GDT: The game. The game! Vs Ducks. 7pm

[TheBeard]

Smith is gonna be a gem offensively, so I hope the focus this year is to make sure he doesn’t develop any bad habits. He can be a very good two way center if he puts in the effort.

 

[coooldude]

Smith isn't the second coming. He's also 19. This is his D+2 season and he'll be in the NHL.

Just one example, but Logan Couture has had a pretty good career as a 9OA pick in 2007.

D+1, he was back on the 67's in the OHL.
D+2, he played the full season in the OHL and then played 4 AHL games at the end.
D+3, he played 42 games in AHL and 25 games in NHL.
D+4 he scored 56 in 79.

Hertl played his D+2 with the Sharks for 37 games (scoring 25) and was definitely not the 2nd line center. And his D+3 was 82 games, 31 points.

Patty scored 32 in 74 in NHL in his D+1, then 45 and 40 in 81 games each of his next two years. Not lighting the world on fire and as far as I recall, was not our 2nd line center either.

Jumbo famously had 7 points in 55 in his D+1 and 41 in 81 in his D+2.

Yes, yes, different scoring eras etc., but the point here is patience.

 

[hohosaregood]

I'm not opposed to seeing him play in the NHL, since we're bound to suck anyways and he can learn. I just didn't like how he kept hanging out by the blueline waiting for his teammates to get him the puck. Then on the PP he basically parked himself in Ovechkin's office. He made some nice passes, but clearly he and his teammates weren't on the same wavelength.

That's kinda just how he's always played so I'm used to it I guess. I'm just glad that the things that make him successful, he can still do at this level. Like he's been getting better at holding the puck and seeing the lanes at this level

And the off puck thing you're talking about, he's significantly better than where he was a year ago. He's also just kinda sneaky with his defense stuff like his puck skills are so good that there's a lot of times where he can intercept a pass or pick up a shitty breakout and get it going.

He definitely will not be killing plays with pace though and that's gonna be the main thing to work on. Like just getting on a guy and taking the body or harassing them for the puck.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Smith isn't the second coming. He's also 19. This is his D+2 season and he'll be in the NHL.

Just one example, but Logan Couture has had a pretty good career as a 9OA pick in 2007.

D+1, he was back on the 67's in the OHL.
D+2, he played the full season in the OHL and then played 4 AHL games at the end.
D+3, he played 42 games in AHL and 25 games in NHL.
D+4 he scored 56 in 79.

Hertl played his D+2 with the Sharks for 37 games (scoring 25) and was definitely not the 2nd line center. And his D+3 was 82 games, 31 points.

Patty scored 32 in 74 in NHL in his D+1, then 45 and 40 in 81 games each of his next two years. Not lighting the world on fire and as far as I recall, was not our 2nd line center either.

Jumbo famously had 7 points in 55 in his D+1 and 41 in 81 in his D+2.

Yes, yes, different scoring eras etc., but the point here is patience.

I just find it funny that the same people who were all over me for saying I'd be happy with a 40 point season from Smith are also the ones that 1) never watched Smith in the NCAA and 2) now think he's not NHL-ready.

First I'm underrating Smith, now I'm overrating Smith. Pick a lane.

Your Tomas Hertl example is a great one. He scored 30 points in the NHL as a 21 year old center and went on to become a legit #1C. Will Smith is 19.

 

[Lebanezer]

I just find it funny that the same people who were all over me for saying I'd be happy with a 40 point season from Smith are also the ones that 1) never watched Smith in the NCAA and 2) now think he's not NHL-ready.

First I'm underrating Smith, now I'm overrating Smith. Pick a lane.

Your Tomas Hertl example is a great one. He scored 30 points in the NHL as a 21 year old center and went on to become a legit #1C. Will Smith is 19.

Whatever you say, it will offend someone.

 

[weastern bias]

It's clear that when we won the lottery, drafted Celebrini and he signed his deal a lot of fans dusted their hands and proclaimed the rebuild to be over, but now that it's beginning to set in just how far away we still are a pessimism is growing

It's not Will Smith's fault that fans had unrealistic expectations, he's still 18 months away from being able to legally buy alcohol, children do not transform team outcomes in this league, he's doing exactly what he should be doing right now, no one should be worried about him

 

[Saskatoon]

Hopefully this preseason eliminated any doubt that this team is going to be awful

 

[Juxtaposer]

Whatever you say, it will offend someone.

I don't really care if I offend anyone (especially since I haven't said anything offensive), I'm just sick of people making definitive statements like "Will Smith isn't NHL-ready" or "Will Smith is a winger" based on a couple pre-season games. Will Smith has played on exclusively wagon teams for the last two years. Suddenly being dropped onto a brutally bad NHL team in a prominent role means adjustment. Obviously he isn't going to look his best while he adjusts to the NHL, so judging him based off these games exclusively (which people who did not watch Will Smith all last season as some of us did are doing) is just stupid.

 

[CanadienShark]

That's kinda just how he's always played so I'm used to it I guess. I'm just glad that the things that make him successful, he can still do at this level. Like he's been getting better at holding the puck and seeing the lanes at this level

And the off puck thing you're talking about, he's significantly better than where he was a year ago. He's also just kinda sneaky with his defense stuff like his puck skills are so good that there's a lot of times where he can intercept a pass or pick up a shitty breakout and get it going.

He definitely will not be killing plays with pace though and that's gonna be the main thing to work on. Like just getting on a guy and taking the body or harassing them for the puck.

My biggest gripe is his involvement, or lack thereof. Agreed that he's got the ability to make sneaky good defensive plays, but he needs to be involved in the play to do it. Just trying to cherry pick and constantly wind up for slapshots doesn't much help the team. Ah well. I still like the player and his upside.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

It’s a season for development and as such I’m alright with Smith playing in the NHL even if he isn’t ready and I don’t think he is but he’s not far off. For his age, he’s in a perfectly acceptable position. For a 2C he will be inadequate but he needs the experience to grow into it. I just want them to do that for three rookie forwards and not just two if we’re not doing an Eklund line independent of the rookie centers.