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On Saturday night
Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos tossed out the idea of the Arizona Coyotes trading goaltender Mike Smith.
Elliotte Friedman followed up on Monday during a radio spot with the NHL Network and offered some insight on the subject (
transcription via FanRagSports).
“It’s interesting. Nick Kypreos said that he heard Arizona was really interested in doing it,” recalled Friedman. “I had some guys say that Arizona is looking at him like he was our best player last year – and he was – so if we’re giving him up the package better be great. I could see a team like Calgary being very much into this. If he’s available I think there’s going to be a lot of interest because he did have a great year last year.”
I have some thoughts:
1) Being the best player, if that's even true, on the Coyotes doesn't mean much as it's a very low bar to clear. It's just the reality with a team that won 30 times in 82 games. Radim Vrbata was the only player on the roster with more than 40 points so, again, there weren't a lot of quality seasons to choose from.
2) I don't get why there'd by a lot of interest in Smith, nor why any team would be willing to part with anything close to a "great" package to land him.
He is a 35-year-old who owns a .912 save percentage over the last five years, which is below league average.
Among 35 goaltenders to play in 140+ games during that span, Smith ranks 30th in save percentage and 32nd in quality start percentage. That puts him in company with the likes of Antti Niemi, Jonas Hiller, Cam Ward and Ondrej Pavelec.
3) The Flames are already short on draft picks this year. Trading future picks, or dipping into the well of quality prospects, for an old goaltender who makes $5.667 per season and posts, at best, average numbers on an annual basis is far from a sound idea.
4) Numbers since the beginning of the 2013-14 season (Steve Mason's first full year as a Flyer):
Mason -- .917 overall save percentage, .931 5v5 save percentage (3rd among 35 goaltenders to play 6,000+ minutes).
Smith -- .912 overall save percentage, .923 5v5 save percentage (23rd among 35 eligible goaltenders)
Mason is also six years younger and the Flames wouldn't have to part with an asset to get him in Calgary.
If they make a trade for Smith -- especially one that sees them part with anything remotely valuable -- rather than signing someone like Mason,
who may be the best available option, I think it'd be a huge mistake.
I know Treliving has a history with Smith dating back to his time with the Coyotes, but there are much better options out there.
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