Speculation: Player Discussion: Will Smith

[The Nemesis]

None of this is accurate. The majority of this fan base is very positive on Smith, and even the critics don’t appear to be praying he fails. Moreover, there are many players out there who are better than Smith and still get hate from at least a few members of their fanbase.

I'm very positive on Smith. Positive he should be in the Sharks Ice 4th division rec league dishing passes to Stu the accounts manager from a local fiberglass manufacturer and Karim the junior VP of operations for a Santa Clara refrigeration company.

 

[Star Platinum]

I'm very positive on Smith. Positive he should be in the Sharks Ice 4th division rec league dishing passes to Stu the accounts manager from a local fiberglass manufacturer and Karim the junior VP of operations for a Santa Clara refrigeration company.

If Goodrow can't handle his passes, I don't have much hope for Stu and Karim

 

[The Nemesis]

If Goodrow can't handle his passes, I don't have much hope for Stu and Karim

Yeah, but Stu's a hell of a skater if you don't ask him to turn too sharply and Karim once blasted one home from the point for an OT win (ok, so the goalie was out of his net because he dropped his water bottle, but still...)

 

[Zarzh]

None of this is accurate. The majority of this fan base is very positive on Smith, and even the critics don’t appear to be praying he fails. Moreover, there are many players out there who are better than Smith and still get hate from at least a few members of their fanbase.

This fanbase is unrealistically negative on everyone and idolizes players and teams who never won anything and probably never will, like the Jets or Clayton Keller, where most fanbases will want to find a path to winning a cup.

Most fanbases want to buy low and sell high, you guys want to buy high and sell low on assets to become Buffalo 1.0. Warso doesn't help this mentality, because teams with a fun coach who plays young players to their strengths will have more hype but it predates him.

 

[coooldude]

This fanbase is unrealistically negative on everyone and idolizes players and teams who never won anything and probably never will, like the Jets or Clayton Keller, where most fanbases will want to find a path to winning a cup.

Most fanbases want to buy low and sell high, you guys want to buy high and sell low on assets to become Buffalo 1.0. Warso doesn't help this mentality, because teams with a fun coach who plays young players to their strengths will have more hype but it predates him.

It must be very lonely at the top.

 

[Jargon]

This fanbase is unrealistically negative on everyone and idolizes players and teams who never won anything and probably never will, like the Jets or Clayton Keller, where most fanbases will want to find a path to winning a cup.

Most fanbases want to buy low and sell high, you guys want to buy high and sell low on assets to become Buffalo 1.0. Warso doesn't help this mentality, because teams with a fun coach who plays young players to their strengths will have more hype but it predates him.

yeah this board constantly talks about how much we love the Jets and Clayton Keller what is happening here

 

[Zarzh]

yeah this board constantly talks about how much we love the Jets and Clayton Keller what is happening here

There was a lot of talk during the last draft about taking Catton at 2 with the hopes of him being Clayton Keller/

 

[ThePlanet]

Anyone not drafted in the top three is inherently bad, and we must use the power of the Continuum Transfunctioner to banish them to Hoboken New jersey.

 

[Star Platinum]

Something that I feel is being overlooked:
Anyone not drafted in the top three is inherently bad, and we must use the power of the Continuum Transfunctioner to banish them to Hoboken New jersey.

 

[coooldude]

There was a lot of talk during the last draft about taking Catton at 2 with the hopes of him being Clayton Keller/

Is the Catton at 2/Clayton Keller talk in the room with us right now? I don't remember a single person seriously discussing that.

 

[Cas]

Is the Catton at 2/Clayton Keller talk in the room with us right now? I don't remember a single person seriously discussing that.

I also think there's a distinct difference between liking the actual Clayton Keller, and feeling that drafting Clayton Keller would be a huge win for your draft pick.

 

[Star Platinum]

Is the Catton at 2/Clayton Keller talk in the room with us right now? I don't remember a single person seriously discussing that.

The conversation starts about here.

Post in thread '2024 NHL Draft: WE DID IT, CELEBRINI IS OURS!!!'

Feb 11, 2024

I understand wanting to even out the chips across the board, and with Smith and Eklund here it may feel a bit redundant but to me Catton has to be the #2 pick. Serious Giroux/Marner vibes. Having one of the best DY seasons in WHL history. Elite skater, elite on the PK, elite at zone entries / skating with the puck, strips pucks at a high rate and is just a dominating playdriving force when he's on the ice.

I think he's a Smith level prospect and a bit above anyone not named Celebrini.

• cheechoo

• 

 

[coooldude]

The conversation starts about here.

Post in thread '2024 NHL Draft: WE DID IT, CELEBRINI IS OURS!!!'

Feb 11, 2024

I understand wanting to even out the chips across the board, and with Smith and Eklund here it may feel a bit redundant but to me Catton has to be the #2 pick. Serious Giroux/Marner vibes. Having one of the best DY seasons in WHL history. Elite skater, elite on the PK, elite at zone entries / skating with the puck, strips pucks at a high rate and is just a dominating playdriving force when he's on the ice.

