Waived: Brendan Smith (Update: CLEARED)

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Dubinsky and Boyle fought in practice early in Boyle’s this be here. I think Avery and Sauer fought in practice too. It happens sometimes.

Obviously I think it’s very dumb but I’m not surprised. Smith is probably the most frustrated person in hockey. He’s been an NHL player for like 7 years and not after signing a big money contract he is publicly embarrassed (deserved but still) and sent to the AHL. He must have a massive chip in his shoulder at all times and must be very much on edge. Would it really surprise anyone if Letteiri chirped him about being in the AHL? You never know.

Brooks is right in his description. Smith’s miserable year from hell ends in fittingly miserable fashion.

 

[Bob Richards]

 

[NYRFAN218]

Also, Brooks' timeline is off. Smith has been out a few weeks now. He last played March 4th and supposedly got slashed that game and didn't return.

 

[GregSirico]

But what character issues are there? He came into camp out of shape but it hasn't been a recurring theme throughout his career or anything like that. And we don't know what the backstory is behind the fight. Who's to say Lettieri didn't cheapshot him and they had a boys will be boys type fight? Fighting is dumb, yes, but this doesn't scream character issues to me. This isn't the first time teammates fight in practice and it won't be the last and I've never heard character issues brought up. I haven't heard of Smith being a negative presence down there off the ice either, quite the opposite actually even if his play on the ice does suck.

That's a very fair take but even if he didn't start it, he's the veteran, he's the NHLer, he sets the example. Be better than that. I'm sorry but I have a higher expectation of behavior from a pro NHLer than a kid just starting out.

 

[eco's bones]

This is why anyone who cheers when one of our actual good players tries to fight is a confirmed 100% out and out mook.

Really?

Fighting with your teammates is never a good idea but it does happen. Usually other teams/coaches step in and stop it before any real damage is done. What I get out of all this though is more evidence that Brendan Smith is not getting it--is possibly in a bad psychological place where he's become a problem in the organization at multiple levels. He played like crap--got demoted--continues to play like crap at a lower level and gets into a fight with a teammate where he's slugging it out hard enough to break his hand which is f***ed up.....and maybe there's some other background (like rehab) issue to this because it never seemed to me that he's put the least effort into working his way back to the Rangers.

But fighting in general--there are good reasons at times that a player sticks up for himself or another teammate and no Mika Zibanejad shouldn't have to fight and as far as I know he never has. Kreider has fought--not particularly well but.....

The other night Tim Gettinger fought a 16 year old London Knight Andrew Perrott---who's father Nathan briefly played in the NHL and was kind of a minor league goon. Gettinger didn't really seem into at first but after getting punched in the head about 6 or 7 times he started swinging back and beat the shit out of the much younger Perrott but really it didn't seem to me that Gettinger really wanted to do it but it came down to he didn't have much choice. People have the right to defend themselves against predatory behavior.

 

[Machinehead]

Hey, I'm over at Queens. Rivalry, or are you taking down teammates?

Rivalry

Although if they don't cancel work tomorrow, Queens gonna get it too. I ain't got time for this snow.

 

[Thirty One]

Discusting.

 

[kovazub94]

I’m with @eco's bones on this. Context is always important and in light of how Smith’s season has been unfolding it is very possible that it is a prelude to a rehab. Just a mind boggling development that no one could’ve predicted a year ago.

 

[Irishguy42]

"It happens sometimes" is right up there with "boys will be boys" for horrible excuses in situations like this.

It's the AHL, for crying out loud.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Is assaulting a teammate grounds for terminating a bad contract?

 

[Alluckks]

It isn't assault, jesus.

Lettieri and Smith fought, mutual. I'm not defending the guy but sometimes in situations like this the keyboard warriors want to find any reason to crucify a guy. I've only ever heard good things about Smith as a locker room guy.

Let's hear the details before conclusions are jumped to (yeah, right...). And if we don't hear the details then we probably aren't hearing them for a reason.

That said, Smith has been so disappointing this year.

 

[Jayan]

Broke his hand fighting a fellow teammate after all the shit this guy has already pulled this year?

