Speculation: Player Discussion: Will Smith

[karltonian]

Wrong thread to talk about Mack's injury. This is the thread why Will is so damn bad

Because mack is injured! He's the one that will tilt the ice for wee willy to succeed

 

[BaileyMacTavish]

Can't find the tweet. But this does match what I am seeing. Smith is trending upwards and is improving game by game. My concern is that it almost seems like his confidence is a little shot. And even if he has a monster game, he's passing to Kunin and Goodrow lol. That being said... once he hits his stride and Mack comes back, he's gonna be fun.

19 year old in the NHL is a tough ask, but as long as he isn't sinking, it's fine. (But please spread out the talent so we can have him get help too)

 

[karltonian]

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.

Uhh he's been on IR since the 2nd day of the season and out before that.

 

[CHALUPA]

Uhh he's been on IR since the 2nd day of the season and out before that.

If it were a longer term thing, I think he would have been right back on IR. They took him off because he’s “week to week” and trending back, just like they’ve communicated all along.
EDIT: I’m big dumb, they haven’t activated him yet


You’re making it sound like he has a career-ending injury, when he missed a couple preseason games before re-aggravating something in game 1

 

[Cas]

If it were a longer term thing, I think he would have been right back on IR. They took him off because he’s “week to week” and trending back, just like they’ve communicated all along.

You’re making it sound like he has a career-ending injury, when he missed a couple preseason games before re-aggravating something in game 1

The Sharks have not taken Celebrini off of IR. He is still on it.

 

[DG93]

It's just so Sharky for the player that was too risky to draft works out fine and tears up the league while the "safe" player that was drafted doesn't even look like he belongs in the league, and our own potential superstar is apparently badly injured and could never be the same player.

 

[Lebanezer]

I was being tongue-in-cheek.

Mueller always seemed kind of close to putting it all together. He just had to change every part of how he played and thought the game.

 

[Hodge]

As disappointing as Mueller was, he did manage to hang around the NHL as a depth defenseman for half a decade. That's more than I can say for some 1st round picks fans were far more excited about like Goldobin and Merkley.

 

[TheBeard]

As disappointing as Mueller was, he did manage to hang around the NHL as a depth defenseman for half a decade. That's more than I can say for some 1st round picks fans were far more excited about like Goldobin and Merkley.

2013 may have been our worst draft year in team history.

 

[Hodge]

2013 may have been our worst draft year in team history.

In retrospect it was just a weak draft year in general after the top two picks. Even Seth Jones hasn't really lived up to the hype. Wennberg is the 12th highest scoring player from the class.

 

[TheBeard]

In retrospect it was just a weak draft year in general after the top two picks. Even Seth Jones hasn't really lived up to the hype. Wennberg is the 12th highest scoring player from the class.

Fair. Ironically (or not), the only round we didn't have a pick (the third), was probably the strongest round of the draft.

 

[CHALUPA]

The Sharks have not taken Celebrini off of IR. He is still on it.

Whoops, you right

 

[Star Platinum]

The Sharks have not taken Celebrini off of IR. He is still on it.

 

[BaileyMacTavish]

Me too man. Me too.

 

[Shark Finn]

Prevented Will Smith from enjoying his first NHL win to further anger and motivate him. Strategy nearing 9D checkers.

 

[karltonian]

Prevented Will Smith from enjoying his first NHL win to further anger and motivate him. Strategy nearing 9D checkers.

 

[mogambomoroo]

Will Smith is probably one of those players that need their first primary assist or a goal to gain some confidence. Offence is why we drafted him and he needs to find a way to get a first one to loosen up.

 

[Jargon]

Will Smith is probably one of those players that need their first primary assist or a goal to gain some confidence. Offence is why we drafted him and he needs to find a way to get a first one to loosen up.

100%. He needs to breakthrough and then I think he’ll have a big jump forward

 

[BaileyMacTavish]

So how much leash are we going to give Smith? He's been okay but still not getting going at all

 

[karltonian]

So how much leash are we going to give Smith? He's been okay but still not getting going at all

His deployment is absolutely deplorable right now. They are literally setting him up to fail.

 

[DG93]

So how much leash are we going to give Smith? He's been okay but still not getting going at all

I said from the start 20-30 games, so another 15 games at least

 

[coooldude]

So how much leash are we going to give Smith? He's been okay but still not getting going at all

We're going to give him a season of leash?

Tonight you could feel the frustration, couldn't get into a rhythm at all with his shifts getting chopped up. Had one good shift in the OZ leading to some chances, maybe a second, and then a bunch of shifts where just couldn't seem to fully get into the play, however, no super egregious errors (except the one poor PP2 zone entry). I don't mind the Kunin-Goodrow pairing, but the problem is, they're killing PK's, he's not, so Smith never gets a shift after a PK for like a full line cycle. I would love to see him get some time with like, Gush and Zetterlund, but given a 2 game win streak it's unlikely Warso will break up that 2nd line, more likely just move Gush off if anything changes.

I think @Jargon or @Tw1ster or someone suggested, like, Granlund-Smith-Toffoli, but it's never going to happen. Maybe if the Lund line is together for whatever reason, he could try Gush-Smith-Toffoli (although risky on D there) or Goodrow-Smith-Toffoli... but again, not going to happen. The best thing for Smith has been and continues to be: Celebrini is back, Granlund goes back to Smith's LW. I think we'll see him flourish or at least improve with that kind of linemate.

Just gotta keep showing up to work and hopefully he gets 15-18min instead of 11:45 on Thursday. I don't think they're going to put him on PP1 but it would be great to see him get some more ice somehow.

 

[BaileyMacTavish]

His deployment is absolutely deplorable right now. They are literally setting him up to fail.

Man this coaching staff...

 

[OrrNumber4]

He looks lost out there, but I'm going to have to trust in management's plan. If he needs to be in the AHL, he'll get sent there.

I'm not feeling the complaints about the coaching staff misdeploying him. Most prospects have to deal with getting yanked around, being benched, having suboptimal deployment, etc. It's up to him to work up to a better position.

 

[Jargon]

We're going to give him a season of leash?

Tonight you could feel the frustration, couldn't get into a rhythm at all with his shifts getting chopped up. Had one good shift in the OZ leading to some chances, maybe a second, and then a bunch of shifts where just couldn't seem to fully get into the play, however, no super egregious errors (except the one poor PP2 zone entry). I don't mind the Kunin-Goodrow pairing, but the problem is, they're killing PK's, he's not, so Smith never gets a shift after a PK for like a full line cycle. I would love to see him get some time with like, Gush and Zetterlund, but given a 2 game win streak it's unlikely Warso will break up that 2nd line, more likely just move Gush off if anything changes.

I think @Jargon or @Tw1ster or someone suggested, like, Granlund-Smith-Toffoli, but it's never going to happen. Maybe if the Lund line is together for whatever reason, he could try Gush-Smith-Toffoli (although risky on D there) or Goodrow-Smith-Toffoli... but again, not going to happen. The best thing for Smith has been and continues to be: Celebrini is back, Granlund goes back to Smith's LW. I think we'll see him flourish or at least improve with that kind of linemate.

Just gotta keep showing up to work and hopefully he gets 15-18min instead of 11:45 on Thursday. I don't think they're going to put him on PP1 but it would be great to see him get some more ice somehow.

Yeah, I thought trying a second line of Goodrow - Smith - Toffoli could be interesting but yeah, they’re winning so I think you’re right it’s going to take Celebrini coming back.