Speculation: Player Discussion: Will Smith
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BaileyMacTavish
Hockey lovin' wolf
Hey, as long as he keeps pace (on pace for 30ish, probably 35 if not for the dev days), I'm happy. There's lots to love about his game warts and all
I am hoping after the deadline they go with Zetterlund - Smith - Toffoli.
Maybe Eklund could be his wing but I think Smith will currently need 2 of Eklund, Zetterlund, or Toffoli to be successful. Celebrini can take the other wing with anyone else and still find success.
Maybe Eklund could be his wing but I think Smith will currently need 2 of Eklund, Zetterlund, or Toffoli to be successful. Celebrini can take the other wing with anyone else and still find success.
Juxtaposer
Outro: Divina Comedia
I think that Toffoli is a top-6 guy definitively and Zetterlund is on the border, but otherwise agree. Granlund helps because he's a legit top-6 forward and legit top-line scorer and can play well without Celebrini/Eklund. But that can't stop us from trading him at the deadline just to benefit twenty games of Smith IMO.
We do need to replace him in the offseason with a winger of a similar caliber, which won't be easy.
pappaf2
Registered User
- Jun 23, 2020
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He's a free agent who will be looking for max term at relatively high AAV, I'd probably pass.
hohosaregood
Banned
- Sep 1, 2011
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it would be hilarious if he passes Michkov by the end of the season. He's at least crushing Carlsson's production so that's fun.
Juxtaposer
Outro: Divina Comedia
IMO Ehlers is Phil Kessel. A smart contender will deploy him on their third line and win a Cup like that. But he's very much a one-man show that doesn't really jive with most guys.
Munnyro
Registered User
Another piece from St-Louis on Puppy. There is a detailed article on EP but this is a good summary of his improvement.
Juxtaposer
Outro: Divina Comedia
Every time EP says something nice about Will, it feels like they're doing it at gunpoint.
They really had a video ready to go five games into the season about how much he sucks.
Munnyro
Registered User
He is a pretty divisive player. Plenty of homers kept saying he was a passenger on the BC line, especially NYR and Caps fans because their draftee must be the best.Every time EP says something nice about Will, it feels like they're doing it at gunpoint.
They really had a video ready to go five games into the season about how much he sucks.
- Apr 3, 2012
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St-Louis does some good things though. He also made a pro-Mack video after like 2 good games lol
- Jul 25, 2007
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- 7,127
I like St. Louis and some of the other scouts' writeups. I don't particularly like Cam Robinson, it feels to me like he scouts/speaks in tweet and for impact, not accuracy.
FWIW Cam is definitely not a huge fan of Smith, but he is a fan of Musty afaik.
FWIW Cam is definitely not a huge fan of Smith, but he is a fan of Musty afaik.
- Apr 3, 2012
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Cam definitely isn't a fan of Smith but he did hedge a bit on his projection. We had him on the podcast and while saying he didn't have the highest hopes for Smith he also stated that he could totally turn out to be a PPG player who primarily feasts on the powerplay. To me though, and to most everyone, that's still super valuable lol.
- Jul 25, 2007
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Sure! I watched it too. I just think that itself is a very shallow assessment of his potential.
Like, as a 19yo, he's showing improvement in responsibility, and his points are almost all at ES. He has the chance to be an ES playmaker, or sniper - not just a PP feaster. He also has the chance to be a very streaky player, or a pretty reliable 2C under PPG, or a Kucherov-style guy (not that good), or any number of other outcomes. I just think Cam speaks (and on the podcast, spoke) in sorta lazy shorthands. St. Louis is deeper and more detailed.
Juxtaposer
Outro: Divina Comedia
Most internet scouts hate guys who don't look like they're trying hard, and I really think that's the greatest explanation for why HF doesn't care for Smith.
When you have a 19 year old on the worst team in hockey playing 14:29 a night on pace for 31 even strength points, you should probably re-evaluate your judgement of that player as a PP merchant.
I do like David St. Louis. Cam seems like a cool guy but definitely has a bit of a "clickbait" vibe to some of his takes.
Jargon
Registered User
What’s funny is that I expected Smith to kind of only be visible on the PP, but in fact, he’s far more noticeable even strength (partly because he’s on the 2nd unit but still).
