Let's talk about Mike Smith

[PerpetualTankYear]

Smith, who's been nothing short of a liability the last few seasons, has arguably been our best player the past few games. Smith is keeping us in games, and giving the team a chance to win almost every time he plays.

.928 sv% on the year, and in 4 of the last 5 games has posted a sv% over .941

We talk a lot of **** about Smitty, but he's been on his game so far.

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[The Feckless Puck]

Smith, who's been nothing short of a liability the last few seasons, has arguably been our best player the past few games. Smith is keeping us in games, and giving the team a chance to win almost every time he plays.

.928 sv% on the year, and in 4 of the last 5 games has posted a sv% over .941

We talk a lot of **** about Smitty, but he's been on his game so far.

I have to admit that he's playing extremely well (and god knows I am probably one of his biggest critics around here). But, being the cynic that I am, I have to wonder what will happen if we get into a position where the stakes are higher.

 

[ck26]

Great sequence from the movie 'Miracle' where Herb Brooks and Craig Patrick are talking about their goaltending options for the 1980 Olympic team.

You've got Jim Craig to back up Janaszak?
Other way around.
Other way around? Didn't Janny just win you a national championship?
Janny's a solid goaltender, but we're not playing for a national championship here, Craig.
You know scouts I talk to have said Craig's game has been off since his mom died.
*snicker* Have you seen him when his game's on?

Smith's highs have always been very, very high. The problem is the lows, which are bad, and our tendency to get fixated on those. Given his injury history, I wonder how often he's been playing hurt and not at 100% ... hopefully the surgery he had last year is finally right and we see a full season out of him. He's a big, athletic, cocky, badass goalie when his game is on.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Given his injury history, I wonder how often he's been playing hurt and not at 100% ... hopefully the surgery he had last year is finally right and we see a full season out of him.

I think the results recently have made it clear that he was playing injured with that sports hernia for a lot longer than we all thought. I know for a fact that a lot of my past complaints about his play before I knew about his injury involved factors that are easily attributable to lack of mobility due to hernia pain. So I'm definitely chewing on crow about that.

He's a big, athletic, cocky, badass goalie when his game is on.

...but he's also a diving, blustering, easily-rattled goalie when the pressure ratchets up. The hope is that having Elkin around more often will help Smith fend off that facet of his personality more consistently.

 

[PhoPhan]

Smith, like every goalie in the league, has always shown the ability to put together nice little streaks. Remains to be seen whether he can sustain it for any meaningful length of time.

 

[hbk]

Trade bait? A month ago we were quietly talking about a buyout. We'd have to land a new #1 (Markstrom rumours) but I'm philosophically not opposed.

 

[PhoPhan]

Trade bait? A month ago we were quietly talking about a buyout. We'd have to land a new #1 (Markstrom rumours) but I'm philosophically not opposed.

The Elkin hiring makes that seem doubtful. I think we're all in on Smith.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Trade bait? A month ago we were quietly talking about a buyout. We'd have to land a new #1 (Markstrom rumours) but I'm philosophically not opposed.

I think the only way Smith leaves this team is if Vegas poaches him in the expansion draft.

But hypothesizing, I wonder if Ben Bishop could be had at a relatively affordable price now that Vasilievskiy is playing so well for Tampa.

 

[Sinurgy]

I have to admit that he's playing extremely well (and god knows I am probably one of his biggest critics around here). But, being the cynic that I am, I have to wonder what will happen if we get into a position where the stakes are higher.

I disagree that Smith has issues when the stakes are high, that was more a Bryz trait. In fact I think Smith's issues are opposite of Bryz, he seems to play better with pressure than without it. Smith's problem seems to be consistency over long periods of times, particularly during the monotony that is the middle of the regular season where there's no end in sight. When the season is coming to and end or in the playoffs is where Smith shines and I think it's because he focuses better when he can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It reminds of those players who excel in overtime or in the 4th quarter.

 

[XX]

He is very fortunate some of his misplays with the puck didn't end up in the net these past few games. I suspect this thread would be different. He has been good when leaned on but it's always been about his lack of consistency over long stretches.

 

[Karson37]

I would be shocked if Smith finished the season uninjured. Every game I watch I see him writhing in pain on the ice after he over-extends himself to try to make a save. Only a matter of time before he gets seriously injured, like every season.

 

[airbus220]

It's sad they can't play Smith / Domingue in a tandem, it should be good for both.

How's the situation on Domingue.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Every game I watch I see him writhing in pain on the ice after he over-extends himself to try to make a save.

That's just his flair for the dramatic at work.

