Speculation: Player Discussion: Will Smith

[Munnyro]

Ok dear mods, please close this fu***n thread, we know now how bad Smitty is.
But perhaps you could open up a new one about Macklin instead.
He must be really bad with just as half as much goals as this Smith-Guy has.

It was needed at the time given his struggles and divisive trajectory.

 

[TheBigDrunkPanda]

His linemates generally are not point producers either so he isn't going to rack the assists easily.

Because Smith is the trigger man on that line because he’s absolutely worthless in the offensive zone without the puck. Hes terrible on the boards (right now) because he doesn’t have enough muscle. he's typically late on the play to support the first forechecker which leads to turn overs then he gets caught in no man’s land when the game transitions the other way.

Where he’s at currently he needs players like Goody and Kunin to support him and take responsibility off of him. As much as most of us have trashed Barfsovsky this has been one of his better coaching decisions

 

[hotcabbagesoup]

Because Smith is the trigger man on that line because he’s absolutely worthless in the offensive zone without the puck. Hes terrible on the boards (right now) because he doesn’t have enough muscle. he's typically late on the play to support the first forechecker which leads to turn overs then he gets caught in no man’s land when the game transitions the other way.

Where he’s at currently he needs players like Goody and Kunin to support him and take responsibility off of him. As much as most of us have trashed Barfsovsky this has been one of his better coaching decisions

He was a little more physical than I've ever seen him last night. It took the first goal to loosen him up for that. He engaged on a couple of opposing player zone entries and was even crunched along the boards (the play where Goodrow wanted to fight Vlasic afterwards). Still kinda allergic to contact though.

 

[Alaskanice]

After he scored that first goal, he turns, then you can see that he realizes he scored, that smile on his face was magic.

 

[BaileyMacTavish]

Haha, I guess smith didn’t like my ahl reassignment opinion hahah

Amazing shots, give his that. I don’t get a chance to watch the game though. How was his overall play? Did he look like he belonged out there (the goals aside)?

Both goals were amazzzing shots. But haltunnen has an amazing shot too. How did he look in just the flow of play? Was he driving the play? Did he play well defensively?

Btw, no sarcasm. Honest questions since I couldn’t watch…

After the first goal you can tell he was getting way more involved in the play and actually driving it. Generating great chances (but y'know... his line mates). Guess he just needed the 1 goal and confidence in his abilities.still somewhat allergic to contact and he did get crunched.

 

[TheBigDrunkPanda]

He was a little more physical than I've ever seen him last night. It took the first goal to loosen him up for that. He engaged on a couple of opposing player zone entries and was even crunched along the boards (the play where Goodrow wanted to fight Vlasic afterwards). Still kinda allergic to contact though.

That Vlasic hit looked like the family guy meme

That being said it was nice to see his offensive confidence come on after he scored his second goal. Particularly that slapped he uncorked coming down the wing

After he scored that first goal, he turns, then you can see that he realizes he scored, that smile on his face was magic.

Honestly Wallmans reaction and excitement for him is what really stood out to me

 

[Alaskanice]

That Vlasic hit looked like the family guy meme View attachment 924981
That being said it was nice to see his offensive confidence come on after he scored his second goal. Particularly that slapped he uncorked coming down the wing


Honestly Wallmans reaction and excitement for him is what really stood out to me

Agreed. There was much joy there.

 

[sampler]

That Vlasic hit looked like the family guy meme View attachment 924981
That being said it was nice to see his offensive confidence come on after he scored his second goal. Particularly that slapped he uncorked coming down the wing


Honestly Wallmans reaction and excitement for him is what really stood out to me

Agreed on Walman. That was the most heartwarming vet celebration for a kid particularly by a newcomer. I dunno what he said in his ear, but walman looks like a future captain. Might be top pairing skill, great teammate, all of it.

He is emerging as a real stud here early on.

 

[Alaskanice]

Boy, winning 3 in a row sure changes the rhetoric here. It’s nice.

 

[TheBigDrunkPanda]

Boy, winning 3 in a row sure changes the rhetoric here. It’s nice.

It’s still a 1 line team but it looks like they are starting to buy into what Barfsofsky is selling. I think people are just trying to enjoy while it last because eventually Granlund and Walkman or going to cool off

 

[Alaskanice]

It’s still a 1 line team but it looks like they are starting to buy into what Barfsofsky is selling. I think people are just trying to enjoy while it last because eventually Granlund and Walkman or going to cool off

That they’re trying to enjoy it is a nice change.

