LD Ty Smith - Spokane Chiefs, WHL (2018, 17th, NJD)

[ProspectsFanatic]

Just watched his highlights video on youtube. Came away way more impressed by Jaret Anderson-Dolan. LA got a hell of a prospect.

Had him rounding up the first round last year, terrific speed and wrister, I am high on him, I think I will turn out into something good, Smith clearly benefited from playing with him this season, J A-D is hell of player at junior level.

 

[Zaddy]

I’m pretty torn on him. I’ve seen him some times where I’ve really liked him. But then he has struggled sometimes when he is playing best on best (TPG + U18).

I think he may just need to get stronger and mature more physically, because I think he has struggled with the forecheck when he plays top competition. If he can get stronger on his skates combined with his skating, he can probably iron that out.

This is my biggest problem with Smith as of now. I worry that if he already has trouble against junior players in that regard, how is he going to look against bigger, faster and stronger NHLers? How will he handle a hard forecheck at that level? I like his game but that aspect of him has become a pretty big red flag for me.

 

[MessierII]

Might be the most underrated player in the draft. The only knock on him seems to be his play during the u18’s and top prospects. Small sample sizes he had a crazy good year in the WHL.

 

[derriko]

This is my biggest problem with Smith as of now. I worry that if he already has trouble against junior players in that regard, how is he going to look against bigger, faster and stronger NHLers? How will he handle a hard forecheck at that level? I like his game but that aspect of him has become a pretty big red flag for me.

That’s all going to depend on projection and his physical frame limitations.

If the talent is there, you make the investment. Very similar to the doubts about many prospects every year like Middelstadt, Karlsson and so on and so forth. It’s in almost every players draft profile: needs to get stronger to handle the higher level.

Ottawa’s scouts probably were thinking of Karlsson in his mid 20’s after putting on 20 pounds, not just how he was at 18 when he was 165 pounds and 5’10”.

 

[dustrock]

Regarding Ty Smith, I will try to link to the tweets but I am hopeless with technology.
ND Red Eagle
‏ @NDRedEagle
Apr 11
Back to Ty Smith. Best even-strength pts/gm among pre-draft WHL defensemen past 16 years. 2nd: Seth Jones. But 18 of Jones’s 23 EV assists are marked down as secondary. So for primary EV pts/game it is:
0.42 Ty Smith (29 in 69)
0.25 Seth Jones (15 in 61)

Mitch Brown
‏ @MitchLBrown
Ty Smith vs. Calen Addison based on percentile rank within a group of 118 CHL defenders (5v5 only).
Smith’s a bit more shooting oriented, Addison playmaking. Smith’s more aggressive entering the OZ, while Addison chooses controlled plays more often.

Mitch Brown
‏ @MitchLBrown
The average for defencemen: Ty Smith (2018), Kale Clague (LAK) in the top grouping, followed closely by Timmins (COL), Dobson (2018), Merkley (2018), Sandin (2018), Fleury (MTL), Addison (2018).
Bouchard, Beaudin, Keane, Kral (2018 eligibles) are in the next tier.
9:25 AM – 24 Apr 2018

Mitch Brown
‏ @MitchLBrown
NZ defence is particularly noteworthy here, as Smith is one of the best in all three measures, whereas Addison is only in one. Addison forces dump ins (Ctrl Entry Against %) well, but when players challenge him 1v1, he’s been unable to stop them in this sample.
3:14 PM – 26 Apr 2018
Mitch Brown on Twitter
RE HUGHES
Mitch Brown
‏ @MitchLBrown
Apr 26
I have data on him, but my NCAA data set isn’t large enough (only 3 teams), so comparisons like the above one aren’t possible.
But, here are some snippets: He produces scoring chances at a better rate than many of the top-6 Fs, and he’s the best D at exits/entries by far.
Mitch Brown on Twitter
Mitch Brown
‏ @MitchLBrown
Apr 17
Ryan Merkley’s playmaking is on another level compared to other CHL defenceman prospects. He creates double the scoring chance assists than other top CHL blue line #2018NHLDraft prospects like Bouchard, Addison, Smith, and Beaudin.
Mitch Brown on Twitter

 

[skyo]

Giants Bowen Byram loving Smith's game.