Future contract extentions better have a "dont Brendan Smith it" clause that would make the contract void.

I've so had it with this clown. He has no place even in hockey.

 

[Alluckks]

It is amazing how much people infer about someone's character based on their declining ability in a sport. Also, we have absolutely no information about what happened in practice. Could be whatever, could be Lettieri started after it with him. Could be no big deal at all. No one has ever reported issues with Smith's character before - and there were no reports as such alongside this news either, just that he got hurt scrapping with teammate. If there were words thrown or a real bad situation don't you think that information would be in the story? Isn't that juicier for reporters?

 

[RGY]

How about we wait until more details come out. This season has been a tough one for everyone, not just Smith. Next year is a clean slate.

 

[egelband]

I like the idea of including a Brendan Smith (BS) Clause in future contracts, though.

 

[tomobson]

The season from hell is right for Smith. If he can't win a roster spot on the abysmal looking defense it looks like we'll have next season then I think it's over Smith. I just hope to god we'll be able to move him.

 

[Leonardo87]

So there is no “Breaking your hand while fighting a team mate at practice” clause to get out of this contract? Also known as the “dumb ass” clause .

 

[Filthy Dangles]

im surprised he's been a regular in the NHL for so long honestly. he's always been right on the fringe of being serviceable at this level. The offense never translated, and he's decent at one thing which is being active at his blueline. apart from that he's a very underwhelming NHL defenseman.

 

[PuckLuck3043]

This signing encapsulates why I don't trust Gorton's philosophy in building the defense.

Smith did not deserve the contract he got. He was getting scratched by the Red Wings, who had one of the worst defenses in the NHL. Wings fans said he wasn't deserving of the contract he wanted. The Wings management wouldn't meet the demands either.

There was a clear divide between the eye test on Smith and the underlying advanced stats. The underlying advanced stats said he was a top 4D, despite him not ever earning that role. Those who watched him play for years said otherwise. Gorton sides with the underlying advanced stats, and gives him a huge contract.

Fast forward to this season, and Smith sucks, kind of like we were told he would. I wouldn't say his underlying advanced stats were a complete fluke because there's obviously something to having good underlying advanced stats consistently over the course of a career, maybe he would do well in like a 6D role, but there was always going to be one dumb team that takes that data to mean he deserves to be paid like a top 4D. I'm not sure we should be handing out contracts to defensemen based purely on good underlying advanced stats in a lesser role. It seems like a recipe for disaster in building a defense.

And I think it might extend beyond the defense. All the advanced stats people hated Miller. There were certainly things to critique the guy for, and it was evident by the eye test or advanced stats, but if Gorton ousted him because of that instead of a fallout between him and the organization, that is very questionable, and should cause alarm bells for his management style. Miller is now playing in a different organization, and has started out great. He's a better hockey player than the guy he was traded for. If the trade was made because of coachability, locker room problems instead of advanced stats, its understandable. What is not understandable is making such important decisions based solely or even mostly on data whose impact is not fully known yet, that swings so widely from season to season. These are the same advanced stats that thought Hayes was terrible last season, and now he's great. Zucc has bad advanced stats this season, must mean he sucks?

You forgot to mention that Smith was pretty damn good for this team last year after we acquired him, especially in the playoffs. He has been a train wreck this year but I could understand why Gorton signed him to that contract considering the state of the defense and how well he played last year. Not every trade or signing works out. Gorton did a good job at the the TDL and I'm confident he will continue to do a competent job with the rebuild.

 

[Idlerlee]

You forgot to mention that Smith was pretty damn good for this team last year after we acquired him, especially in the playoffs. He has been a train wreck this year but I could understand why Gorton signed him to that contract considering the state of the defense and how well he played last year. Not every trade or signing works out. Gorton did a good job at the the TDL and I'm confident he will continue to do a competent job with the rebuild.

"Forgot".

But you are spot in, Brendan Smith was absolutely incredible in his role during his stint here prior to this season.

So with that in mind:

Here you have a player who played like a real stud for a good stretch. Went over and beyond what anyone expected of him. And was due a contract.

