So far, Mike Smith proving why the Flames sought him out

Though it’s still early into the season, it’s absolutely correct to say Mike Smith has been the Flames’ best player.

That’s exactly what Mark Giordano said following the Flames’ 2-1 overtime win against the Penguins – a game they were only in a position to win thanks to the stellar goaltending behind him. Smith kept the Flames in the game just long enough for them to take the lead – and though he fell short of his second shutout on the season, he did a job just good enough to secure the victory.

“Just good enough”, as if the Flames hadn’t made it so that standard would require a superhuman effort.

In light of Smith’s early season heroics, I wanted to revisit this piece I wrote back in April, long before we had any idea who the Flames would target to be their next goalie. In it, I detailed 19 potential trade or free agent signing targets for a new starter, Smith among them.

Since then, 12 of those goalies have changed teams, all through a mixture of free agent signings, trades, and the expansion draft. Two goalies have even changed teams already this season: Calvin Pickard, who has ended up in the AHL, and Antti Niemi, who ended up in Florida after the Penguins put him on waivers with a .797 save percentage.

Of those players, only four look to be starters so far this year: Smith, Ben Bishop, Scott Darling, and Brian Elliott. I’ll give out three asterisks as well, as Marc-Andre Fleury and Antti Raanta would clearly have been their team’s starters were it not for injuries, and Chad Johnson and Robin Lehner have a pretty close split (six games to nine).

Their early save percentages tell a tale: with all of the options out there, Smith has absolutely been the right call. Via Corsica, ordered by 5v5 SV%:

Smith has the best numbers, by far. His overall save percentage is superior to the other options, his low and medium danger save percentages are a few decimal points shy of being the best, and nobody else even comes close to his high danger numbers.

And it isn’t just that: among goalies with at least 200 5v5 minutes played, Smith has the best save percentage, and is eighth in high danger save percentage. If you switch to no limits on minutes, then his 5v5 save percentage is sixth in the NHL, and his high danger save percentage is 14th.

It isn’t just that Smith was the best goalie available as teams switched up netminders over the offseason – it’s that he’s one of the best goalies in the NHL so far this season, period.

I mean, it’s rather worth noting that the Flames’ 5v5 save percentage as a team is 95.08% – first across the league, the bulk of the work being Smith’s.

Now, let’s remember: it’s early. In all situations, Smith is currently rocking a 93.60% save percentage. His career high, over 67 games, is 93.00% – six years ago. In all likelihood, Smith will fall at least a little.

But in the meantime, the Flames are facing some of the same struggles they did to start last season, but for one: goaltending. And the points they earn now count just as much towards making the playoffs and fighting for home ice as they will later in the year, when those races becomes clearer.

Smith is giving the Flames the best possible starting goaltending they could have asked for. So far, their bet is paying off.