“I want to be similar to a guy like Ty Smith. I want to solidify myself. I know the work that it takes and I’m willing to put in that work.

“Ty’s a great player and a great guy and I grew pretty close with him. He’s so confident in his game. He doesn’t get down on himself. I think that’s a big thing I could add to my game. Ty Smith never second-guesses himself on the ice.

“He’s a super smooth player, with a great hockey IQ. He’s a well-rounded player. Playing with him and getting to know him made me realize that if I want to be in the same position as him next year or better, I need to make sure that I’m a well-rounded player.”

Giants’ Bowen Byram may be a lottery gem with next year’s draft in Vancouver

 

[lawrence]

I wonder why this kid is never mentioned with the other 4 non Dhalin dmans. (Boqvist, Doobson, Hughes, Bouchard)

 

[bert]

I wonder why this kid is never mentioned with the other 4 non Dhalin dmans. (Boqvist, Doobson, Hughes, Bouchard)

He just isn't s good from what I've seen. I also noticed he struggled on a heavy for check. When he gets his feet under him and he is moving he makes some really great break outs but I really didn't like his game on the pp. A good two way d man but I really don't see him as being at the same level as those 4. With his lack of size and limited ability while being stationary I don't see him getting selected in the top 15. I think he goes between 16 and 25.

 

[clay]

He just isn't s good from what I've seen. I also noticed he struggled on a heavy for check. When he gets his feet under him and he is moving he makes some really great break outs but I really didn't like his game on the pp. A good two way d man but I really don't see him as being at the same level as those 4. With his lack of size and limited ability while being stationary I don't see him getting selected in the top 15. I think he goes between 16 and 25.

I would be shocked if he didn't go top 15. That would be a mistake. I firmly believe he's in the same tier as the big 4 D (after Dahlin). Such a well rounded defender who can thrive in any situation.

 

[skyo]

I would be shocked if he didn't go top 15. That would be a mistake. I firmly believe he's in the same tier as the big 4 D (after Dahlin). Such a well rounded defender who can thrive in any situation.

Yeah Smith seems to be in the Veleno, Hayton, Kotkaniemi range in between 10-15.

Sounds like a solid and reliable two-way dman, a leader type, not flashy, but got 73pts in 69 games this season. Could be more defensive responsible than Boqvist, Hughes, Bouchard, Dobson.

“A clean, reliable three-zone defender with leadership qualities and a team-first attitude, he is exactly the guy you want on the ice to kill a big penalty or lock horns with a top-scoring opponents. Wise beyond his years, Smith is almost destined for NHL longevity and has the potential to be a cornerstone piece and one of the top defenders in the league.” – Steve Kourninaos, The Draft Analyst

 

[yoteshot]

How does Josh Morrissey sound in terms of comparison for Smith?

 

[seafoam]

As an Islanders fan, I’m afraid Edmonton is going pick him. Would make sense considering they drafted Yamamoto and they could use a D prospect with top pairing potential (as do the Islanders).

 

[clay]

How does Josh Morrissey sound in terms of comparison for Smith?

Not a bad comparison. I think Smith has higher offensive potential though.

 

[lawrence]

I would be shocked if he didn't go top 15. That would be a mistake. I firmly believe he's in the same tier as the big 4 D (after Dahlin). Such a well rounded defender who can thrive in any situation.

again referencing to Mitch Browns graphs again.

Smith has a much higher shot contribution to his team then Noah Dobon

Destroys him in controlled offensive zone entries, higher then him and Evan Bouchard

and actually did better then Noah Dobson in Neutral zone defending.

Maybe no one is truly willing to group him with the other 5 so everyone is scared to do it.

