Confirmed Trade: [CGY/ARI]Mike Smith (25%) for Chad Johnson, Brandon Hickey & 2018 2nd or 3rd rnd pick

[_Del_]

Smith was lights out last season? Huh?

You had to watch the amount of games Arizona was outshot 2-to-1 and giving up breakaways or the wideopen slot to truly appreciate the number of points he absolutely stole last season.

The Coyotes defense was terrible. Nearly unrecognizable. The Tippett/Playfair "system" defense has been worthless for several years. They did him zero favours. He was left out to dry all season long.

 

[Bank Shot]

Calgary was a competitive team, the Coyotes were a dumpster fire that gave up a ton of high quality chances. If you actually watched the games, Smith was one of the few reasons the season wasn't uglier.

Buffalo was a junk team and Chad Johnson's save percentage dropped ten points when he joined Calgary.

 

[Paul4587]

This is a great deal for the rest of the Pacific. Calgary is not getting anywhere anytime soon. Smith is a terrible starting goalie.

 

[Johnnybegood13]

This is a great deal for the rest of the Pacific. Calgary is not getting anywhere anytime soon. Smith is a terrible starting goalie.

Really?

For a terrible starter Smith sure hasn't had much trouble with the Pacific the last 6 years despite playing on a bad team that couldn't score.

Edmonton - 15-3-1
LA Kings - 15-8-1
Anaheim - 12-8-3
San Jose - 12-8-3
Vancouver - 8-8-2

17 shutouts

 

[JuniorNelson]

I always wondered why Edmonton was considered the worst city to play for in the NHL? They have a great mall in Edmonton and you can skate to work.

Calgary does have nice hats for the ladies and a semi submersible arena. Even so, they are lucky to get Smith, even if he is a bit loopy. All goalies are loopy. Not all goalies want to go to Calgary.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

This is a great deal for the rest of the Pacific. Calgary is not getting anywhere anytime soon. Smith is a terrible starting goalie.

Maybe, they just want to keep him until Mason McDonald grows?

 

[VoluntaryDom]

Absolutely terrible trade for Flames.

 

[Mathmew Purrrr Oh]

Absolutely terrible trade for Flames.

nah, 35 yr old goalies are just hitting their prime!

 

[blueberrie]

So which stop gap, band-aid solution will the Flames be searching for next offseason?

 

[Tripod]

Now Calgary should go after a younger G like Pickard. Then when Smith is done, McDonald steps into a backup role.

 

[Lunatik]

.914 to .910 overall, .924 to .919 at even strength. This is really not that fair a margin. It's the difference between an average NHL starter and a below average one. When I think of fair margin, I think of the difference between a good NHL starter and a below average one.

Over the past several years, Elliott has been better than Smith. Now I usually don't believe in the idea of system goaltenders, like 85% of the hockey fan community seems to believe, but if there's one goalie that can make me think twice about the possibility of it being such a thing, it's definitely Brian Elliott. As he's stunk pre and post Hitchcock, over his NHL career.

I think there's a reasonable chance that Elliott bounces back this season. I don't really expect Smith to be any better than a .915 goalie, give or take a few save percentage points. Over the past 6 years, he's generally been in the .915 range, with an extreme high of .930 in 11-12 and an extreme low of .904 in 14-15. Both are probably the exception at either end.

I think Calgary might have taken a chance on re-signing Elliott, as he looked to be returning to his 2011-2016 form towards the end of the season, but the playoff meltdown was probably the nail in his coffin.

Sure just looking at a stats sheet it isn't a big difference, but when he was better behind a much worse team, that should widen that gap even more. I'm not banking on more than the .914 save percentage he had this past season, but if the Flames play in front of him like they did from December onward, then I wouldn't be shocked to see his SV% numbers improve as it would see a pretty big reduction of quality scoring chances against.

 

[DFF]

Absolutely terrible trade for Flames.

How? Considering they cant sign Hickey, they didnt pay anything of significant.

Heck, I'll pay a 2nd for the playoff by itself...

Now is you say Smith is the wrong goalie, then I wont argue too much but it's not a terrible trade.

 

[tmurfin]

So which stop gap, band-aid solution will the Flames be searching for next offseason?

Ride it out with Smith one more year after that, and hope to god one of our young goalies are ready to take the reigns.