 

[weastern bias]

But I was told he should be sent to the World Juniors because he's simply not a NHL caliber player?

Hodge misrepresenting some one else's posts in bath faith?

Never. . .

 

[CHALUPA]

Hodge misrepresenting some one else's posts in bath faith?

Never. . .

He’s definitely a shower guy

 

[weastern bias]

He’s definitely a shower guy

This is the worst thing that has ever happened to me

I am inconsolable

 

[CHALUPA]

honestly, Will’s first goal is living rent-free in my head. Such great hands, quick release, gorgeous snipe. He’s going to continue to struggle this year, but I’ll always come back to that goal

 

[tiburon12]

Ok dear mods, please close this fu***n thread, we know now how bad Smitty is.
But perhaps you could open up a new one about Macklin instead.
He must be really bad with just as half as much goals as this Smith-Guy has.

Can't close the thread until Juxtaposer wanders in lol. Her avoidance of this thread is extremely funny (and smart on her part).

 

[BaileyMacTavish]

From reddit. They do a "Best and Worst team of the week" thing and Goodrow and Kunin have made the Worst team yet again. I think it is now getting to the point that having Smith with them on the 3rd line is actively hampering him.

(Ferraro and Rutta are also bad but this isn't about them)

 

[OverTheLine]

Agreed. Our team is terrible; it makes no sense to do some kind of a dumb meritocratic “earn the right to play with good linemates” thing. Smith is meant to be a top 6 forward, he should be playing with someone like Granlund and learning to play his proper role instead of having to learn how to play with bottom six grinders.

 

[coooldude]

My guess is Smith will miss one of the two games this weekend. If they are keeping Celebrini on his dev plan despite missing a lot more games, then they'll probably stagger them so as to not be out two centers in a game. In which case - if Celly is out one game, it would be great to try Smith between two scoring wingers.

But we'll see. 4 game road trip, three days/one game at home, then a quick 2-game b2b road trip within 4 games in 6 days, the week of the 18th. Definitely "development day" timing.

 

[DG93]

My guess is Smith will miss one of the two games this weekend. If they are keeping Celebrini on his dev plan despite missing a lot more games, then they'll probably stagger them so as to not be out two centers in a game. In which case - if Celly is out one game, it would be great to try Smith between two scoring wingers.

But we'll see. 4 game road trip, three days/one game at home, then a quick 2-game b2b road trip within 4 games in 6 days, the week of the 18th. Definitely "development day" timing.

Philly and Pittsburgh games seem like the logical ones to play Smith and Celebrini whereas New Jersey and NYR are almost assuredly losses so can use those for development days.

 

[coooldude]

I don't like the move to wing. I think they wanted to give him a more skilled player (Wennberg) to play with, without breaking up the Lund line, he really can't play F1 that well yet without more speed and strength. He did fine, but not at all playing to his strengths.

I think it's just gonna be a long, painful year for the kid.

As a sidenote, thought Macklin had his worst game tonight too, and the good news is, it wasn't that bad, just not that good either.

 

[vortexy]

I don't like the move to wing. I think they wanted to give him a more skilled player (Wennberg) to play with, without breaking up the Lund line, he really can't play F1 that well yet without more speed and strength. He did fine, but not at all playing to his strengths.

I think it's just gonna be a long, painful year for the kid.

Agreed I actually thought Smith was looking better at C the past couple of games, meanwhile he definitely looked lost on several occasions this game which makes sense considering he has never played wing. Really confused by the change to wing especially the timing of it. Also the other reason to do the change to wing would be to get him a spot on the first/second line to get better play driving teammates (Celebrini/Granlund), but they didn't even do that. If they are going to keep him on the third line I would much rather have him at C and Wennberg can help cover for some of Smith's shortcomings in the defensive end etc

 

[wickedwitch]

Moving him to wing but keeping him on the 3rd line makes me think they don't know what to do with him -- and that's the charitable interpretation.

 

[Shark Finn]

I wonder what Rick Celebrini has to say about this.

 

[Stewie Griffin]

He has flashes but also quite a few turnovers. Sort've what you expect from a teenager.