Toggle sidebar

Player Discussion Smith or Rittich down the stretch?

Smith or Rittich for the remainder of the season?

  • Total voters
    65
Volica

Volica

Papa Shango
May 15, 2012
21,436
11,109
One of you guys is looking at 5v5 and the other is looking at overall season totals.
#mysterysolved
 
Ace Rimmer

Ace Rimmer

Stoke me a clipper.
Jul 6, 2009
22,869
11,625
12°22’13.32″N, 23°19’20.18″E
www.youtube.com
SKRusty brings up the 1988-89 Flames as the template for the current team.

I think it's more apt to compare them to the 1985-86 Flames, who started the season with the painfully average goaltending tandem of Reggie Lemelin and Marc D'Amour. Vernon was an injury call-up mid-season, and stole the show.

Flames didn't have their mid-season show-stealer this time around. Maybe it's Rittich and he just needs a hot streak at the right time?
 
SKRusty

SKRusty

Napalm
Jan 20, 2016
2,611
1,062
Sparky93 said:
Maybe your filters are screwy. We’ve actually allowed 192 goals this season, good for 11th best in the NHL too.
Click to expand...
I had went with the default which I guess was 5 V 5 nonetheless the stats are valid 5 V 5. Guess part of the recipe for success in the playoffs will be to stay out of the box.
Dube Dube Doo said:
SKRusty brings up the 1988-89 Flames as the template for the current team.

I think it's more apt to compare them to the 1985-86 Flames, who started the season with the painfully average goaltending tandem of Reggie Lemelin and Marc D'Amour. Vernon was an injury call-up mid-season, and stole the show.

Flames didn't have their mid-season show-stealer this time around. Maybe it's Rittich and he just needs a hot streak at the right time?
Click to expand...

The '89 Flames are not my template. All I have stated was that this team was the best team since and record wise are going to be in the top 2 in regards to points and position in the standings.

I think it is premature to declare we will even make the finals. With the parity within the league the first round is likely, the second round is going to be a battle which I think the Flames can win and the conference final will come down to which team has less injuries and how much is left in the tank.

My point in all this was not to argue which goalie or if our goalies are good enough it was to point out rather than moaning to maybe enjoy the ride a little. Many here started the season moaning the line-up was a bubble team and now that team has proven they are much more than that they are still moaning despite having all their expectations exceeded.

Sometimes part of being a fan is to cheer on your team even if it a little flawed in your opinion. The 2004 Flames were one of the most flawed teams to exist but they grabbed everyone's heart all the way to the final. Now that we have a decent team on the ice I am not seeing the same level of support.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ace Rimmer
Atrusai

Atrusai

Registered User
Oct 9, 2017
477
553
Rittich wins you 2 out of every 3 games. Sometimes it's not that complicated.
 
Johnny Hoxville

Johnny Hoxville

The Return of a Legend
Jul 15, 2006
37,549
9,343
Calgary
It’s hilarous people are either so pro Rittich or so pro Smith. I agree with SKR that we should all enjoy the ride and cheer for both players. It’s fine to be critical, but a lot of the Smith defenders (myself included), were becoming annoyed that Rittich could do no wrong when he’s simply human and showed he wasn’t immortal. The fact is, over the last 2 months neither has really separated themselves from the other. As a result, it’s laughable there is such a line in the sand here.

The reality of the situation right now is the Flames will start whichever goalie they feel gives them their best shot at winning. As fans, that’s where we should be supporting our team and their players.
 
  • Like
Reactions: InfinityIggy, FlamerForLife, Drop Shock and 1 other person
InfinityIggy

InfinityIggy

Zagidulin's Dad
Jan 30, 2011
36,087
12,866
59.6097709,16.5425901
Johnny Hoxville said:
It’s hilarous people are either so pro Rittich or so pro Smith. I agree with SKR that we should all enjoy the ride and cheer for both players. It’s fine to be critical, but a lot of the Smith defenders (myself included), were becoming annoyed that Rittich could do no wrong when he’s simply human and showed he wasn’t immortal. The fact is, over the last 2 months neither has really separated themselves from the other. As a result, it’s laughable there is such a line in the sand here.

The reality of the situation right now is the Flames will start whichever goalie they feel gives them their best shot at winning. As fans, that’s where we should be supporting our team and their players.
Click to expand...

