The Calgary Flames missed the postseason in 2017-18 and did so due to the
conflation of several smaller challenges that snowballed on them. While no one
factor caused their season to unravel, the single largest factor was their
goaltending.Calgary Flames goalie Mike Smith (Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports)

While Mike Smith was superb in the first half of the season, they didn';t get
what they needed from the whole group that strapped on the pads during the
entire season. For several reasons, having the right person in the backup
goaltender role behind Smith could be the key to success in 2018-19.Building
Team Trust

When the regular season begins, Smith will be 36 years old. He';s played 529
regular season games (and 19 playoff games), so he has a pretty large sample
size to establish a track record. When he arrived in Calgary, it was likely
easy for his new teammates to accept him as the top goaltender based on his
extensive track record and is early performances likely reinforced that trust.

The two netminders vying for backup work behind Smith - 24-year-old Jon Gillies
 and 26-year-old David Rittich - combined for two NHL appearances prior to last
 season and just 34 appearances heading into this year';s training camp. That
duo';s lack of track record and uneven performances last season make this
training camp crucial in establishing one (or both) as viable options between
the pipes for the Flames. Rittich was superb as a backup, but both he and
Gillies faltered when Smith was out.

Smith isn';t getting any younger, and despite his reputation as a tireless
worker in the gym, he';s missed time in each of the last three seasons with
lower-body injuries. His spirit is definitely willing, but at some point his
body may have had enough of the rigors of being an NHL goaltender.Finding a
Rhythm Early

Prior to the 2017-18, the Flames acquired veteran Eddie Lack with the intention
 of using him as their backup - he had struggled with the Hurricanes, but the
thought was he';d flourish with some new scenery. Unfortunately Lack struggled
both in preseason and his early starts in the regular season, leading to
then-head coach Glen Gulutzan tapping Smith for the majority of starts early
last season.

With veterans away in China, opportunity knocks for David Rittich
https://t.co/Cjkw8FVYp1

- FlamesNation (@FlamesNation) September 15, 2018

Lack was demoted to the AHL on November 24, 2017 and replaced by Rittich, the
AHL starter at the time. Prior to Lack';s demotion, Smith started 20 of the
club';s first 22 games. Once Rittich was recalled, Smith only started 17 of the
 next 22 games. It was a huge improvement, but it allowed Smith to stay a
little bit fresher between appearances.

While it';s impossible to say whether Smith';s heavy workload early last season
 was a contributing factor to his injury, spreading out his workload and
relying more on the club';s backup is a good idea.Keeping Smith Fresh for the
Stretch

The challenge for the Flames coaching staff will be working in their backup
goaltender - whether it';s Rittich or Gillies - early and often, particularly
given that Smith is so accustomed to a heavy workload. If you discount his
injury time, Smith has been one of the league';s busiest goaltenders over the
past several seasons - when he';s healthy, he';s usually starting the vast
majority of his team';s games. Managing Smith';s own expectations and habits
might be the biggest challenge, as workhorses are physically and mentally
accustomed to large workloads.

There';s no doubting that Smith was superb for the Flames in the first half of
last season. But ideally the club would like his best 15-to-20 outings to be
saved for the spring rather than used up early in the winter months. Smith';s
performance will determine whether the Flames are a playoff team or a
disappointment. But the frequency and placement of his performances are likely
dependent on how much the Flames can get out of his backup goaltender.

The post Flames Need Net Depth for Season Success appeared first on The Hockey
Writers.

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheHockeyWrite...
--- SBBSecho 3.06-Win32
 * Origin: TequilaMockingbird Online - Toms River, NJ (1:266/404)