I read your takes on McKenna and honestly i agree, he kinda feels like a version of Will but with a way higher offensive ceiling. It actually got me curious though, what do you think about Smith’s development so far, and what kind of player do you expect him to become?
And don’t get me wrong, i’m not saying he’s gonna be a bust or anything. But if the sharks are actually serious about pushing for the playoffs next season, he’s gotta take a pretty big step forward, especially playing on the first line with Mack. Plus we all know Warso has lowkey called him out publicly already lol.
Honestly compared to the rest of his draft class, he’s doing totally fine, even pretty good. It’s just that because the sharks have Mack, people’s expectations are naturally way higher. I don’t really think it’s fair to compare every young player’s development to Mack because realistically nobody’s gonna look as good as him, maybe not even Misa. But at the same time, i think sharks fans would be lying if they said they don’t subconsciously compare the other guys to Macklin.
Ok first of all I love this ask! Sorry for the delay, I wanted to really dig in with this one & I haven't had time.
So for starters, I wanted to say that I do really like McKenna as a player. Like he's so pretty to watch, silky mitts, crazy vision. I know he's dealt with a lot of noise over the past year especially & I hope Toronto is prepared to insulate him from that a bit. I hope he can billet with a current player & get eased into the NHL, and that they don't throw him to the wolves. And I hope fans have realistic rookie expectations for him.
Okay so moving on to a not-so-little essay I'm calling "In Defense of Will Smith-Hockey":
(More after the cut)
You hit the nail on the head about the critique for Will. I feel he's above-average with his development after just two seasons in the NHL, but with Macklin playing the way he is Will is always going to come out looking like he's behind. I see the comparisons to Mack with ALL rookies right now, this totally unrealistic expectation that they can all get over 100 points in their second season. Mack is not normal lol. He's an anomaly. I know people love to throw around the term "generational talent" but he is ACTUALLY a generational talent.
So Will of course gets it worse than anyone because the weaknesses in his game are so magnified with Mack right there. Also, he's over a year older than Mack. Even though they played in the USHL at the same time, were freshmen in college at the same time, started in the NHL at the same time, there's this expectation that Will should be further along because he's older. You never heard "20 year old Will Smith". Like, EVER.
So here's the thing about Will. Before he was drafted, every scout said the exact same thing: he's an offensive phenom, outstanding on the power play, very high hockey IQ. But they also had the same critiques: his skating needed to improve, he had to get bigger/stronger/faster & his play off the puck was lacking.
So this is not some new aspect of Will's play. After the draft he worked on his skating & put on some weight. But just like at the NTDP, in college he was still called on more for his offensive skill than he was for his two-way play. Which is totally common at that age & at the NCAA. Just like McKenna, he'd spent most of his time developing his offensive play (because let's face it, pretty plays LOOK cool & get on highlight reels) but not as much time worrying about defense. (I also think being on a line pretty much exclusively with Gabe & Leno for 3 years set them ALL back developmentally, but that's a different post.)
Here's another hot take. Will should never have played center. He was probably put there because he's smart, but with his skill sets he is WAY more suited as a winger. I firmly believe this is the best place for him. But he's still learning this new role. He has different responsibilities at wing than he did at center, and it takes time to adjust.
I do think his injury was rough for him & it set him back. I think he was shaken up & wanted to get hit even less than he did before. I think his shot was weaker afterwards & he was more likely to dump the puck if it meant he could avoid a hit. But he did start to try. I saw the effort towards the end of this season, a few good checks against the boards, a few more puck battles, more speed & determination to stick with a play until the end.
His stats have improved since last season, no doubt about it. 59 points is solid, up 15 points from his rookie year after playing 5 games less. His +/- went from a -15 to a +1. One of the more interesting stats is his play in high-danger areas, which is one of the best in the league at 16th. He's also playing much better in 5v5 than most people would expect, like his goals aren't just coming from power plays.
So yeah, I'm a HUGE fan of Will Smith. I don't know if people realise just how elite his vision is. He's reading the ice in real time, processing at a wayyyy faster pace than most players can and finding/ creating open ice in really unique ways. And these skills can't really be taught. You either have them or you don't. He can and will get stronger. He can and will get better at playing wing. He can and will get more responsible off the puck.
Will has cited Patrick Kane as someone he admires & tries to emulate. (Side note, Kane is famously a RH winger lol.) And he's not there yet, but I do see the similarities. Kane is so good offensively that he's also not known as a defensive-minded skater. Kane also has elite vision & makes gorgeous plays. Kane also shines when he has insane chemistry with a partner.
Which brings me to Mack, who has been compared to Jonathan Toews. (The similarities are actually insane, I'll probably do another post about this in the future.) Kane & Toews came into the NHL at the same time as rookies and played together for 16 YEARS on the Blackhawks. They won 3 Stanley Cups together. They are one of the greatest hockey duos of all time. They remain close friends to this day.