 

[landy92mack29]

 

[docbenton]

He is really bad at defending and moving the puck for someone getting first round consideration, doesn't have a ton of offensive potential either. Seems to have no idea what to do with the puck at times and can be a turnover machine. Skates brilliantly, however. No way should he be a top 15 pick but would be decent gamble in the bottom half or top of the 2nd that he can improve because he does make some nice plays at times and really is a good skater.

 

[Dominance]

He is really bad at defending and moving the puck for someone getting first round consideration, doesn't have a ton of offensive potential either. Seems to have no idea what to do with the puck at times and can be a turnover machine. Skates brilliantly, however. No way should he be a top 15 pick but would be decent gamble in the bottom half or top of the 2nd that he can improve because he does make some nice plays at times and really is a good skater.

Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, and wrong again. Somebody only watched a game or two at the U18s, where he was admittedly trash. Certain parts of your statement could be justified opinions, but to say he doesn’t have much offensive potential and is a bad puck mover is just wildly incorrect. That said, I hope all the scouts are equally inept at assessing him and the Leafs can snag him, but there is no way this guy is falling past 15, much less 20.

 

[landy92mack29]

Yeah if you only watched him at the u18's where he shouldn't even gone due to injury you'll look dumb. He produced better than guys like Jones and Provorov in their draft years on a weaker team. He doesn't have their size but he'll be an elite dman in the nhl ala Rielly/Keith especially considering where the nhl is trending

 

[Janne Niinimaa]

He is really bad at defending and moving the puck for someone getting first round consideration, doesn't have a ton of offensive potential either. Seems to have no idea what to do with the puck at times and can be a turnover machine. Skates brilliantly, however. No way should he be a top 15 pick but would be decent gamble in the bottom half or top of the 2nd that he can improve because he does make some nice plays at times and really is a good skater.

This is one outlandish paragraph.

Your first sentence is just completely wrong and the rest of your paragraph just keeps getting worse.

 

[docbenton]

He's been bad all year. Horrible at the TPG as well, just unbelievably bad. And unless he was injured in the head, injury wouldn't explain his play. Teams pay attention when you can't play against good players and no one should be surprised at all if he fell to the second round especially at his size. Much better players have before him.

 

[dechire]

He's been bad all year. Horrible at the TPG as well, just unbelievably bad. And unless he was injured in the head, injury wouldn't explain his play. Teams pay attention when you can't play against good players and no one should be surprised at all if he fell to the second round especially at his size. Much better players have before him.

All year ? Really ? You must have gone to a lot of Spokane games then. I know I did and I wouldn't classify him as "bad" by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[Janne Niinimaa]

He's been bad all year. Horrible at the TPG as well, just unbelievably bad. And unless he was injured in the head, injury wouldn't explain his play. Teams pay attention when you can't play against good players and no one should be surprised at all if he fell to the second round especially at his size. Much better players have before him.

I'm guessing you only watched the Top Prospects Game and the u-18 and formulated this opinion.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Yeah if you only watched him at the u18's where he shouldn't even gone due to injury you'll look dumb. He produced better than guys like Jones and Provorov in their draft years on a weaker team. He doesn't have their size but he'll be an elite dman in the nhl ala Rielly/Keith especially considering where the nhl is trending

One of these things is not like the other.

 

[clay]

He's been bad all year. Horrible at the TPG as well, just unbelievably bad. And unless he was injured in the head, injury wouldn't explain his play. Teams pay attention when you can't play against good players and no one should be surprised at all if he fell to the second round especially at his size. Much better players have before him.

Horrific assessment. Why bother commenting when you clearly didn't watch him play?

 

[Steve Kournianos]

Smith is a stud. Have to think he'll succeed. He's more advanced than both Mete and Girard were in their draft year but a big more dynamic.

The TPG is nothing more than a money maker for the CHL. It's the McDonalds game of the NHL, except it's missing 50% of the real top prospects.

I like it for traditional reasons, but it's the last reference to use to ever use evaluate a player's potential. The WJC is a close second (speaking of money grabs).

League play is the best gauge.