D-zone.
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i doubt Darling gets claimed. Pickard did. If he makes it to the AHL, would it make sense to trade an asset for him? Not really sure if the cap hit for burying him in the AHL carries forward to the new team if traded. If CAR retained the cap hit, then again they may not want to trade dead cap space. Similar to a buyout, but shorter term? Just asking. Would not risk him fo the NHL and we can't take that cap hit just to turn around and also waive him. As an AHL goalie, he might find his game. He hasn't regained it since ending up there. Talbot. Interesting. No way they trade to the Flames anyway, but the player used to be very good. I blame last season on the overall team, but this year he's playing about the same yet Kostinen is playing like Rittich. Goalie or bad team play in front of him?
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Wow, that's surprising but not surprising. McBackup is what they need this year. I don't know if there is much you could do with Darline. He looked promising coming out of CHI, but failed to impress. Then again, his numbers this year are in line with Smith.
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Have to agree. At one point he looked like an option. Right now, the only one I would be looking at in season is Allen. Depends on cost, but he would be a sideways trade right now, but potentially be a solution for next year. Don't get me wrong, I like Allen but he's not at the top of his game right now.
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He's guessing. Smith was in the "starters net" at practice, but BP said they haven;t decised yet. If it was an obvious choce he would have announced Smth as the starter.
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Both are games where the other team plays the night before. Both are winnable if we set the pace early. I agree with you that Rittich then Smith is the best idea. Smith has not been great in 2nd starts in a row, He's also struggled against the Stars. It's a good sign that Smith was able to handle the low danger shots. That can be the biggest concern with him in 1-0 games. Then again the high-danger ones he was able to stop was a good sign too.
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That's what I was thinking about. He was great when he had Elliott there to battle with. It would also push Ritter to concentrate on winning the games he gets. The Elliott trade would be a baseline, so I don;t think it would take a 2nd to get it done.
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Right. All we need is a goalie and a goalie coach. Perhaps Rittich can give him the motivation and the tips. The trade would be from a position of weakness on both sides, but both teams need to do something drastic with their "starters". I doubt SMith would be any worse for them, as his puck moving might help them get out their own end or control the dump ins. With Allen, we would have to manage him very well. Let him earn the starter role if he's capable. It could probably solve the long term need here, since him and Rittich could form a deadly tandem. We would need to sewaten the pot, because it's not close to an even trade asset wise. Include a pick or prospect. They can't really take back salary.
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STL is getting buried this season. Allen hasn;t been great, but they are getting shut out on the other end, while he stops as much as he can, considering the defense they have this season. He's signed for another 2 years after this at $4.35m. Would a Smith for Allen swap make any sense to either team? Smith, while struggling here, is a leader and fighter. Allen just hasn't had the run support in STL in the last 2 years. Any takers?
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Wise choice, IMHO. If Smith is in fact "ready" to start a game, you give him the ARI game. Not a gimme game, but less chance of a letdown game for the Flames than the VGK game where they will try to avenge their touchdown loss. You know it will be MAF, so it's not going to be a high scoring game (hopefully, unless we unleash the 5 goal first period strategy). Any other discussion aside, they are going with the hot hand.
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I get what Price is, as many elite tenders go through that from time to time. The two are not alike other than both struggling. One is elite. The other was a good-to-better goalie that may be at or near the end of a long career. There's no magic pill or right answer as to see when he is ready to win. The only way to know he's there for sure is when he plays that way. I heard the comments from BP about his readiness, but then seen a different player than described. BP may get to the point that he knows who's best to use, but he's not there yet. Can't let him rot. Can't start him too soon and ruin whatever he's built up. Tough call. Only sure thing is that Rittich is playing like there's no tomorrow. Don't really want to mess with that.
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If you go every other game to Smith, then you have to believe he has his game back. He wins in ARI, then yes LA makes some sense. Not because they are an "easy" team. He loses in ARI, then where are you? Go back to him in LA? One thing to keep in mind. Smith playing at home after strugging left a bad taste in fans' mouths. 3-3-1 at home 2-4-0 on road Anyway, I will let this drop for now. Just thinking about it.
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This is what I was thinking. I just don't know if the plan fits that schedule right now. They might want him to sit until Rittich cools off (mistake perhaps) or he shows another level at practices. Or some other proof or idea. If they go Rittich in Vegas (right call) and Smith in ARI, and both manage to get wins, the picture is still too vague. Right back to Smith? That hasn't worked yet this season. Alternate goalies with the majority going to Rittich? Makes sense based on outcome. I don't want to overthink this, but I hope there is a plan and some way to see if it's working.
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Just because the answer is obvious, does not mean the goalie coach and BP agree. Things have changed a bit since the LA game, but there's a chance that Smith plays one of the the next two games. Personally, I'm not convinced we are close to having Smith ready to go again. Next 5 games: Nov. 23 - @Vegas Nov. 25 - @ARI Nov. 28 - DAL Nov. 30 - LA Dec. 2 - @CHI Any of those games scream Smith's name? ARI may be too soon to go back to him, but it makes a bit of sense.
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Big game on Friday against the VGK. Should I ask who should start? Rittich earned the start with a solid performance again. 6 wins in a row. 8-1 record. VGK looking for revenge. It's a trap game.
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Even-strength SV% leaders (minimum 10 games): 1. Rittich (.956) #Flames 2. Rinne (.953) #Preds 3. Halak (.944) #NHLBruins 4. Andersen (.942) #LeafsForever 5. Greiss (.936) #Isles
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It's an option if you have little confidence that he can turn it around. Grasping at straws is continuing to manage starts the way they had been. At least Rittich is being recognized as the go-to guy right now. It will only last as long as he gets wins. If it's a loss, Rittich may still get the next start. Is that managing the situation with Smith or just recogniozing there is a problem? If you think that the GM isn't looking for a solution, you would be mistaken. He may not need to pull the trigger. Yet. But, he is aware that Smith might not recover.
