Proposal: Rumours & Proposals Thread | Oh Gord, I Preferred The Silence | Seravalli: Mike Smith $2M 1YR Deal

[ChaoticOrange]

This is so weak.
Do you really think that an interim coach who badgers players constantly was going to get full buy in and turn things around?

Do you think that is the approach that Tippett will employ?
Really?

Is Hitchcock known as a very good defensive coach? Yes. Did the Oilers improve defensively under him? No. Unless the roster is markedly improved, Tippett will make as much difference as a fart in a hurricane.

Smith was brutal on a much better team than ours, with a defenceman that won the god damn Norris. Expecting some miracle bounce back “because structure” is hilariously naive.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

That’s what I was gonna mention. It wasn’t his fault Calgary lost. He actually played good.
He could make a good outlet pass to McJesus

He has the best outlet pass on our team now.

 

[Soundwave]

2M in bonuses basically means we have to keep 2M free. Likely it's just some games played marker, and I could see him taking the #1 spot from Koskinen. And we really can't afford to be playing with cap penalties next year if we actually want to accomplish anything.

I don't like it, but if he hits that 2 mill bonus it's likely because he's taken the Oilers to the playoffs and maybe even won a round or something.

 

[CycloneSweep]

He was bad early in the season when he was hurt.

Down the stretch, he was good, 1.9 GAA in his final 13 games + hands down the best player for the Flames in the playoffs.

He is old, is bad more often than he is good and is going to a team with abysmal defense. Smith is going to get blown out nightly and the team will hate his guts and be will hate them

 

[guymez]

Smith was terrible last year on a team that has substantially better defense than us...our defense is now worse.

Koskinen and Smith are 2 of the worst goalies in the league.

Doesn't matter the system. If we don't secure 2 top 6 wingers and an entire 3rd line that's strong defensively. On paper this team is bottom 10 quite easily

I know its compelling to start with the negative hyperbole but there is another side to this.

Again...Smith has groin issues last season. Not an excuse just a reality.
Also again...Tippett has a history of improving the goaltending by virtue of his structured defenisve approach.

 

[Soundwave]

He has the best outlet pass on our team now.

 

[bobbythebrain]

Smith was a freaking beast 2 years ago. He was fantastic in the playoffs last year.

He should give the Oil some solid backup games

 

[Marty McSurly]

I sooo want Perry now.

Me too! This will be the best off season ever lol.

 

[Paralyzer]

Cam Talbot is getting 2.5 M from Calgary.

Mike Smith is getting less than 2 M from Edmonton.

Over the past two seasons, Smith has been a better goalie than Talbot.

People need to calm down. Older players have bonuses that they do not hit.

People don't understand calm here. Only over-reacting and whining like a child is allowed.

 

[Shizuka]

It's a 'show me' deal with a veteran backup who, aside from 3 out of his 14 NHL seasons, has been above .900 (many in the .910+ range). I can understand the criticism given this organization's recent historical patterns but in these circumstances and considering the shaky nature of Koskinen's game last season, it's not really all that bad. Buying out Sekera when you don't have a proper middle pairing guy to slot in looks worse.

 

[Soundwave]

He is old, is bad more often than he is good and is going to a team with abysmal defense. Smith is going to get blown out nightly and the team will hate his guts and be will hate them

He's been pretty good the last 3-4 years aside from the 20 game stretch to start last season when he was hurt.

If they're going to lose, good fine, I hope they don't all like each other and aren't going home all "ho hum, this is a-OK". I want more guys getting pissed off. This team has too many damn boy scouts on it.

 

[Section337]

Mike Smith bonus structure:

• $250K - Throws teammate under bus less than 5 times
• $250K - Gives up less than 8 goals while fudging things up behind the net
• $250K - Has less than 7 embarrassing dives
• $250K - Oilers make the playoffs
• $500K - Dumps 99+litres of water on his head during stoppage in time
• $500K - One fan, cannot be friends or family, buys a Mike Smith jersey at Rogers

 

[OilerTyler]

Everyone just became Koskinen fans because none of us want to have to watch Smith play for the Oilers haha

 

[Faelko]

He is old, is bad more often than he is good and is going to a team with abysmal defense. Smith is going to get blown out nightly and the team will hate his guts and be will hate them

Sounds like Talbot last year....

