Goaltending

[robrob74]

5 hours ago, JTech780 said:

We are going to need both goalies playing around 40-45 games each. Smith can't play 50+ games anymore and Rittich has never played more than 48 games in a season at any level. I think you run two goalies and run with the hot hand in the playoffs.

 

While I agree. But this is what a lot of us are saying. Does it hinder us developing a starter by not playing then starter minutes? What if we give him the net. Run with it and allow him to see what a starter’s workload is? Will he ever know exactly what it is like if you don’t start to play him that way?

[JTech780]

2 hours ago, robrob74 said:

 

While I agree. But this is what a lot of us are saying. Does it hinder us developing a starter by not playing then starter minutes? What if we give him the net. Run with it and allow him to see what a starter’s workload is? Will he ever know exactly what it is like if you don’t start to play him that way?

 

I am more concerned about having a rested goalie down the stretch and into the playoffs. Rittich has been playing around 30 games a season since he came over to North America, so I wouldn't want to tire him out. We can increase his work load every year, going forward. I think 55 games is the max you want to play your starter anyways.

[conundrumed]

30 minutes ago, JTech780 said:

 

I am more concerned about having a tested goalie down the stretch and into the playoffs. Rittich has been playing around 30 games a season since he came over to North America, so I wouldn't want to tire him out. We can increase his work load every year, going forward. I think 55 games is the max you want to play your starter anyways.

So is the org. It hasn't worked.

Time to try something different, maybe.

[JTech780]

1 hour ago, conundrumed said:

So is the org. It hasn't worked.

Time to try something different, maybe.

 

Sorry I meant rested goalie, I was typing quick before I went out on the ice and didn't proof read.

 

I think you are playing with fire if you play Rittich more than 45 games this year. You will wear him out for the playoffs. We will need both goalies here to play well down the stretch. 

[rickross]

So did Smith simply suffer an injury to his confidence? 

[robrob74]

10 hours ago, rickross said:

So did Smith simply suffer an injury to his confidence? 

 

I think he has been nursing an injury all year, and possibly the same one that plagued him last year. Once the season is done, it’ll come out that he’s had 4 surgeries and that he’s a saint for fighting through the injury.

[travel_dude]

12 hours ago, JTech780 said:

 

Sorry I meant rested goalie, I was typing quick before I went out on the ice and didn't proof read.

 

I think you are playing with fire if you play Rittich more than 45 games this year. You will wear him out for the playoffs. We will need both goalies here to play well down the stretch. 

 

I think you are playing with fire by putting Smith in, when he seems to be battling something.  

5 wins in his first 13 games.

6 wins out of last 7.

2 games where we blew out the other team.

1 game where he took over and we blew out the other team.

 

I'm not even sure anymore if he had a confidence issue or he's hiding the same injury that he had last season.  Takes a period off followed by one game, and somehow he's 100% ready to play this weekend? 

 

Getting Smith ready for the rest of the season means managing his starts better.  If he plays 50 games, he'll be ready for the scrap heap.  He won;t be healthy for the playoff and we'll ride him like he is to a 1st round exit.  Rittich may not be able to carry us much better, but I have more confidence in him right now.  He doesn't ever look shakey.  He may give up a goal, but looks dialed in on the next shift.  

[robrob74]

2 minutes ago, travel_dude said:

 

I think you are playing with fire by putting Smith in, when he seems to be battling something.  

5 wins in his first 13 games.

6 wins out of last 7.

2 games where we blew out the other team.

1 game where he took over and we blew out the other team.

 

I'm not even sure anymore if he had a confidence issue or he's hiding the same injury that he had last season.  Takes a period off followed by one game, and somehow he's 100% ready to play this weekend? 

 

Getting Smith ready for the rest of the season means managing his starts better.  If he plays 50 games, he'll be ready for the scrap heap.  He won;t be healthy for the playoff and we'll ride him like he is to a 1st round exit.  Rittich may not be able to carry us much better, but I have more confidence in him right now.  He doesn't ever look shakey.  He may give up a goal, but looks dialed in on the next shift.  

 

Plus, I think more times than not, an injury hurts you more than it helps. 

Although, maybe Smith never heals if it’s the same injury as last year, I’d rather sit him and get him as close to 100% as possible before the playoffs. 

 

 

[conundrumed]

14 hours ago, JTech780 said:

 

Sorry I meant rested goalie, I was typing quick before I went out on the ice and didn't proof read.

 

I think you are playing with fire if you play Rittich more than 45 games this year. You will wear him out for the playoffs. We will need both goalies here to play well down the stretch. 

lol, what a difference one letter makes!

