What do the Flames need most?

[The Gnome]

Smith's groin to hold. If that happens, this team is playoff bound. Add in a vet backup goalie.

 

[hooknshoot]

It's critical for Gilies and Ritich stepping up this year.

I agree with this. One of these guys doing the Hellebuyk would go a long way toward the Flames having a season like the Jets just did.

Mike Smith's age and cap hit can't be in the long or even mid term plans. Not having to resign him next off-season is ideal

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Sam Bennett Breaking Out as the #1C he is. Minute that happens, no one in the West can hang with us.

 

[MonyontheMoney]

Stop

 

[Anglesmith]

Sam Bennett Breaking Out as the #1C he is. Minute that happens, no one in the West can hang with us.

Don't stop believing. Hold onto that feeling.

 

[Lunatik]

Sam Bennett Breaking Out as the #1C he is. Minute that happens, no one in the West can hang with us.

I thought he already was ........

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

I agree goaltending/confidence are important.

But for me, it’s skill. We can’t be afraid to play better players because they are younger or less experienced.

Guys like Mangiapane/Czarnik/Janko should all be given time over guys like Lazar/Hathaway/etc.. scoring depth is so key in the modern game and we didn’t get enough of it.

 

[The Gnome]

Doesn't matter if Bennett turns into Getzlaf overnight. Without Smith's groin holding, this team isn't going anywhere. Unless one of Gillies/Rittich do a complete 180 from last season. Still would say a vet backup is our largest need. Even if others don't think it is and want to roll with our kids, there is no denying the risk built into our goaltending situation.

 

[Kranix]

Bennett will take a step forward. Believe it when you see it.

 

[MonyontheMoney]

Completely fine to have Gillies or Rittich as a backup to start the year.

Rittich was really good as a backup, but both he and Gillies struggled when thrown to the wolves as a duo.

You’re never going to develop goalies if you don’t let them play in the NHL.

Veteran backups can be had throughout the year. No need to grab one until Smith’s groin explodes (knock on wood) and we know Rittich/Gillies haven’t taken steps forward.

 

[Kranix]

I'll agree thus far Bennett has displayed less "Hockey IQ" than Matt Lombardi, giving no whisper of better things to come. However, he will break out in this draft +5 season. I am the official daver of Sam Bennett.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Doesn't matter if Bennett turns into Getzlaf overnight. Without Smith's groin holding, this team isn't going anywhere. Unless one of Gillies/Rittich do a complete 180 from last season. Still would say a vet backup is our largest need. Even if others don't think it is and want to roll with our kids, there is no denying the risk built into our goaltending situation.

I don't think Lehtonen nor Mason will be signed anytime soon, meaning I hope we can give them a PTO at the very minimum.

 

[Skobel24]

For management and coaching to be able to change the flames previous culture. No more handing jobs to veterans who dont deserve it when there is youth ready to go.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Sam Bennett Breaking Out as the #1C he is. Minute that happens, no one in the West can hang with us.

As intolerable as your repeated "I told you so"s will become when that happens, I sure hope you're right.

 

[The Gnome]

I find it wasteful to have made all these awesome off-season moves, only to have the same problem in net. If we were expected to be a bottom feeder, great, throw two young goalies into the spotlight. we cannot afford to lose games this season because Tre has to waffle over whether or not he should sign a vet backup 2 weeks after Smith is finally placed on IR and we've lost 7 in a row. This roster looks like a deep playoff team, the only issue is the uncertainty in net. The rest after that is up to the execution of the coaches and players, cause on paper, Tre has insured we are set...sans a reliable Smith replacement.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

I doubt Treliving is satisfied with our current goaltending situation.

Unfortunately he needs another team to help us out - and we're starting to run low on tradeable assets. (well at least ones we want to part with)

 

[The Gnome]

I doubt Treliving is satisfied with our current goaltending situation.

Unfortunately he needs another team to help us out - and we're starting to run low on tradeable assets. (well at least ones we want to part with)

I'd still move Stone for a lowly pick...honestly don't even care about the return as the cap space would be awesome and we have a viable replacement in Andersson.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

I find it wasteful to have made all these awesome off-season moves, only to have the same problem in net. If we were expected to be a bottom feeder, great, throw two young goalies into the spotlight. we cannot afford to lose games this season because Tre has to waffle over whether or not he should sign a vet backup 2 weeks after Smith is finally placed on IR and we've lost 7 in a row. This roster looks like a deep playoff team, the only issue is the uncertainty in net. The rest after that is up to the execution of the coaches and players, cause on paper, Tre has insured we are set...sans a reliable Smith replacement.

I am confident in all three goalies. We didn't miss the playoffs last year because of goaltending. We missed because of a lack of scoring due to a braindead coach and too many penalties taken trying to play a chippy style. Our goalies - especially Rittich and Smith, individually won us more games than they lost us last year. The rest came down to the skaters. Even Gillies was a conpetent #3

 

[InfinityIggy]

Bennett is gonna look great on someones wing this year.

 

[Anglesmith]

The only concern about goalies is if our starting goalie gets injured. Almost every team in the league would be concerned about that, though. There's a lot less uncertainty in net in Calgary than other places in the league.

 

[The Gnome]

I am confident in all three goalies. We didn't miss the playoffs last year because of goaltending. We missed because of a lack of scoring due to a braindead coach and too many penalties taken trying to play a chippy style. Our goalies - especially Rittich and Smith, individually won us more games than they lost us last year. The rest came down to the skaters. Even Gillies was a conpetent #3

This is just wrong. Gilles, and to a lesser extent, Rittich were horrible when Smith went down. Neither are competent starters at this point and Smith is high risk, we need a better backup if Smith is our #1.

 

[The Gnome]

The only concern about goalies is if our starting goalie gets injured. Almost every team in the league would be concerned about that, though. There's a lot less uncertainty in net in Calgary than other places in the league.

Well yes, I guess. But Smith is a massive injury risk.

 

[Mobiandi]

Bennett is gonna look great on someones wing this year.

If we decide to stack down the middle, Bennett-Lindholm could be a really promising pair. The only problem is that Peters is very anal about having a RHS on each line for faceoff purposes.

Idk something like:

Gaudreau-Monahan-Neal
Tkachuk-Backlund-???
Bennett-Lindholm-Czarnik
Frolik-Jankowski-Ryan

 

[Rangediddy]

I am confident in all three goalies. We didn't miss the playoffs last year because of goaltending. We missed because of a lack of scoring due to a braindead coach and too many penalties taken trying to play a chippy style. Our goalies - especially Rittich and Smith, individually won us more games than they lost us last year. The rest came down to the skaters. Even Gillies was a conpetent #3

The only way Gillies was a competent #3 was when he was playing in Stockton. He had awful #s in Calgary. I like Gillies as a goalie, but he's not close to being given meaningful minutes in the NHL yet. Rittich needs to grow as a backup, but neither should be trusted with being a starter this year if (when) Smith goes down.

Rittich only won us games while he was backup. Gillies didn't individually win us any games, in fact, his "one-gaff-a-game" put us in a hole more often than not.

 

[Lunatik]

Well yes, I guess. But Smith is a massive injury risk.

People keep parroting this, but the guy has still played 55+ games in 4 of the last 5 seasons. Maybe the injury issues have more to do with overuse than being injury prone. Rittich was good as a backup last year, he never struggled until he was asked to start every game. To me, it would make more sense to give Smith regular rest than worry about his durability.