 

[oobga]

I don't like it, but if he hits that 2 mill bonus it's likely because he's taken the Oilers to the playoffs and maybe even won a round or something.

I hope it's not just games played and he can get it just by Koskinen playing badly Would be nice if it was tied to playoffs, or some good statistical measure.

 

[Spawn]

Smith was a freaking beast 2 years ago. He was fantastic in the playoffs last year.

He should give the Oil some solid backup games

Let’s just ignore the sub 900 sv% he had all of last season. That definitely doesn’t have any bearing on how he’ll perform this season.

No chance.

 

[snipes]

I don’t even mind the Smith signing.

He’s our best puck mover from the backend until Bouchard is in the lineup.

 

[CycloneSweep]

I know its compelling to start with the negative hyperbole but there is another side to this.

Again...Smith has groin issues last season. Not an excuse just a reality.
Also again...Tippett has a history of improving the goaltending by virtue of his structured defenisve approach.

Fair but even with his more structured approach, our team isn't even close to the team Calgary was last year. And Smith is injured all the time with groin shit. He is good for 10-15 games and is trash for the rest. Not the kind of guy you want to backup the currently worst starter in the league.

Add to the fact that our current is worse today than it was yesterday....I don't see how it's possible we make playoffs unless every rookie we plug into the lineup excels

 

[guymez]

Is Hitchcock known as a very good defensive coach? Yes. Did the Oilers improve defensively under him? No. Unless the roster is markedly improved, Tippett will make as much difference as a fart in a hurricane.

Smith was brutal on a much better team than ours, with a defenceman that won the god damn Norris. Expecting some miracle bounce back “because structure” is hilariously naive.

Not only lots of negative hyperbole but a lack of critical thinking as well...lol

First Tippett and Hitch have completely different coaching styles. Not even remotely the same. Tippett is a players coach...Hitch isnt. Hitch was an interim coach and the team obviously knew that. Interim coahces have a very short shelf life and a coach that badgers players like Hitch has an even shorter shelf life.

For you to suggest that they are the same is completely and totally false.

Lets go on to Smith...he has groin issues all last season. that matters. He is a step up from Talbot for less money.

 

[Marty McSurly]

People don't understand calm here. Only over-reacting and whining like a child is allowed.

You know you don't have to do that, right? (whining about other posters is your favourite thing to do on HFOil)

 

[Soundwave]

Fair but even with his more structured approach, our team isn't even close to the team Calgary was last year. And Smith is injured all the time with groin ****. He is good for 10-15 games and is trash for the rest. Not the kind of guy you want to backup the currently worst starter in the league.

Add to the fact that our current is worse today than it was yesterday....I don't see how it's possible we make playoffs unless every rookie we plug into the lineup excels

Yeah well signing Mrazek for 4 million likely wasn't an option, and there's no guarantee Mrazek for 1 year gives you anything better. He'd also likely want 2-4 year term.

 

[Shizuka]

Let’s just ignore the sub 900 sv% he had all of last season. That definitely doesn’t have any bearing on how he’ll perform this season.

No chance.

In the two seasons prior though, he was at .914 and .916. It's a reasonable bet he will at least get back to .900+.

 

[Marty McSurly]

Mike Smith bonus structure:

• $250K - Throws teammate under bus less than 5 times
• $250K - Gives up less than 8 goals while fudging things up behind the net
• $250K - Has less than 7 embarrassing dives
• $250K - Oilers make the playoffs
• $500K - Dumps 99+litres of water on his head during stoppage in time
• $500K - One fan, cannot be friends or family, buys a Mike Smith jersey at Rogers

The prop bets on Mike Smith alone will make next season entertaining

 

[Paralyzer]

You know you don't have to do that, right? (whining about other posters is your favourite thing to do on HFOil)

I'm not whining. I'm posting out the fact. Thanks for being #400 on the ignore list.

 

[North]

This is so weak.
Do you really think that an interim coach who badgers players constantly was going to get full buy in and turn things around?

Do you think that is the approach that Tippett will employ?
Really?

Especially considering Tippett already said you have to figure out what each player will respond to when you are working with them. That wasn't Hitch's way.