 

I think regardless of injury having Rittich playing great means don't give Smith the bulk of work. 4 months to go, keep his workload down while Rittich is affording us that.

[travel_dude]

The decision to start Rittich against Dallas is likely a sign that Smith isn't 100%.

Rittich wasn't bad against the Stars last time, but Smith would have made sense from a who-plays-who perspective.

Take it one game at a time, I know.

You always have to look at who you play next.

Two home games - Tampa followed by STL.

 

I suspect, though have no proof, they want to give Mike Smith until after Christmas to heal.

3 games with a full day between each game.

Rittich was good against STL.  

STL will probably be looking to burn us for the last blowout.

Probably gives us the best chance to beat TBL.

 

If we want to have Smith be able to start 25 games or more over the rest of the season, you have to give him more time off now.

Let him practice to stay loose.

Come back after Christmas and see how he is in practice.

He gets either the Vancouver or Winnipeg game.

The extra few days off isn't going to matter;  he's been off a week already.

 

[cross16]

My own take on this, without any inside knowledge, is Smith is battling his own confidence and in turn Peters his confidence in Smith but Peters is trying to back up one of his guys so he's doing it privately and not publicly. I think Peters is also hyper sensitive to criticizing a goalie publicly after his experience with Lack, where's he admitted more than once he is embarrassed by. 

 

I don't think Smith was ever physically "injured". 

[The_Tribal Chief]

I honestly Cross No dis on you bro think he was injured your not gonna Call up a ahl Goalie unless you need to actually call him up

[travel_dude]

51 minutes ago, The_Snowbear said:

I honestly Cross No dis on you bro think he was injured your not gonna Call up a ahl Goalie unless you need to actually call him up

 

Well, there was no other moves required to make it happen.

Gillies comes up.

Gillies goes back down.

Only impact was cap and it wasn't longer than one game.

 

1 hour ago, cross16 said:

My own take on this, without any inside knowledge, is Smith is battling his own confidence and in turn Peters his confidence in Smith but Peters is trying to back up one of his guys so he's doing it privately and not publicly. I think Peters is also hyper sensitive to criticizing a goalie publicly after his experience with Lack, where's he admitted more than once he is embarrassed by. 

 

I don't think Smith was ever physically "injured". 

 

That was my initial take after he didn't show up on the bench.

If true, that put the game on Rittich without any backup for injury.

I can't see him doing that, unless he was only coming back if they gave the hook to Rittich.

Anyway, we will find out Thursday whether he's good to go.

I haven't seen the practice notes to see if he was on the ice or not.

It's not a full practice anyway.

[travel_dude]

Another big game, another start for BSD.

I agree with the choice, based on recent performance.

Not sure if this is due to Smith being less than 100% or not, but if so, it also gives him extra time to recoup. 

[Khrox]

1 hour ago, travel_dude said:

Another big game, another start for BSD.

I agree with the choice, based on recent performance.

Not sure if this is due to Smith being less than 100% or not, but if so, it also gives him extra time to recoup. 

Not only that, but Rittich did well in Dallas, probably one of the only players to show up for the full game. Like sure, one of those two he probably *could* have had, but when he was being buried as much as he was, he still did incredible. 

[cross16]

Right call. He needs to play

 

 

[MAC331]

56 minutes ago, cross16 said:

Right call. He needs to play

 

 

Not to mention Rittich could likely use a break after this last TB game. That was intense.

[travel_dude]

2 hours ago, cross16 said:

Right call. He needs to play

 

 

 

Does he?  He'll play one game then have 4 days off.  

I only ask this because it's unclear if Smith is less than 100% or just losing confidence.

The former should mean you give him the extra time off.

The latter should mean he starts.

 

One game against a team we whalloped.  Next game against the Jets, then against the Nucks, then the Sharks.

In either case (<100% or confidence issues) it makes sense to alternate the games between the two.

If that's the plan. 

 

All I can say is that if we see the crappy goals against STL, the leash better be short.   

[cross16]

18 hours ago, travel_dude said:

 

Does he?  He'll play one game then have 4 days off.  

I only ask this because it's unclear if Smith is less than 100% or just losing confidence.

The former should mean you give him the extra time off.

The latter should mean he starts.

 

One game against a team we whalloped.  Next game against the Jets, then against the Nucks, then the Sharks.

In either case (<100% or confidence issues) it makes sense to alternate the games between the two.

If that's the plan. 

 

All I can say is that if we see the crappy goals against STL, the leash better be short.   

 

If he doesn't play it will be two weeks between games before he plays again. Yes he needs to play and Rittich needs a rest too. 