THIS is what Will & Mack envision. THIS was their idea from the start. They are actively positioning themselves as the next great hockey duo. And the crazy thing is, I think it's actually going to happen. They see the ice the same way, and they have the skill & creativity to pull off some truly impressive plays. Mack plays best with fellow elite players, and Will plays best with people he knows well & can predict. Mack is a combination of Leno & Gabe, so Will knows exactly how to play with him. Their friendship truly is creating better chemistry on the ice, anyone with eyes can see that.
The interesting thing about the NHL right now is it's trending younger, faster & flashier. Fans want to see special plays, killer passes that connect for highlight-reel worthy goals. I think, if you asked most fans, they'd rather watch a fun, high-speed, high-scoring 6-5 game that mmmmaybe isn't perfect than a slow & steady 2-1 victory that's textbook hockey.
Yes, Will sometimes goes for the more dangerous play because it's more interesting, and sometimes it ends badly. But you know what? It's not boring. So maybe he'll never have a true two-way game, not like Mack. But you know what? If he stays a fun & dynamic player who consistently puts up points & creates scoring opportunities for his line, does it really matter? Will & Mack put fans in seats. The Sharks should build the team around them. And I see those building blocks being put into place. A power forward to help them get more space & time, hopefully some solid defensemen to help out when things go awry, a consistent goalkeeper.
I don't think Will has even come close to hitting his ceiling. Not to say it's certain that he will, but I believe he can. I think he's way more competitive & cares way more about improving his game than people give him credit for. My prediction for him next season (assuming the Sharks give them some better defensive help) is 30+ goals and 80+ points. But if you told me it was 40+ goals and 100+ points I wouldn't be shocked. I think he's about to hit his groove.
Thanks for the ask, hope you enjoyed this dissertation lol.
It actually was papa John's garlic sauce yes and this is how it happened:
I had brought pizza and unopened garlic sauce for lunch and cheerios as a snack, and by the time I was finished with my pizza I had like. Half the garlic sauce left. Now I had no safe way of conserving the sauce without it spilling anywhere and I wasnt about to waste good garlic sauce. So I looked at my cheerios, decided "fuck it why not" and drenched them in garlic sauce. Afterward, this happened:
Saw McKenna saying in an interview that in one week he and Mack spend 17 hours on ice, and that's really funny considering when Will was there we have them going of cafe dates, shopping and swimming together 😂
Mack to Samisa: Training. Grouse Grind. FINE we can take ONE day off to fish.
Mack to McKenna: Training. More training. MORE training. Welcome to the NHL. We don't play here, bro.
Mack to Will: Trai- omg Smitty I heard the funniest thing yesterday :) I have to tell you :) Wait, come back, we need to skate around just us & ignore everyone else while I tell you this very important thing :) And maybe pretend to bite you :) Ok and then after we're going to get ice cream :) And I want to show you this really pretty lake :) And you can drive ok? :) And then we can watch one of those romcoms you like :) And snuggle on the couch :) And kiss when my family isn't looking :) Actually who cares if they're looking, not me, I don't care if anyone's looking, I missed you :) What are we doing here again? :)
Will to Mack: And they're paying YOU $18.8 million a year? :) Come on, let's go get that ice cream :) I'll drive, princess, but I get to pick the music :)
Hi, what's your take on Mike's comments about Will's contract, where he says, "hopefully get him locked up long term, but if it doesn't happen we'll be okay and we will figure it out as the season goes on and into next summer"? I'm specifically looking at "we'll be okay". Do you think he means that the Sharks will be okay if they are unable to lock up a long term contract with Will or do you think he means that Mike's people and Will's people will be okay and they will work something out during the season/ next summer? I know Mike likes to keep his cards close to his chest, but the man is very good at bluffing and I think when he needs to, he moves fast.
I happen to speak fluent Mike Grier, so I'll translate 😉
What he wants people to think: "We have no issues here in San Jose, Will isn't going anywhere. It's not a big deal to me personally if Will signs now or we wait until later this season. We'll get it done when we get it done and everything is all good. Maybe it'll be long-term like Mack's, that would be cool. I'm unbothered by this because I'm unbothered by everything."
What he really means: "These two are the cornerstones of what we're building here, the future of this franchise. Do you idiots really think I'm not on top of this? The contract is fully ironed out with a term matching Mack's because of course it is. We'll give the media a couple days to chew on our superstar's contract & then we'll announce Will's."