Honestly, the more I see him play and actually improve the higher my hopes are for him. He very obviously needs to work a ton on fitness and speed and strength, but the fact that he’s putting up points and at least a few times a game doing something elite (a Thornton-esque pass, his shot, etc.) is a very good sign.
I actually think he might be one of the best passers on the team already and will possibly become the best as he keeps figuring out how to use his time and space in the NHL.
I think he’s going to be great, honestly. But yeah, he has to have a really good summer lifting weights and power skating.
Honestly, the more I see him play and actually improve the higher my hopes are for him. He very obviously needs to work a ton on fitness and speed and strength, but the fact that he’s putting up points and at least a few times a game doing something elite (a Thornton-esque pass, his shot, etc.) is a very good sign.
I actually think he might be one of the best passers on the team already and will possibly become the best as he keeps figuring out how to use his time and space in the NHL.
I think he’s going to be great, honestly. But yeah, he has to have a really good summer lifting weights and power skating.
Pavelski2112
Bold as Boognish
Smith is doing what he's done every year - start slow but pick it up midway through the season before everyone realizes how good he actually is.
- Apr 3, 2012
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This.
Outside of Celebrini's "Celebrininess", Smith's vision/passing is the single best attribute of anyone in the Sharks system.
Jargon
Registered User
There are whole shifts where Smith has like 3-5 unbelievable cross ice passes in a row, right on a teammates’ stick blade. His flashes of skill are insanely high end.
Juxtaposer
Outro: Divina Comedia
Exactly this. Like, I get that he's got some pretty big warts right now, but Smith's vision is an elite attribute. It's always easy to be a spectator from above and say "that guy was wide open, why didn't Player X find him?", but Smith literally finds guys open on the ice that I can't even point to with a bird's eye view before he does it. That's not something you can teach. The things Smith is not good at are things that you can.
Jargon
Registered User
Yeah, he kind of routinely makes absolutely ridiculous cross ice passes that feel like a cheat code.
- Jul 25, 2007
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Speaking for myself, I expected the occasional "seeing eye" badass pass and have seen them (increasing in frequency) as well as the same attempts that fail badly (also decreasing in frequency). That was kind of expected.
But the biggest surprises for me are:
1. His release is already high end. We saw some nice goals in NCAA but to have it translate so quickly to top end goals in the NHL is a major upside surprise. This is the biggest and best surprise to me and it will actually make him be a better playmaker because goalies and D will have to respect the shot - leading to those awesome freeze/headfake assists.
2. He's driving to hard ice pretty often. Although he can be infuriating (and more so @ beginning of year), he's putting a lot of effort in on OZ to get to tough areas even if he can't really mix it up in the slot yet, and he's putting a lot of effort in the DZ to try to be responsible and engage in board battles. Bodes really well in all zones if he can keep up the effort/improvement AND improve his physical attributes.
3. Just how slow he has looked. This is a minor downside surprise. He didn't look big or strong in NCAA so it's no surprise at all there, and he looked variably slow or fast last year which many speculated might just be the effects of lifting heavy / not yet having a deep fitness base as an 18yo. I knew he wasn't top end fast and I still think he'll get faster as he matures physically, but I don't think I had fully gotten my head around just how much he's going to have to rely on smarts like Pavs.
But the biggest surprises for me are:
1. His release is already high end. We saw some nice goals in NCAA but to have it translate so quickly to top end goals in the NHL is a major upside surprise. This is the biggest and best surprise to me and it will actually make him be a better playmaker because goalies and D will have to respect the shot - leading to those awesome freeze/headfake assists.
2. He's driving to hard ice pretty often. Although he can be infuriating (and more so @ beginning of year), he's putting a lot of effort in on OZ to get to tough areas even if he can't really mix it up in the slot yet, and he's putting a lot of effort in the DZ to try to be responsible and engage in board battles. Bodes really well in all zones if he can keep up the effort/improvement AND improve his physical attributes.
3. Just how slow he has looked. This is a minor downside surprise. He didn't look big or strong in NCAA so it's no surprise at all there, and he looked variably slow or fast last year which many speculated might just be the effects of lifting heavy / not yet having a deep fitness base as an 18yo. I knew he wasn't top end fast and I still think he'll get faster as he matures physically, but I don't think I had fully gotten my head around just how much he's going to have to rely on smarts like Pavs.
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