Mike Smith

[evolver115]

Lifetime
GAA - 2.56
Save % - .914

What side of who's bed did this guy wake up on? Did Stevie Y make the biggest mistake in his young general manager's career in letting Smith go last year?

Smith was playing for the Tampa Bay AHL team as recently as last season. This seemingly unknown goalie, a former 5th round pick in the draft, could win the Conn Smyth! How is he doing it? Can he keep doing it?

 

[filosofy29]

Lifetime
GAA - 2.56
Save % - .914

What side of who's bed did this guy wake up on? Did Stevie Y make the biggest mistake in his young general manager's career in letting Smith go last year?

Smith was playing for the Tampa Bay AHL team as recently as last season. This seemingly unknown goalie, a former 5th round pick in the draft, could win the Conn Smyth! How is he doing it? Can he keep doing it?

Supposedly Sean Burke has had a lot to do with his resurgence (I say resurgence because he was a highly considered prospect back when he was with the Stars and had a decent season in TB). They are similar goaltenders and Sean has worked with him and supposedly even asked management to consider Mike Smith as their goalie in the offseason as he thought he could help/work with him.

I don't think it's as much on Stevey Y as much as it is Dave Tippett's system and the help of Sean Burke.

 

[puckhead]

amazing that not only he was put on waivers.... but he cleared.
impressive how he's turned his game around.

3 of his 4 years in TB, his sv% was at .900 or below.

 

[dash]

You wonder how much input Dave Tippett had in bringing Smith to Phoenix (as he coached him in Dallas previously). I think the system Tippett uses in Phoenix has really helped Smith flourish in the desert. We'll see how he does against the Kings, though, I'm still not sold on Mike Smith.

 

[IPostedWhat]

Brooks Laich says that he has a lot of skill.

 

[BOSSMANPC]

You wonder how much input Dave Tippett had in bringing Smith to Phoenix (as he coached him in Dallas previously). I think the system Tippett uses in Phoenix has really helped Smith flourish in the desert. We'll see how he does against the Kings, though, I'm still not sold on Mike Smith.

This^^^ For all of the years I've watched this game there is always a "Goalie of the year" and then they fall off.

Not taking anything away from him but goalies get hot and cold and the system can help them or not and some goalies get "in a zone" for a while. It's happened many times over the years and will continue to happen.

Sometimes I feel hockey fans want to put a player into the HOF after a good season and it shouldn't be that way but who am I to say.

 

[evolver115]

You wonder how much input Dave Tippett had in bringing Smith to Phoenix (as he coached him in Dallas previously). I think the system Tippett uses in Phoenix has really helped Smith flourish in the desert. We'll see how he does against the Kings, though, I'm still not sold on Mike Smith.

I wasn't sold on him long before this season, and for good reason. I've seen him get lit up quite often playing in the eastern conference. And I hear ya about the system, but this statistic makes the system logic seem kinda flawed:

Smith has faced 400 shots in 11 playoff games – more than any other goalie in the postseason. He has allowed 21 goals – a .948 save percentage – and has won 13 of his last 16 starts with five shutouts dating to a five-game winning streak to end the regular season.

If Phoenix is surrendering that many shots, I'd say the system is broken. Smith has just turned himself into a mason and is busy laying bricks in front of his 4 x 6 seemingly every night.

 

[awaz]

mike smith.

ilya bryzgalov.

dave tippet.

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

Was great for my fantasy team this year too!

 

[Urkie]

I'm just not sold on Mike Smith. Like Ilya Bryzgalov, I think Dave Tippet's system has really made it easy for him. I just don't think he would flourish the way he has on any other team. That's my opinion anyway.

I do believe in Jon Quick though. I think he could be the best goalie in the league. Without him I think the Kings would have been a lottery team because they had so much trouble scoring goals all season and now that they are scoring, they're going to be very very tough to beat.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

I'm sure a good amount of it has to do with the system, but this guy was the centerpiece in the trade that sent Brad Richards, a top tier talent, to Dallas. Clearly this isn't some out of left field nobody that is enjoying a great run. The guy is good.

 

[awaz]

I'm sure a good amount of it has to do with the system, but this guy was the centerpiece in the trade that sent Brad Richards, a top tier talent, to Dallas. Clearly this isn't some out of left field nobody that is enjoying a great run. The guy is good.

speaking of brad richards, what's he doing succeeding in new york? why isn't he failing like every other big name free agent does in new york?

 

[Eddie_Shack]

speaking of brad richards, what's he doing succeeding in new york? why isn't he failing like every other big name free agent does in new york?

Because Richards has a giant swinging brass set of clutch in his jock.

 

[naslundfan19]

speaking of brad richards, what's he doing succeeding in new york? why isn't he failing like every other big name free agent does in new york?

I honestly think it's the Torts factor. He's comfortable knowing what he wants.