They hated him, because he spoke the truth.

rittich is better
 
  • Like
Reactions: Johnny Hoxville
Volica

Volica

Papa Shango
May 15, 2012
21,436
11,109
crackdown44 said:
Rittich not fighting Fleury loses some points. You gotta believe crazy Mike Smith has a shiv ready to go in that situation
Click to expand...

I was pumped for BDR to get out there and fight Flower.
Mostly because it'd mean we were playing Malcolm Subban the rest of the way. Much different goalie.
 

FLAMESFAN

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
4,886
981
I wouldn't be surprised if Smith shutsout Arizona

I just don't like any 1A/1B tandem. I think you have to choose one to be your regular guy.
 
DCDM

DCDM

Da Rink Cats
Mar 24, 2008
38,094
6,426
Calgary
Volica said:
To be fair, tandem goaltending has won the cup the past 3 seasons :laugh:
Click to expand...
I'm not so sure I would call Holtby/Neuvirth a tandem in the true sense of the word. Holtby struggled until he didn't, but it was never in doubt who the Capitals' Cup chances relied on IMO.

Murray/Fleury though, for sure.
 
Volica

Volica

Papa Shango
May 15, 2012
21,436
11,109
Drop Shock said:
I'm not so sure I would call Holtby/Neuvirth a tandem in the true sense of the word. Holtby struggled until he didn't, but it was never in doubt who the Capitals' Cup chances relied on IMO.

Murray/Fleury though, for sure.
Click to expand...

Grubauer was the other goalie in Washington.
He played 35 games that season, and also was the playoff starter. Holtby struggled in the regular season.
 
Anglesmith

Anglesmith

Setting up the play?
Sep 17, 2012
46,469
14,781
Victoria
Drop Shock said:
I'm not so sure I would call Holtby/Neuvirth a tandem in the true sense of the word. Holtby struggled until he didn't, but it was never in doubt who the Capitals' Cup chances relied on IMO.

Murray/Fleury though, for sure.
Click to expand...

That's obviously clear in retrospect, but the situations there and here are highly comparable. Holtby was the stable starting goalie at the start of the year with a solid track record, including time as the league's best goalie. Grubauer was an emerging goalie who had been a serviceable backup in the past, and was seemingly ready for more responsibility. At the start of this season, Mike Smith was a solid goalie with a good track record including time as one of the league's best goalies, and David Rittich was a guy with apparent potential, but who hadn't shown any kind of consistency at the NHL level.

Rittich's position right now challenging for the starting job is every bit as unlikely/surprising as what happened in Washington last year. I guess the big difference is the age of Smith this year vs. the age of Holtby last year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Drop Shock
SKRusty

SKRusty

Napalm
Jan 20, 2016
2,611
1,062
Anglesmith said:
That's obviously clear in retrospect, but the situations there and here are highly comparable. Holtby was the stable starting goalie at the start of the year with a solid track record, including time as the league's best goalie. Grubauer was an emerging goalie who had been a serviceable backup in the past, and was seemingly ready for more responsibility. At the start of this season, Mike Smith was a solid goalie with a good track record including time as one of the league's best goalies, and David Rittich was a guy with apparent potential, but who hadn't shown any kind of consistency at the NHL level.

Rittich's position right now challenging for the starting job is every bit as unlikely/surprising as what happened in Washington last year. I guess the big difference is the age of Smith this year vs. the age of Holtby last year.
Click to expand...

MAF is a good example of a goalie able to not only able to be relevant in the NHL but dominate into his mid thirties. I am not saying that is the case with Smith (who is not MAF... MAF is probably still the most disrespected goalie in the league.) but Smith has it in him to be dominant. His streakiness has always been an issue. If Smith does get hot for a cup run he is capable of winning a Conn Smythe... That or he could pull a Grubauer.

In regards to Rittich I really am not sure where he lies in the spectrum. Last night he played a brilliant game. I just don't think we have seen enough of Rittich or that RIttich has seen enough of the NHL for any assessment to be done on how he will perform come the playoffs.
 
Mobiandi

Mobiandi

Registered User
Jan 17, 2015
20,990
17,401
I'd guess Rittich. Peters has been sticking with the hot hand lately and he just won last night
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sk8M8
You must log in or register to reply here.

Ad

Latest posts

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

Top Bottom