To add to this, prior to Smith's injury, Rittich was 5-1-2 with a 2.20 GAA and .927sv%, he was excelling in the backup role, he's just not ready to be a starter. But that experience he gained when Smith went down, could be what he (and Gillies) need to take that next stepSo the Flames are screwed if Mike Smith gets hurt and David Rittich takes over but they are not screwed if Mike Smith gets hurt and Calvin Pickard takes over?
Based on, what, exactly?
Rittich had a winning record last year and a save percentage over .900. That seems like exactly what I want out of a good back up net minder. He also logged 21 NHL games, cutting his teeth in the league.
I really don't think there's any upgrade from Rittich to Pickard, let alone one that would make throwing an asset like Stone away anything less than idiotic asset management.
you can have markstrom or andress nillson
So the Flames are screwed if Mike Smith gets hurt and David Rittich takes over but they are not screwed if Mike Smith gets hurt and Calvin Pickard takes over?
Based on, what, exactly?
Rittich had a winning record last year and a save percentage over .900. That seems like exactly what I want out of a good back up net minder. He also logged 21 NHL games, cutting his teeth in the league.
I really don't think there's any upgrade from Rittich to Pickard, let alone one that would make throwing an asset like Stone away anything less than idiotic asset management.
Prior to Smith's injury and Rittich being thrust into a role he wasn't ready for... his NHL numbers were better than Pickard's AHL numbers.Based on Pickard being a far better goalie than Rittich.
I see what you are saying but the reason i think Calgary made the deal for smith was an asset management move. They got a guy who can be a solid #1 when healthy, but wont be a burden cap wise into what will be crunch time next season. They have 2 good goalie prospects in Gillies and Parsons and they went for a temporary solution to get one of those two ready. I wouldnt give up on Macdonald or Schneider either. They actually have very good goalie prospects in the system its just a matter of when they are ready and how committed you want to get without burrying them on that temporary #1 or rushing them into the role and killing their progress.I can't remember an off-season in recent memory where Calgary hasn't been looking for a goalie upgrade. I think its time Brad Treliving stops being a cheapskate and pony up and get Calgary a bonified netminder. First, they passed on Anderson for Elliot than Fleury for Smith. Pay the piper and get yourself a legitimate starting netminder who isn't over the age of 35.
I don't think Calvin Pickard has any trade value at all. Maybe a 6th rounder if a team was desperate for AHL help, but the idea that a team needing NHL goaltending help would look at Calvin Pickard seems very far fetched.
Additionally, the Flames, should they move Stone, would likely want to get more back then a tweener goaltender and a draft pick. He gives their defense quality NHL calibre depth. Why give that up to get Calvin Pickard? Doesn't make any sense at all.
I agree with you to an extent that Pickard doesn't have that much value, but he's certainly more than an AHL goalie.Rittich had a winning record last year and a save percentage over .900. That seems like exactly what I want out of a good back up netminder. He also logged 21 NHL games, cutting his teeth in the league.
Pickard has appeared in 87 career games, posting a .913 save percentage and a 2.78 GAA. Is that not backup material? It's weird to call him a tweener yet praise Rittich for doing much less. They're also the same age if that is worth anything.
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I agree with you to an extent that Pickard doesn't have that much value, but he's certainly more than an AHL goalie.
Pickard has appeared in 87 career games, posting a .913 save percentage and a 2.78 GAA. Is that not backup material? It's weird to call him a tweener yet praise Rittich for doing much less. They're also the same age if that is worth anything.
You're probably right about that proposal not being an ideal return for Stone. But I should have clarified that the pick would be in the 2nd-3rd round range with Pickard being in the deal to give the Flames more options for next season. But hey, I'm not that great when it comes to proposals.
Could be, but it's far from a guarantee. They are the same age, Rittich had a much better record, a slightly better GAA and slightly worse SV%Didn't Anton Forsberg start 'liking' the Flames a few weeks ago? He could be an upgrade on Rittich.
Pickard was unable to unseat Curtis McElhinney, a 35-year old career back up - who's own value was waiver wire fodder - and he also failed to win the starting job in the AHL. He's "certainly more than an AHL goalie?" Why's he a back up in the AHL then? Where are the teams trying to acquire him? Is he a secret only you know about?
To suggest that an AHL back up is somehow going to fetch an NHL defenseman in a trade is deep dish fantasy land stuff.
1)McElhinney had a .934% last year so lets not pretend he didnt keep the job out of anything but earning it. He played 18 games and no goalie who played as many or more games had a higher save percentage last year.
2) Sparks (Leafs AHL starter) had a .936% last year, won the award for best goalie. Not exactly a slouch.
I think the leafs have 2-3 goalies that might be able to be a backup somewhere in the nhl, but its hard to keep all of them given the nature of the position in itself. That said the value of them isnt much either way.You're right. He's a world beater. Do you think he will be the Leafs back up this year? Do you think he'll be in the NHL this year?
You're right. He's a world beater. Do you think he will be the Leafs back up this year? Do you think he'll been the NHL this year?
You're right. He's a world beater. Do you think he will be the Leafs back up this year? Do you think he'll be in the NHL this year?
You're right. He's a world beater. Do you think he will be the Leafs back up this year? Do you think he'll been the NHL this year?
While I have agreed with you on Pickard... you're kind of being ridiculous at this point. Sparks has been nothing short of a world beater in the AHL and McBackup is a solid NHL backup, who quite frankly I would look at before someone like Pickard.You're right. He's a world beater. Do you think he will be the Leafs back up this year? Do you think he'll be in the NHL this year?
You're right. He's a world beater. Do you think he will be the Leafs back up this year? Do you think he'll been the NHL this year?
I think the leafs have 2-3 goalies that might be able to be a backup somewhere in the nhl, but its hard to keep all of them given the nature of the position in itself. That said the value of them isnt much either way.
While I have agreed with you on Pickard... you're kind of being ridiculous at this point. Sparks has been nothing short of a world beater in the AHL and McBackup is a solid NHL backup, who quite frankly I would look at before someone like Pickard.
No one is saying they will be great this year. You are arguing nothing dude, all your post is doing is coming off as Leafs hating when the Leafs have nothing to do with this thread.You are certainly entitled to your opinion.
I think you could flip a coin between any one of them and end up with a tweener, a guy that could play in the NHL as a marginal back up or a guy that could play in the AHL. As I said in the post before this, I wouldn't be surprised, at all, if any of those guys were out of the NHL this season or if any of those guys were a back up in the NHL this season.
I don't think there's anything remotely ridiculous about that. Sparks had an exception year in the AHL but there's a laundry list of guys in the AHL that have won the best goalie award that make up a who's who of Who?
The guy who won it the year before him is Troy Grosenick. Also on that list, Yan Danis, Niklas Svedberg, Brad Theissen, Danny Sabourin, Marc Lamothe, etc.
For every Matt Murry, there's two Jason LaBarbera's.
No one is saying they will be great this year. You are arguing nothing dude, all your post is doing is coming off as Leafs hating when the Leafs have nothing to do with this thread.
yeah, but it's a nice bonus you get to bring up the Leafs in a negative way though.
Pickard played a full season with a terrible team and posted an above 900 save percentage. He was thrown to the wolves after two very successful backup seasons.Pickard started fine but he got worse as he went. His total average is misleading as you know it.
Once a goalie is toasted, it's hard to get his confidence back. It's like they have figured him out.
Rittich for the most part is still not "trial" yet. He may or may not be any better than Pickard but in this case I prefer the untried than some proven failure.
But Smith was the cure for that top 3 defence lol