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Speculation: Player Discussion: Will Smith

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Hodge said:
There is no benefit to the Sharks or Smith to him playing in that tournament. It's all risk and no reward. We already know he can dominate that level of play.

Injury risk is an acceptable and unavoidable cost of him playing and developing in the NHL.
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The benefit is him getting to play high level hockey for a month on a team that actually has a chance to win and where he can be a major contributor

Playing on this team and being one of the least productive forwards on the worst team in the league can't be good for his confidence, send him to the World Juniors and let him remind himself, "hey, I'm actually a damn good hockey player" and bring that renewed sense of self back to the team after the tournament
 
weastern bias said:
The benefit is him getting to play high level hockey for a month on a team that actually has a chance to win and where he can be a major contributor

Playing on this team and being one of the least productive forwards on the worst team in the league can't be good for his confidence, send him to the World Juniors and let him remind himself, "hey, I'm actually a damn good hockey player" and bring that renewed sense of self back to the team after the tournament
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Lmao at referring to the World Junior Championships as "high level hockey." He's literally playing in the NHL!

If Smith needs to beat up on children in order to boost his confidence that's a huge red flag. He's a professional now.
 
Hodge said:
Lmao at referring to the World Junior Championships as "high level hockey." He's literally playing in the NHL!

If Smith needs to beat up on children in order to boost his confidence that's a huge red flag. He's a professional now.
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He sure isn't performing like a professional right now, he could use the confidence boost

To laugh at referencing the WJC as "high level hockey" is you continuing to be obtuse, it is high level hockey, I did not say "professional level hockey", but Smith is not an NHL caliber player right now and isn't being sent to the minors so letting him play at a tournament where he can actually perform without the bruise to the ego a demotion may bring isn't a bad idea
 
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weastern bias said:
He sure isn't performing like a professional right now, he could use the confidence boost

To laugh at referencing the WJC as "high level hockey" is you continuing to be obtuse, it is high level hockey, I did not say "professional level hockey", but Smith is not an NHL caliber player right now and isn't being sent to the minors so letting him play at a tournament where he can actually perform without the bruise to the ego a demotion may bring isn't a bad idea
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He's looked like he belongs in the NHL in some games and below that level in others. If he needs a confidence boost, the AHL makes a lot more sense than a U20 tournament.

The vast majority of WJC players, even on the good teams, will never have NHL careers. Smith dominating those kids as one of the oldest players in the tournament would be completely meaningless. And if he does get injured or underperforms for some reason, that's a disaster.
 
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Hodge said:
He's looked like he belongs in the NHL in some games and below that level in others. If he needs a confidence boost, the AHL makes a lot more sense than a U20 tournament.

The vast majority of WJC players, even on the good teams, will never have NHL careers. Smith dominating those kids as one of the oldest players in the tournament would be completely meaningless. And if he does get injured or underperforms for some reason, that's a disaster.
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As you've pointed out, there's a secret handshake deal crafted in a smokey back room behind the peaky blinders that Smith is guaranteed not to be sent to the AHL, so that's not an option, he'll just have to continue to be less productive than Carl Grundstrom at the NHL level because the World Junior Championships are just so far beneath his level, to send him there would not only be a waste of time but an insult
 
weastern bias said:
As you've pointed out, there's a secret handshake deal crafted in a smokey back room behind the peaky blinders that Smith is guaranteed not to be sent to the AHL, so that's not an option, he'll just have to continue to be less productive than Carl Grundstrom at the NHL level because the World Junior Championships are just so far beneath his level, to send him there would not only be a waste of time but an insult
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That's correct. Maybe the Sharks can get a special age exemption and send Gushchin to the WJC instead.
 
Hodge said:
That's correct. Maybe the Sharks can get a special age exemption and send Gushchin to the WJC instead.
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tenor.gif
 
weastern bias said:
He sure isn't performing like a professional right now, he could use the confidence boost

To laugh at referencing the WJC as "high level hockey" is you continuing to be obtuse, it is high level hockey, I did not say "professional level hockey", but Smith is not an NHL caliber player right now and isn't being sent to the minors so letting him play at a tournament where he can actually perform without the bruise to the ego a demotion may bring isn't a bad idea
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I think playing the WJC rather than NHL games could be a similar bruise to the ego as playing in the AHL. Feels unlikely.

Selfishly, I just want to see him develop against professionals, game by game.
 
CHALUPA said:
I think playing the WJC rather than NHL games could be a similar bruise to the ego as playing in the AHL. Feels unlikely.

Selfishly, I just want to see him develop against professionals, game by game.
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It's pretty common for eligible players to be sent, it's not seen as an insult around the league

Look at Poitras on the Bruins last year, and that's a more intense hockey market, nobody saw it as a slight for him to be sent to the tournament, they did what they thought was best for the player
 
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...that play on Girard is going to be the next "Mueller catching up to Gaborik", isn't it?
 
weastern bias said:
It's pretty common for eligible players to be sent, it's not seen as an insult around the league

Look at Poitras on the Bruins last year, and that's a more intense hockey market, nobody saw it as a slight for him to be sent to the tournament, they did what they thought was best for the player
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The only counter is having already won it does Smith even want to go?
 
weastern bias said:
I'm sure he wouldn't mind the vacation, lol, this season has to be a slog
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It'll be interesting to see where he and the team are at when he has to make a decision.

gaucholoco3 said:
No US team has won back to back. He probably wants to go to win it.
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No doubt, but he may also just have a "been there done that" mentality and wants to move on. If he was that determined he would have stayed at Boston after getting so close last year.
 
Knowing they mapped out his development plan they definitely discussed the possibility of him playing WJC. There have been a few pundits who have mentioned Smith (and even Celebrini) playing in WJC so I do think there is some smoke to the story.

I say let both play. It would make for some fun viewing over the holidays.

Smith, Musty, Svobada?
Celebrini, Dickinson
Halttunen
LSW?
 
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gaucholoco3 said:
Knowing they mapped out his development plan they definitely discussed the possibility of him playing WJC. There have been a few pundits who have mentioned Smith (and even Celebrini) playing in WJC so I do think there is some smoke to the story.

I say let both play. It would make for some fun viewing over the holidays.

Smith, Musty, Svobada?
Celebrini, Dickinson
Halttunen
LSW?
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I doubt Celebrini plays. Just like Bedard didn't play last year.
 
CHALUPA said:
Imo, they would have put him on IR if it were a longer term issue. I don’t think there’s enough evidence of it being a super long term issue, to warrant being this concerned about it. Anything is possible, but it doesn’t strike me as the most likely outcome.
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He is on IR.
 
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vortexy said:
Not the most surprising considering we play tomorrow also. He was going to either play today and miss tomorrow or miss this game and play tomorrow.
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He's not a goalie. Learning to play in back to backs shouldn't be bad for his development. I suppose the only reason it makes sense is because we basically play once every second or third day for the next month so taking one of those days off means a 5 day break, but still....
 
TheBeard said:
He's not a goalie. Learning to play in back to backs shouldn't be bad for his development. I suppose the only reason it makes sense is because we basically play once every second or third day for the next month so taking one of those days off means a 5 day break, but still....
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Presser with Grier - hinted that there is clear data that teenagers in the NHL get hurt more, so they're being careful until second half of season, where they will try to play every game and learn how to deal with back to backs.
 
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TheBeard said:
He's not a goalie. Learning to play in back to backs shouldn't be bad for his development. I suppose the only reason it makes sense is because we basically play once every second or third day for the next month so taking one of those days off means a 5 day break, but still....
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These random day offs is only a first half of the season, he will be getting those back to back in the 2nd half of the season.
 
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