 

[BUX7PHX]

Part byproduct of better defensive play. Part being totally healthy.

Last night's game was a perfect example. The Sharks are an above average team, right? While they had a lot of shots on goal, very few of the shots appeared to be high percentage chances between the circles. There were shots between the circles, but we also had a lot of bodies and sticks in the lane to take away their most effective shot opportunities.

Whereas in the past three years, a lot of these shots did come from high percentage areas, but without the help from our D to limit those shots or get in the way. Couple that with the fact that a core muscle injury (that may have been worse than it appeared) didn't help with movement, and you have the summary right there.

 

[CC96]

I think the only way Smith leaves this team is if Vegas poaches him in the expansion draft.

It would certainly be a logical move, but knowing Tip, he'd rather commit seppuku than give up "Schmitty" for free.

 

[WrinkledPossum]

I think the only way Smith leaves this team is if Vegas poaches him in the expansion draft.

But hypothesizing, I wonder if Ben Bishop could be had at a relatively affordable price now that Vasilievskiy is playing so well for Tampa.

I think buying out Smith is an option although right now he is making that option look dumb.

After buying out Vermette and sending Z down I don't think we are as loyal to players as some think. Chayka has also said he wants to leverage the expansion draft to make some trades. Bishop would be someone who would fit in with that. TB isn't going to resign him, cap issues and having to protect Vas. I thinkif a trade were to happen it would be after the season ends but before Vegas has an oppurtunity to negotiate with him.

To get Bishop before the season ends would probably require Hanzal and Stone++. TB wants to win the cup this year. The Stamkos injury could put TB in the market for a C.

 

[Matias Maccete]

I think the results recently have made it clear that he was playing injured with that sports hernia for a lot longer than we all thought. I know for a fact that a lot of my past complaints about his play before I knew about his injury involved factors that are easily attributable to lack of mobility due to hernia pain. So I'm definitely chewing on crow about that.



...but he's also a diving, blustering, easily-rattled goalie when the pressure ratchets up. The hope is that having Elkin around more often will help Smith fend off that facet of his personality more consistently.

Agreed with pretty much all of this. Pretty sure I've posted in the past that he often looked hurt. He'd look worse moving laterally to one side or the other, and wound stretch out one leg or groin area frequently throughout games. He also has some problems with the mental side of the game though. I'd still prefer to get rid of him if we can, I'm not convinced he can stay healthy on mentally on consistently.

I wouldn't say it's just in pressure situations though, that playoff run was pressure city and was great.

 

[Bonsai Tree]

If we are going to move Smith, the time to do it is before the start of next season. I don't want to change goalies when the second wave of rookies (Keller, Strome, Perlini) hit the team.

 

[ParisSaintGermain]

Nothing against him but Smith is not part of our mid/long-term future.

I am ok with him staying on for the time being but we need to establish who will be in the net when the prospects start to peak.

In my mind this is a lot more important than any first liner RHD we are alleged to have an obsession about (Trouba/Hamilton etc.)

 

[PerpetualTankYear]

Smith, who's been nothing short of a liability the last few seasons, has arguably been our best player the past few games. Smith is keeping us in games, and giving the team a chance to win almost every time he plays.

.928 sv% on the year, and in 4 of the last 5 games has posted a sv% over .941

We talk a lot of **** about Smitty, but he's been on his game so far.

I'm sorry.

 

[Plub]

If this team "turns" it around. If they can keep playing like they did tonight. The credit should go to Mike Smith.

 

[Mosby]

2 goals tonight that I'd describe moreso as fluky than bad.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

I was at the game and one of the goals (Nolan's 2nd) was kinda fluky. The others were good passing and movement. Maybe Smith should have saved them, but those were just good goals from good passing.

His mask is baddass!!! I sat right behind the net and got to watch Smith up close in the 2nd period.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

2 goals tonight that I'd describe moreso as fluky than bad.

The one where Smith was frozen in tableau after the first save and basically gifted the rebound to the Kings was a perfect example of why I don't like the guy.

DON'T DRAMATICALLY FREEZE UNTIL YOU HEAR THE DAMN WHISTLE.

 

[Bonsai Tree]

The one where Smith was frozen in tableau after the first save and basically gifted the rebound to the Kings was a perfect example of why I don't like the guy.

DON'T DRAMATICALLY FREEZE UNTIL YOU HEAR THE DAMN WHISTLE.

I think that Smith thought that he had the puck trapped to his body for a second or so and was late to move to block the second shot. It wasn't drama.

Regardless, Smith needs to dial down his puck movement game. He and his team are not on the same page and so the skaters are not properly anticipating his actions. It's becoming costly.