C Will Smith (2023, 4th, SJS)

[CaptainShark]

The development curve he is on is unbelievable. Watching him in the first 15-20 games and now, the difference is like night and day. He looked like didn’t belong anywhere near an NHL roster at the beginning, the ice was titled against the Sharks (a lot more than it is anyway) almost every time he stepped on in those first weeks. And now

 

[OrrNumber4]

He has ways to go defensively...especially if he wants to play at center. But his vision and technical passing ability is exceptional.

 

[Juxtaposer]

And the biggest surprise is how well his shot has translated. He's lethal.

Frankly, I think his shot is better by a meaningful margin than it was last season. He's had some absolute snipes this year.

I maintain, the vision/passing/shot/puck-handling offensive skills package is elite. I would be tempted to argue best in class.

 

[Jargon]

Frankly, I think his shot is better by a meaningful margin than it was last season. He's had some absolute snipes this year.

I maintain, the vision/passing/shot/puck-handling offensive skills package is elite. I would be tempted to argue best in class.

He’s got a Pavelski-like accurate wrist shot. He’s the first Shark since young Pavs that I can remember who can pick a corner and put it in like that.

And yeah, his passing ability is out of this world.

Can’t wait to see him after a summer of growth.

 

[lordtrillson]

Dunno if this has been said before but he reminds me a lot of Nylander

 

[KillerMillerTime]

Here's his updated Player Card, from year-long stats. From Sharks fans, he's figured a lot more out in the last 15 games. I wouldn't at all call him a plus defensive player, but he's certainly improving a lot in positioning and not getting straight up toasted in board battles as a wing. Probably no longer playing as a 1st %ile 5 on 5 defensive player, per the card below. Lastly, it's not a big sample, but evidence indicates that Goals > xG because he's a f***ing sniper, not because he's lucky. The release is excellent at only age 19.

He's showing a bit of the "Pavelski" required to be an offensive menace without having plus skating -- he gets caught on breakaways because he doesn't have the speed, but he has two lethal 2 on 1 goals in the past 3 games because he read the play correctly and got onto a board chip with oodles of time and space, and his backdoor tap-in vs. the Sens was because he read the play extremely well and was actively positioning as an option from the moment the puck squirted to Celebrini in the corner. Not all about straight-line speed (which he doesn't really have).

View attachment 987289

Smith is a better skater than Pavelski at 19 than Pavelski ever was. Smith's skating is more like Bergeron.

 

[coooldude]

Smith is a better skater than Pavelski at 19 than Pavelski ever was. Smith's skating is more like Bergeron.

Very possible. Pavs was extremely slow and I don't know shit about Bergeron. My point was just about Smith making hay through his intelligence and needing to be ahead of the play. 4 point games like last night show his potential there... Two sick/ slick vision+timing assists to Celebrini and then an absolute snipe.

 

[Jargon]

Very possible. Pavs was extremely slow and I don't know shit about Bergeron. My point was just about Smith making hay through his intelligence and needing to be ahead of the play. 4 point games like last night show his potential there... Two sick/ slick vision+timing assists to Celebrini and then an absolute snipe.

He’s gotten significantly faster over the course of the year too. There’s been moments where I don’t realize it’s Smith skating because of the sudden speed. If he can keep improving there, he’s going to be hard to stop. He’s just so *smart.*

 

[CaptainShark]

He’s gotten significantly faster over the course of the year too. There’s been moments where I don’t realize it’s Smith skating because of the sudden speed.

Same here…. He isn’t a speedster but he is also not looking sloppy anymore. He also doesn’t get tired as quickly as he did earlier.

 

[AlternateSideParking]

Happy for him and he’s another kid proving how strong that 2023 group was. I thought he looked grossly overmatched earlier in the season but clearly he belongs. Might be one of the league’s hottest players.

 

[Jargon]

Happy for him and he’s another kid proving how strong that 2023 group was. I thought he looked grossly overmatched earlier in the season but clearly he belongs. Might be one of the league’s hottest players.

He WAS grossly overmatched. He’s a completely different player now, it’s wildly impressive.

I’m sure a friendly rivalry with Celebrini goes a long way too.