Do the GM sit after the season, view the player up for a contract, compare him to his current defense men, and let him walk? Or do you sign a player who has shown what he can do on a NYR team in a NYR system? If the option was to let him walk after the play he showed he never had an actual chance to stay with the organization. Considering that Smith was traded to NYR for a playoff push, for a 2nd rounder 2018, and 3rd 2017; What do you actually expect Gorton to do? NOT extend the player that showed he could be a gamer to a caphit that the NYR can afford?

Smith has disappointed literally everyone who believed in him before this season, fans, teammates, and not least Gorton who set him up financially for life. Brendan Smith has a lot of work to do with his character during the summer before camp. If he has any pride in his body, he will spend this summer doing what needs to be done to come into camp in the shape of his life.

Signing Smith with the present conditions and history with the NYR was the right thing to do, the failures to come into the season prepared rests entirely on Smith.

NYR has history with taking in reclamation projects that turn them into solid contributors. Benoit Pouliot is a good example of a player that got a chance with the team and really made something of himself here as a solid role player during the 13-14 season, before taking too much money from Edmonton and dwindled with too much responsibility.

 

[NYRFAN218]

I think everyone can agree he played really well for us last season and also say that the contract was a bit an overpayment. I was hoping for no more than 4 x 4 at the time. But regardless, anyone who could have said they saw all of this happening this season is just full of it. I can't remember a free agent signing fall off like this. He went from being one of our best defenders in the playoffs to being an out of shape minor leaguer who broke his hand fighting in practice in less than a year.

 

[NYR]

This signing encapsulates why I don't trust Gorton's philosophy in building the defense.

Smith did not deserve the contract he got. He was getting scratched by the Red Wings, who had one of the worst defenses in the NHL. Wings fans said he wasn't deserving of the contract he wanted. The Wings management wouldn't meet the demands either.

There was a clear divide between the eye test on Smith and the underlying advanced stats. The underlying advanced stats said he was a top 4D, despite him not ever earning that role. Those who watched him play for years said otherwise. Gorton sides with the underlying advanced stats, and gives him a huge contract.

Fast forward to this season, and Smith sucks, kind of like we were told he would. I wouldn't say his underlying advanced stats were a complete fluke because there's obviously something to having good underlying advanced stats consistently over the course of a career, maybe he would do well in like a 6D role, but there was always going to be one dumb team that takes that data to mean he deserves to be paid like a top 4D. I'm not sure we should be handing out contracts to defensemen based purely on good underlying advanced stats in a lesser role. It seems like a recipe for disaster in building a defense.

And I think it might extend beyond the defense. All the advanced stats people hated Miller. There were certainly things to critique the guy for, and it was evident by the eye test or advanced stats, but if Gorton ousted him because of that instead of a fallout between him and the organization, that is very questionable, and should cause alarm bells for his management style. Miller is now playing in a different organization, and has started out great. He's a better hockey player than the guy he was traded for. If the trade was made because of coachability, locker room problems instead of advanced stats, its understandable. What is not understandable is making such important decisions based solely or even mostly on data whose impact is not fully known yet, that swings so widely from season to season. These are the same advanced stats that thought Hayes was terrible last season, and now he's great. Zucc has bad advanced stats this season, must mean he sucks?

Excellent post

 

[GregSirico]

I think everyone can agree he played really well for us last season and also say that the contract was a bit an overpayment. I was hoping for no more than 4 x 4 at the time. But regardless, anyone who could have said they saw all of this happening this season is just full of it. I can't remember a free agent signing fall off like this. He went from being one of our best defenders in the playoffs to being an out of shape minor leaguer who broke his hand fighting in practice in less than a year.

Anyone who says they saw this coming should also tell me today's NY Lotto #'s

 

[NYR]

I can understand that things can get heated in competition, even in practice but Smith actually broke his hand?

If he went up against another fight I wouldn't even think twice about it but Lettieri isn't even a fighter.

Terminate this terd already..

 

[silverfish]

When you have all the puzzle pieces, and can't put it together yourself, so anyone who can is "full of it"