[Horsman1]

it seems to me that last year.. Rittich was going just fine until Smith went out and the pressure of being the top goalie really affected his mental state.. This year, once again, Rittich is doing just fine , but with Smith's status quite unclear.. I wouldn't take the same chance that Smith goes out again and leaves GSD without a backup.. Soooooooooooo.. I'd deal for a veteran/healthy back-up now as a xmas present for the team.. James Neal as shooter number three last game was probably his last chance here to get on board and it failed.. Neal is out of place here and I would trade Smith and Neal for a good healthy veteran back-up and move forward with the team

[robrob74]

50 minutes ago, Horsman1 said:

it seems to me that last year.. Rittich was going just fine until Smith went out and the pressure of being the top goalie really affected his mental state.. This year, once again, Rittich is doing just fine , but with Smith's status quite unclear.. I wouldn't take the same chance that Smith goes out again and leaves GSD without a backup.. Soooooooooooo.. I'd deal for a veteran/healthy back-up now as a xmas present for the team.. James Neal as shooter number three last game was probably his last chance here to get on board and it failed.. Neal is out of place here and I would trade Smith and Neal for a good healthy veteran back-up and move forward with the team

 

There are a few things that are different this year. 

 

Last year was Rittich’s first year as “the starter.” The Flames never groomed him to play the bulk of games, and it was his first year in the NHL. Does anyone ever really run with it in their first year? 

 

The team sucked last year. They gave up a lot of high danger chances. For me they gave up the kinds of chances that don’t really get documented and situational goals that kill you. 

 

The team is different, coach, system and some newer faster players. 

[conundrumed]

On 2018-12-18 at 2:52 PM, cross16 said:

My own take on this, without any inside knowledge, is Smith is battling his own confidence and in turn Peters his confidence in Smith but Peters is trying to back up one of his guys so he's doing it privately and not publicly. I think Peters is also hyper sensitive to criticizing a goalie publicly after his experience with Lack, where's he admitted more than once he is embarrassed by. 

 

I don't think Smith was ever physically "injured". 

I agree 100%.

I like that BP uses injury terminology to spare the player.

I wonder the same with Bennett/Neal. Their games were getting stagnant.

Just my opinion, but healthy scratch isn’t nice connotations. I think BP said, we can call guys up, let’s take some time, look at some film and get you guys playing like we all know you can.

God knows Bennett was a bat out of hell against Tampa.

Coming off a minor injury. Hmmmm....

I smell a lot of team building going on here and my respect for how BP is doing it is going off the charts.

This is our last step imho. New coach earning the team’s respect.

[Horsman1]

19 hours ago, robrob74 said:

 

There are a few things that are different this year. 

 

Last year was Rittich’s first year as “the starter.” The Flames never groomed him to play the bulk of games, and it was his first year in the NHL. Does anyone ever really run with it in their first year? 

 

The team sucked last year. They gave up a lot of high danger chances. For me they gave up the kinds of chances that don’t really get documented and situational goals that kill you. 

 

The team is different, coach, system and some newer faster players. 

true.. but.. last night after the first goal went in.. the entire bench had a look of aw fucccc!!! here we go again.. Sucked all the energy out of the team right at the start of the game and they looked lost or severely uninterested in continuing for the rest of the night

 

[rickross]

1 hour ago, conundrumed said:

I agree 100%.

I like that BP uses injury terminology to spare the player.

I wonder the same with Bennett/Neal. Their games were getting stagnant.

Just my opinion, but healthy scratch isn’t nice connotations. I think BP said, we can call guys up, let’s take some time, look at some film and get you guys playing like we all know you can.

God knows Bennett was a bat out of hell against Tampa.

Coming off a minor injury. Hmmmm....

I smell a lot of team building going on here and my respect for how BP is doing it is going off the charts.

This is our last step imho. New coach earning the team’s respect.

It’s a 100% confidence injury. Anyone hear how loud Smitty yelled out an F bomb after that 1st goal from Perron? Right now he’s a liability....but he has to play through it unfortunately 

[conundrumed]

23 hours ago, rickross said:

It’s a 100% confidence injury. Anyone hear how loud Smitty yelled out an F bomb after that 1st goal from Perron? Right now he’s a liability....but he has to play through it unfortunately 

But fortunately, Rittich is allowing that, or we'd be in ruins.

Smith will be fine. He's putting too much pressure on himself. Playing too tense, like he's waiting for the screw up. He'll get through it.

It could be that he's feeling this could be his last year and he's trying too hard too thwart it.

Who knows, but he really needs to calm down. Seems like a bundle of stress.

No reason he can't back up Rittich next year, or we need a goalie coach anyways, he needs to relax.

Very few with his tenure actually leave the game.

Serenity Now. lol