kehatch
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Everything posted by kehatch
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Bennett has been playing great. It isn't just a display of skill and speed, he is playing smart. He has been defensively hard. He plays physical. He is aggravating. But he isn't playing like a bull taking stupid penalties and playing his game dumb. Some of this is likely him figuring it out. Some is probably the coaching staff. Having a young guy on the fourth line working on specific things is a development tool. If he spends 82 games there you have a problem. He spent 2 there. Great job so far. If Bennett can get it together it will be a big help.
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Smith hasn't been very good for three of his four starts this season. That is a fact. It isn't a condemnation of Smith, or putting every loss on his shoulder, or excusing the players in front of him, etc. It is also a fact that he wasn't good in the preseason, to finish last season, and that he is a 36 year old player that hasn't been great since getting hurt. Fan's have a right to be a bit concerned. I don't understand why this is such a touchy subject to some people. That said, the sky isn't falling yet. Smith may be in the bottom range of goalies this season. But so is Allen, Fleury, Rask, Jones, Talbot, Anderson, etc. Smith may still have a terrific season. It just isn't the start that most were hoping for since goal is one of the biggest risks facing the Flames this season.
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Bennett's worst season is better then Lazar's best. I don't think they are great comparisons. Kyle Turris out of Phoenix is probably a better comparison. A so so prospect and a second. Not an identical situation given Turris original hold out vs Bennett's declining numbers, but not far off given age, draft spot, and play to date. It is also interesting to note Turris has developed into a 50+ point defensive centre while the prospect and pick Phoenix got turned into squat. Bennett looks good. The Flames are way better off keeping him unless someone blows them away with an offer.
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It wasn't the Flames best defensive effort 5 on 5. But special teams were solid, goal tending was good, and it's a win against last seasons presidents trophy winners in their arena. It does show how goal tending makes a difference. If Smith doesn't make those big saves how very different the dialogue is (about the entire team). See game number 1. But I digress.
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A big sigh of relief. Smith looked good tonight. Not just that he got the shut out, but he looked comfortable. He has been good since the big glove save in the third against Vancouver.
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My only concern at this point is getting Smith going. If he and the coaching staff feel he needs to play right away then go with Smith. But my preference is Rittich. With Smith playing the final two preseason games we need to get Rittich a start and give Smith a break.
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I like most of it. I like Bennett on a line with Neal. I like Andersson in over Prout. Those are the big items, the rest is nit picking. As for the nit picking: I am not sure I like Dube as the third line centre over Ryan/Jankowski, but I don't hate it either. I don't like Peluso/Hathaway as the fourth line LW. I also don't like Jankowski sitting as I think he has been pretty good. I would prefer to see Frolik-Jankowski-Ryan as the fourth line. But the coach is going to try new things and clearly they want a bit of size on the fourth line. Overall I like the lines.
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Gaudreau, Monahan, Tkachuk, Valimaki, Dube, Jankowski, Czarnik, Rittich, Gilles, Kulak, etc. All prospects that got or are getting an opportunity on the team. Many in an impact role. This isn't a team that refuses to give the young guys a shot. Bennett is where he is because of Bennett. If he keeps playing well he will get more ice time. At that point he will need to continue to play well to keep it. I am actually encouraged. He isn't playing like a guy in need of a change of scenery and if he keeps that up he will make an impact.
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When every mistake goes in the net it makes the team look bad. If Smith makes a few more saves nobody is focused on the mistakes and is instead talking about how the Flames limited shots and kept down chances. But they went in the net so we watch four replays of our defence messing up and that is the focal point. The Flames do need to clean it up a bit. Stone really struggled game 1 and Prout was a liability game 2. But overall the Flames have done a good job keeping down the chances and D-zone time. Particularly in game 2. Our goalie has by and far been the weak link.
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Where did I say the Flames should toss a prospect in the deep end and see if they can swim? I am saying the opposite. You don't move a player up the line up unless their play shows you they can "swim". That isn't the right approach to development and it isn't the right approach to winning hockey games. If your only justification to playing Bennett top 4 / top 6 is that we like his potential then that's a mistake. I personally think his play has shown he can / should be moved up the line up.
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If you are playing Bennett based on what he could be your making a mistake. That is a poor idea for any prospect / player, but especially one that has been in the NHL for years. Take Dube, he is getting his time based on what he has been able to do to date. That said, I like what I have seen from Bennett. I think he should be getting some time because he has been playing well. If the coach doesn't want to mess with his top two lines then lets put Bennett with Ryan/Neal on the third line.
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I liked Bennett tonight a fair bit. He isn't getting much ice time, but he is playing with jump and generating chances. He also isn't taking bad penalties and he is committed defensively. If he keeps it up he will get a chance further up the line up. Either in place of Dube, or when we have an injury.
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Yup. Markstrom was better then Smith. Like I said above, if all of your mistakes are going in the net you aren't going to win games.
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I think Bennett has quietly been very effective for the Flames in the preseason and the first game. Last game his ice time was low. But he was on the PK, led the team in hits, and had a solid game. His ice time was the same as Jankowski and Dube (and probably only so low because of all the PPs). At some point someone is going to get hurt on the LW and he will get a chance. Then it's his job to do something with it.
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Smith let in 4 goals on 22 shots. At least one of them was pretty questionable. I didn't see any 'holy crap' saves in there. I get there were defensive break downs, but when you keep it to 22 shots and every mistake goes in you aren't going to win a lot of games. I don't blame Smith for the lost. The Flames couldn't score on a tonne of power plays. The defense on two of those goals was terrible. Plus we just weren't winning the puck battles. The game was sloppy and low effort across the board. But Smith doesn't get a pass. He was mediocre at best and will need to be better of the Flames are going be successful this season.
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If they go with another goalie instead of Rittich that is a pretty clear indicator he doesn't have a future with the Flames, especially with Gilles/Parsons in the system and Rittich with another year. My guess is Rittich is loaned to another club, waived and then traded for future considerations, or they mutually agree to terminate the contract and Rittich goes to Europe. Maybe he is traded for another AHL goalie who can play in the ECHL (similar to the Kulak deal). It is possible (though unlikely) that he is claimed.
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Both McElhinney and Pickard on waivers. I guess we will see how much faith Treliving has in Rittich. We will see if he makes a claim. Personally I think either is an upgrade.
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Then don't hit SUBMIT REPLY.
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I don't think he was arguing. Regardless, your post adds to the conversation how?
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Nah. It is the preseason. Smith was bad in the preaseason last year as well. Kipper was always terrible in the preseason. My guess it is Smith/Rittich to start and they will see how things go. Unless a better name shows up on waivers, and that would be for back-up (i.e. McBackup)
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Hopefully the preseason isn't a projection of the regular season, because our goaltending has been crap.
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Of who we have I would agree. Based on waiver eligibility and play last season. But right now I don't like anyone as our back-up. One thing to keep in mind is the China effect though. Smith talked about the jet lag having a big impact on his game.
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Who cares who played a little bit better? So far we don't have a single goalie above a 900 save percentage. None have played well. Normally I wouldn't worry to much given its the first half of preseason, but given its the biggest question mark and the most likey thing to derail the season I am a tad bit concerned.
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Much better game from Rittich. He needed to rebound and he did. Should be good for his confidence.
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Gilles didn't look good to start the game. He settled in later. Which is fine in the first preseason game. He just had a lot of that in regular season games last season as well. That said, I was okay with Gilles in his debut. He wasn't great but he was fine. Rittich on the other hand was really bad. Hopefully he can rebound.