BA’s kind of defenseman. And they have not shied away from drafting injured players. Hockey sense is the first thing I see with him. Would guess he would be there in the second round, but he was 31 on Pronman’s list.
I think he's a 2nd or 3rd round guy but I also wouldn't be shocked if a GM takes him in the 2nd or 1st.
theathletic.com
He's high on a lot of lists. Recrutes have him top 5. He's a monster in size and has very good skill. He has the Geekie type raw upside that it would make sense... if he wasn't Russian. It really then depends on your risk tolerance towards Russians. If we went all in, I'm loving it but there's risk.
biggest issue with Smith is his propensity to sit at the redline waiting for a breakout pass. HIs best comparable may be Keller who was a C with the USNDT only to be moved immediately to wing. Do you like him better or worse as a winger? I think the Habs will be all over Smith. Their management team was with the Rangers and they desperately were trying to trade up to 4OV to take Clayton Keller his draft year.
I think the issue is most C's are usually leading the backcheck. I loved Pavel Bure and he was always at the redline. Difference is he was a winger and Smith is a center. Most C's have some form of defensive zone responsibility.
Yep. Cherry picking centers aren’t generally well regarded by NHL coaching staffs. Haha.
Ribeiro is actually an interesting comp for him if you replace “worst character flaws imaginable” with “very good character”. But Ribeiro wasn’t a burner. Very slippery. Dual threat. Obviously, Smith is a modern version. The version that grew up with TikTok who does all sorts of amazing stuff that Ribeiro would’ve been beaten to death by his own coaches for even trying in practice.
Part of the reason I don’t comment on much, is my lack of being able watch the complete game. Feeling out the flow and pace of the game. Seeing how players react to the ebbs and flows gives you a stronger sense of wether it was the right play in the moment. I personally see more talent in Smith than Keller at the same age and maybe even right now. Gives me Comrie vibes with that move. One trick but it works everytime.
My favorite player of all time. Watched him as a kid. Preferred Europeans growing up. They preached skill over physicality. That’s crossed the pond.
Yeah it’s a different time. Elusiveness and the ability to make elite plays in tight corners is what creates offense in tight games. I don’t think I’ll be able to make a list but there’s guys I’ve watched videos on in the 10-20 range that should be getting more hype. Off to watch Dalibor and his hype.
