...
I've been trying to figure this guy out since he made the team out of camp. Where does he fit? What is his upside? What do I expect from him? Would the team look better with him in or out of the lineup?
Well... Here we are. And we have a third line that looks extremely frustrating to play against. Smith with Soderberg and Kelly. That's where he fits (and fits WELL) and I hope these lines are permanent. All three players look like monsters together.
Smith finally looks to me, like a solid addition to this team.
He has surprised everyone (and clearly, the B's coaching staff and FO) right out of the gate... and though it is still early in the season, there has been plenty of time for his game to fall off and prove himself to be a fluke.
But that hasn't happened. Instead, he seems to be getting better... last nights goal (compliments of a great forecheck by Soderberg) will give him the confidence he needs to start shooting it more as he continues to pile up assists.
To me, he's had enough NHL ice time on this Bruins squad for me to comfortably say that:
1. He has solid hockey instincts, good hockey IQ, however you want to say it.
2. He is cool-headed and calm under pressure in high-traffic areas, he doesn't panic and treat the puck like a hot potato. He appears (thus far) to have good hands and that is more important than commonly understood by casual fans.
3. He has good vision and has -- whether they end up becoming assists or not -- made some very creative and/or well-timed passes.
--Sometimes he's even caught teammates off-guard because they weren't expecting the pass... in part because Smith seems to have a knack for these clever little short passes than can catch opposing defenses out of position or just burn them outright.
He has demonstrated in his time here so far that he lacks a polished scoring touch... but with more confidence i think that could be improved upon.
Regardless of that flaw, i watch him play/skate and i see a kid with a winning mentality. A kid who is more mature than his age (only 22 y/o let's remember) might indicate... much different than Seguin in that respect.
Most importantly, i see a player who can not only just fit into a winning team lineup -- but actually be an important cog in a SCF-caliber team's system.
I am looking forward to Reilly building chemistry with Soderberg (another great-value player i am very high on) playing alongside a hardened veteran in Kelly. Our 3rd line has the potential to be a lot better than it was last year... especially in the playoffs.
Perhaps the B's scouts knew what they were getting when Chia pulled the trigger on the Seguin trade. How Smith pans out might end up being a difference-maker for all those people who NEED a designated "winner" of any given trade
Very impressed... and i'll say it one more time to qualify everything i have typed to this point, SO FAR. But like i said, we have a big enough sample by now to have a decent idea what we have. At 22, he can only improve playing on a quality team.