I think he's a Smith level prospect and a bit above anyone not named Celebrini.

• cheechoo

• 

I read through 5 pages from your link, and the post you linked to was the only post that said Catton should be #2. Everyone else had him as a second tier option behind the D, and maybe in play for our second pick. Was there a point in time where "the fan base wanted Catton at #2 and thought he could be Clayton Keller"? Because I was in that thread a lot and I don't remember it.

 

[Star Platinum]

I read through 5 pages from your link, and the post you linked to was the only post that said Catton should be #2. Everyone else had him as a second tier option behind the D, and maybe in play for our second pick. Was there a point in time where "the fan base wanted Catton at #2 and thought he could be Clayton Keller"? Because I was in that thread a lot and I don't remember it.

The Clayton Keller stuff is all from @Zarzh

 

[vortexy]

With Granny being traded this must be Smith's opportunity to get real looks on the #1 PP unit right? Really excited to see his creativity and vision on there and think with enough time and learning what works and doesn't, he will be one of our most dangerous threats on that unit as he has shown to be a dual threat with his elite vision and a surprisingly lethal shot.

For now I probably would want to see something like this on PP1:
Toffoli-Celebrini-Eklund
Smith-Walman/Thompson

 

[karltonian]

With Granny being traded this must be Smith's opportunity to get real looks on the #1 PP unit right? Really excited to see his creativity and vision on there and think with enough time and learning what works and doesn't, he will be one of our most dangerous threats on that unit as he has shown to be a dual threat with his elite vision and a surprisingly lethal shot.

For now I probably would want to see something like this on PP1:
Toffoli-Celebrini-Eklund
Smith-Walman/Thompson

He's gonna get pressured and lose the puck every time if not turn it over for a shg

 

[CHALUPA]

This fanbase is unrealistically negative on everyone and idolizes players and teams who never won anything and probably never will, like the Jets or Clayton Keller, where most fanbases will want to find a path to winning a cup.

Most fanbases want to buy low and sell high, you guys want to buy high and sell low on assets to become Buffalo 1.0. Warso doesn't help this mentality, because teams with a fun coach who plays young players to their strengths will have more hype but it predates him.

I honestly have no idea what is happening in this post

 

[jMoneyBrah]

This fanbase is unrealistically negative on everyone and idolizes players and teams who never won anything and probably never will, like the Jets or Clayton Keller, where most fanbases will want to find a path to winning a cup.

Most fanbases want to buy low and sell high, you guys want to buy high and sell low on assets to become Buffalo 1.0. Warso doesn't help this mentality, because teams with a fun coach who plays young players to their strengths will have more hype but it predates him.

You might be shocked to learn that the vast majority of the Sharks fanbase probably has never visited hfboards; let alone has opinions on upcoming draft prospects; let alone shared them here; let alone stan for Catton. But go ahead conflating the opinions of a handful (if that) with the sentiment of the entire fanbase.

 

[timorous me]

How hard do you think DWJr. came in his pants after he convinced Seattle to draft Smurfly Catton 8th overall?

To be honest, I think it probably got you more excited seeing things actually play out that way.

 

[Roasted Nuts]

You might be shocked to learn that the vast majority of the Sharks fanbase probably has never visited hfboards; let alone has opinions on upcoming draft prospects; let alone shared them here; let alone stan for Catton. But go ahead conflating the opinions of a handful (if that) with the sentiment of the entire fanbase.

I think the vast majority of the fan base is on the shark sub Reddit, you can gain a general idea of what they think of the team there.

 

[vortexy]

With Granny being traded this must be Smith's opportunity to get real looks on the #1 PP unit right? Really excited to see his creativity and vision on there and think with enough time and learning what works and doesn't, he will be one of our most dangerous threats on that unit as he has shown to be a dual threat with his elite vision and a surprisingly lethal shot.

For now I probably would want to see something like this on PP1:
Toffoli-Celebrini-Eklund
Smith-Walman/Thompson

Thank you Warso! Smith will only get better with more experience on the PP also but wow that puck movement was a thing of a beauty. I always thought Granlund on the PP with Macklin just did not gel.

 

[Munnyro]

Thank you Warso! Smith will only get better with more experience on the PP also but wow that puck movement was a thing of a beauty. I always thought Granlund on the PP with Macklin just did not gel.

Granny was holding Smith back!

 

[Star Platinum]

Who would have guessed that Will Smith would look good on the power play with better linemates?

 

[hohosaregood]

I love how Smith plays offensively. It's an interesting combination of patience and directness that's pretty rare. Seems like all his passing and positioning is meant to create scoring chances as quickly as possible.

I'm liking what he's been showing lately and his chances at reaching his potential.

 

[Jargon]

I love how Smith plays offensively. It's an interesting combination of patience and directness that's pretty rare. Seems like all his passing and positioning is meant to create scoring chances as quickly as possible.

I'm liking what he's been showing lately and his chances at reaching his potential.

I can’t get over his passing. I’m not sure we’ve had a passer this good since Joe. Just the quality of passes and the consistency.