Flameshomer
Likeaholic
You're absolutely blind if you think that Smith and Rittich are on the same level.
The eye test very easily shows smith's 50-hole weakness and lack of side to side mobility. Also, 50/50 chance that when he leaves the net to play the puck he effs it up.
The stat that confirms the separation is the HDSV% of both goalies:
Rittich is at .852 (25 overall, approx 9th out of starters), same as Gibson, Saros, Rask, Raanta, Carter Hart, Corey Crawford (AKA the good starters)
Smith is at .812 (57 overall, around 40th out of the "starters") along with such luminaries as Malcolm Subban, Cam Talbot, and Martin Jones.
When a skater actually has a chance to score, you definitely want Rittich to be in net rather than Smith.
Incidentally, Stolarz does pretty well here and I also still regret giving up on Brossoit. Player Season Totals - Natural Stat Trick
The eye test very easily shows smith's 50-hole weakness and lack of side to side mobility. Also, 50/50 chance that when he leaves the net to play the puck he effs it up.
The stat that confirms the separation is the HDSV% of both goalies:
Rittich is at .852 (25 overall, approx 9th out of starters), same as Gibson, Saros, Rask, Raanta, Carter Hart, Corey Crawford (AKA the good starters)
Smith is at .812 (57 overall, around 40th out of the "starters") along with such luminaries as Malcolm Subban, Cam Talbot, and Martin Jones.
When a skater actually has a chance to score, you definitely want Rittich to be in net rather than Smith.
Incidentally, Stolarz does pretty well here and I also still regret giving up on Brossoit. Player Season Totals - Natural Stat Trick