I have a lot of similar asks so I'll just address them in one post:
- No, Will is not going to get traded
- Yes, Mack will be Captain
- No, Mack isn't going to become besties with Ivar & forget about Will
- No, I don't think the Willmack 1st-line pair will be split up
- Yes, I think we'll see Stenberg on PP1 by the end of the season
And just a general freebie:
I love that there's so much excitement around the new players we drafted, but don't expect to see most of these guys on the roster any time soon. Stenberg will be on the Sharks, but Verhoeff & Lin are heading to college for at least a year. There's a small chance we see them very late in the season, once their own college seasons are done. The later picks will need some time to develop & it's doubtful they'll crack the roster for a couple years (if at all)
Thanks for the asks, I love your enthusiasm, but some of you worry far too much! 💜
I think there's one very big difference between the Sharks and the Habs, which is that the Sharks player development is notoriously bad. Players like Celebrini and Stenberg are shielded from it, but any other young player is going to experience it to some degree, and I would imagine (based on the things that have come out from traded players who experienced the full brunt of the Sharks/Barracuda system and were not happy) less likely to sign team-friendly deals. I don't think Habs players are only signing team-friendly deals because they like each other; I think a lot of it is that they know they have access to good working conditions and support that isn't a given if they go elsewhere, and that is a very big incentive. Probably even more so than friendship, unfortunately.
Ok I like this ask a lot. I'm pretty sure I know what you're referring to & I'd love to discuss that here.
So there are three parts to the player development process. Two that San Jose does incredibly well, and one that definitely needs improvement. Let's dive in:
The first step is drafting. Watching these kids play junior hockey, evaluating their potential, identifying the players who will be the best fit within your organization. And San Jose has an *unbelievable* amateur scouting staff. Maybe I'm biased, but I truly believe it's one of the best in the NHL. Since Grier took over as manager in 2022, we've consistently seen smart drafting by him & his staff, even well into later rounds, and San Jose's prospect pool is now widely considered one of the top 3 (if not the best) in the NHL.
Once a player is drafted, Todd Marchant & his staff take over. (He's the Director of Player Development.) He's pretty hands on with the prospects, working with each player on what they need to focus on, checking in with them regularly, etc. He doesn't like to rush development & has said over and over that every player develops at their own pace.
A lot of players are opting to take the NCAA route after junior hockey, which allows them to transition to playing against larger players under a great coaching staff, with a reasonable season of around 35 regular season games that'll still allow them time to work on strength training & conditioning. So while they're in college or in the SHL or the OHL or wherever they are, Todd and his staff continue to communicate with those players & evaluate how much progress they've made.
Here's where things get dicey. John McCarthy is the coach of our AHL team (the Barracuda) and he's... not great. He's a former player without much coaching experience who took over as a sort of interim coach but never left.
Back in 2023, a Czechian prospect named Martin Kaut left the Cuda. He went on to tell reporters in Czechia that it was because his coaches made him fight other players, despite him having a history of concussions. He also said the culture was bad, that it was a very competitive environment that didn't foster teamwork. The Sharks denied the fighting allegations, but a slew of veteran Barracuda players all left around the same time, and some said it wasn't a good place to be, which definitely was not a great look.
There's been no additional allegations coming out about the Cuda, and players like Musty, Halttunen, Lund, Bystedt & Cagnoni have developed very close friendships there. It's possible the atmosphere was a product of previous leadership/attitudes and there aren't issues anymore. We've seen players like Graf, Chernyshov, Cags & Askarov progress very well within the Barracuda & move up to the NHL level, which is promising.
But players like Musty & Bystedt have developed more slowly than expected, which could speak to coaching issues on the Cuda. It'll be interesting to see what kind of progress Pohlkamp makes this year, transitioning to the AHL after 2 years in Denver. If we see a backslide after he had such good progress last season, that may be a red flag that it's past time for a coaching change.
The final hurdle is Warso. I don't know if it's lack of experience or just his coaching style, but some players seem to respond well to him (Mack, Graf) and others (Mukh, Will) do not. In his defense, he was handed a bunch of talented (but flawed) kids, some mid-level veterans who had to take on top-level roles, and a restless fan base who just wanted to be excited about our team again & occasionally WIN. I don't agree with all his choices & I think he fumbled badly sometimes, but I do think he's learned some important lessons and has made progress.
So. Going back to what you said, I disagree that the Sharks are unequivocally bad at developing younger players. I think things have improved a lot under Grier, I think we've seen late-round "project" draft picks like #123 Cagnoni & #132 Pohlkamp exceed expectations by not pressuring their progress, and I think the Sharks as a whole are trying to foster a more positive culture from the ground up. They want to be a team that players WANT to be on, and based on what all our newest hires & draft picks have said about how excited they are to join the Sharks, it's working. That's the kind of team players will take less to be a part of.
Where do you realistically see Wills ceiling and also how will it compare to others other than Mack in the team?
I talked about this at length here.
But I'll say again, I think Will's ceiling is very high. In the right circumstances, I wouldn't be shocked at all if he gets 30+ goals and/or 80+ points as soon as next season. I wouldn't be shocked if he gets 40+ goals and 100+ points within the next 2-3 years.
I think he'll establish himself as an elite RW & a crucial part of the powerplay. Once he's insulated a bit with better defense & a power forward on his line, has time to build chemistry with a consistent 3rd person on his line, becomes faster & stronger and more defensively responsible himself... I just don't see anything holding him back. He already has the vision, the accuracy & the shot. Nothing is a sure thing, but if I was a gambler I'd put my money on Will Smith-Hockey.