 

[PsYcNeT]

Reposting this gem again because it's a hoot.

https://realsport101.com/news/sport...rade-proposal-mike-smith-for-dougie-hamilton/

 

[rt]

Reposting this gem again because it's a hoot.

https://realsport101.com/news/sport...rade-proposal-mike-smith-for-dougie-hamilton/

One crazy old man doesn't represent a fanbase. Most of us would've taken a late pick to get rid of Smith.

 

[PsYcNeT]

One crazy old man doesn't represent a fanbase. Most of us would've taken a late pick to get rid of Smith.

Oh no doubt, but one has to wonder how senile this guy must be to think that was a fair value proposal worthy of a write up.

 

[UnrefinedCrude]

After drafting him, we drafted Kylington, Andersson and Fox, then signed Healey as a NCAA free agent. He may have felt he wasn't going to get opportunities in Calgary. Or he grew up just outside Edmonton and didn't want to be a Flame

I doubt where he's from plays a factor. I do think we will see more NCAA players go this route though.

Unless they progress quickly enough to crack an NHL roster and leave school really early (first 2 years,) I think we will see a lot of the better players stick out their full NCAA eligibility so they can either control where they play and/or get that better early payday.

This is a comparable move to last year for the Flames. They are banking that this turns into what they wanted from Elliot, (who I think takes too much blame for what happened last year.)

I think, for Smith, injury history is a much bigger risk factor than his age/play. This is a wait and see trade if ever there was one.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Bold prediction: Mike Smith puts up a +.925 sv% and is a top 5 goalie in wins next year.

I've seen enough games where he's willed/or almost willed the Coyotes to victory by himself. Put him on a team with some of the best scoring chance differentials in the NHL last year and look out.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Bold prediction: Mike Smith puts up a +.925 sv% and is a top 5 goalie in wins next year.

I've seen enough games where he's willed/or almost willed the Coyotes to victory by himself. Put him on a team with some of the best scoring chance differentials in the NHL last year and look out.

Let's hope that the Calgary defensemen bail him out in games.

 

[FlamerForLife]

Maybe, they just want to keep him until Mason McDonald grows?

Now Calgary should go after a younger G like Pickard. Then when Smith is done, McDonald steps into a backup role.

McDonald is the 4th goalie on the prospect depth chart behind Gillies, Parsons & Rittich.

 

[BurnEmUp]

Bold prediction: Mike Smith puts up a +.925 sv% and is a top 5 goalie in wins next year.

I've seen enough games where he's willed/or almost willed the Coyotes to victory by himself. Put him on a team with some of the best scoring chance differentials in the NHL last year and look out.

I'd be happy with a somewhat steady 0.915 sv% next season, and no pants crapping in the playoffs.

Smith doesn't need to be a world beater, just a steady presence.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Buffalo was a junk team and Chad Johnson's save percentage dropped ten points when he joined Calgary.

Actually in terms of underlying numbers Johnson had far better ones in Calgary than Buffalo. Buffalo plays a system that severely limits high danger chances and allows a ton of low danger ones, inflating goalie stats. Look at Miller going to the Blues, Blues were arguably the best defensive team that season and Miller s*** the bed.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

McDonald is the 4th goalie on the prospect depth chart behind Gillies, Parsons & Rittich.

Ouch. Another bad scenario would be to keep Smith and re-sign Elliott.

 

[Volica]

I'd be happy with a somewhat steady 0.915 sv% next season, and no pants crapping in the playoffs.

Smith doesn't need to be a world beater, just a steady presence.

An average goalie without huge ups & downs, and this Calgary team is a top Pacific team. Far too many peaks & valleys this past season in regards to the net.

Smith isn't going to face a ton of shots this year. He's going to have a very capable defence in front of him at all time (please don't bring back Engelland, and please let Bartkowski spend the remainder of his contract in Stockton). His life should be easier, all things considered.

We don't need .930 SV% Smith, we need steady .912-.915 goaltending. That's it.

 

[FlamerForLife]

Ouch. Another bad scenario would be to keep Smith and re-sign Elliott.

I'm not sure you understood what I said. You said Smith could be a stopgap until McDonald is ready but in reality he's a stopgap until Gillies/Parsons or maybe even Rittich is ready. Some Flames fans are high on McDonald, personally I'm not one of them, which is why I thought I'd point out that right now he's behind Gillies and Parsons for sure on the depth chart and maybe even behind Rittich as well.

Elliott can't be re-signed, if he is Calgary would have to send their 2018 3rd to St. Louis, which is now impossible as they included that pick in the deal for Arizona.

It's likely Mike Smith as starter, with either a young backup picked up through free agency or Gillies/Rittich fighting it out in training camp to be the backup.