Prospect Info: D Ty Smith

[devilsblood]

It's not a germane comparison by any stretch, even if that's where he ends up in the NHL, Ty Smith has way more offense to his game now than Greene did at a comparable age, and is a far better player.

If you think that's relevant then great.

But it's not at all what I was saying. Which everyone but you was able to comprehend.

 

[Blender]

Great if true, I would rather have a fast thinker with moderate speed than someone with just speed

It always concerns me with a defenseman if the highest praise from scouts for him is that he's a great skater. Usually that means he has weaknesses elsewhere but in the lower levels his speed is covering for them. Once he gets to the NHL it becomes much harder to make up for being out of position with speed as everyone is fast now.

 

[MadDevil]

It always concerns me with a defenseman if the highest praise from scouts for him is that he's a great skater. Usually that means he has weaknesses elsewhere but in the lower levels his speed is covering for them. Once he gets to the NHL it becomes much harder to make up for being out of position with speed as everyone is fast now.

*cough*JohnMoore*cough*

 

[Triumph]

If you think that's relevant then great.

But it's not at all what I was saying. Which everyone but you was able to comprehend.

You keep comparing him to Andy Greene. You've done it multiple times. What I'm trying to explain is that Greene absolutely never had the offensive profile that Smith did at any level. Never. At the NHL level, Greene, who has played on the power play for many seasons in his career, averages 1.1 shots/game. At the AHL level, as a 24 year old, 1.3 shots/game. I can't find his Redhawks stats other than for his sophomore year, but there he was at 1.9 shots/game.

Smith averaged 2.8 shots/game last year for Spokane. Now again, perhaps that part of his game will go away when he goes pro, that will happen sometimes, but the numbers suggest Smith is much more active with the puck in the offensive zone. These comparisons to guys like Greene and Merrill who were never big shooters at any level, is to me a form of boat missing and tunnel vision.

 

[devilsblood]

You keep comparing him to Andy Greene. You've done it multiple times. What I'm trying to explain is that Greene absolutely never had the offensive profile that Smith did at any level. Never. At the NHL level, Greene, who has played on the power play for many seasons in his career, averages 1.1 shots/game. At the AHL level, as a 24 year old, 1.3 shots/game. I can't find his Redhawks stats other than for his sophomore year, but there he was at 1.9 shots/game.

Smith averaged 2.8 shots/game last year for Spokane. Now again, perhaps that part of his game will go away when he goes pro, that will happen sometimes, but the numbers suggest Smith is much more active with the puck in the offensive zone. These comparisons to guys like Greene and Merrill who were never big shooters at any level, is to me a form of boat missing and tunnel vision.

So you are saying the #'s suggest he will be more offensive then Greene. Good, I certainly hope he does. And I said he probably will bring a little more offense. If he can reach peak Andy Greene ability while bringing more offense, that would be great.

 

[HenriquesJawLine]

The Devils might have the only fanbase in the league that habitually underrates their prospects instead of overrating them.

 

[Oneiro]

With good reason...we were supposed to have a thriving defense by now.

The best player we've drafted prior to Nico is a 2nd liner in Henrique.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

It always concerns me with a defenseman if the highest praise from scouts for him is that he's a great skater. Usually that means he has weaknesses elsewhere but in the lower levels his speed is covering for them. Once he gets to the NHL it becomes much harder to make up for being out of position with speed as everyone is fast now.

That isn't the only high praise he gets. He has gotten high praise for his hockey IQ and his calmness and ability to slow the game down even though he can play the game at a high speed.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

With good reason...we were supposed to have a thriving defense by now.

The best player we've drafted prior to Nico is a 2nd liner in Henrique.

the regime is different

anything before Shero and Castron took over is pointless to even discuss

 

[Oneiro]

He said we habitually underrate our players.

That is why. And it's a better look for a fanbase overall.

 

[Emperoreddy]

He said we habitually underrate our players.

That is why. And it's a better look for a fanbase overall.

Being constantly fatalistic is a good look?

 

[RememberTheName]

Lol after our almost generational defense with the likes of Merrill and Gelinas and Urbom failed everyone has become pessimistic about our prospects

 

[Oneiro]

Being constantly fatalistic is a good look?

Underrated and fatalistic are two different things.

Saying that Zacha has taken his sweet ass time developing relative to his peers is not calling him a bust. Putting him in trades is not calling him a bust. Saying that he's got a shit ton of work to do is not calling him a bust. Anyway, this is off-topic now.

 

[MadDevil]

That isn't the only high praise he gets. He has gotten high praise for his hockey IQ and his calmness and ability to slow the game down even though he can play the game at a high speed.

Um...I don't think he was saying that about Smith.

 

[Blender]

That isn't the only high praise he gets. He has gotten high praise for his hockey IQ and his calmness and ability to slow the game down even though he can play the game at a high speed.

I wasn't talking about Ty Smith specifically, because he has gotten praise for a few other things before his skating. Watching his clips as well, his positioning is very good.

 

[Missionhockey]

So I've seen 2 shift by shift games of Smith, and there were at least 3 times where unpressured he just loses control of the puck. Did I just happen to see games where this happens, but typically it does not? Maybe.

He also puts the puck off the boards a ton. In general, the safe play. Couple times I thought he should have pinched but he did not. Again, played it safe. Didn't skate the puck out of trouble. In this video he played a ton of minutes. And I think their fwd's were just much better then Portlands, so maybe it was by design, play it safe.

He puts up great offensive #'s, but I'm not seeing a ton of offensive ability, even though he had a goal, and possibly an assist in this video. Very smooth skater, but not that fast.

I think Andy Greene is an very apt comparison.

You're not seeing a ton of offensive ability, yet in the extremely small sample of play you've seen he got two points? Sounds like you're focusing on the negative.

 

[theoptimist]

First draft, in awhile, where I haven’t cared much about the prospects — means we’re getting better

 

[Blackjack]

Lol after our almost generational defense with the likes of Merrill and Gelinas and Urbom failed everyone has become pessimistic about our prospects

That's a good point, those were really painful busts and I think people around here are afraid to hope for great things out of a defensive prospect.

 

[NJDevs26]

Eh it's not just the D prospects...Devils fan atitude toward all prospects is a ridiculous market overcorrection from the days where Reid Boucher, Jacob Josefson and even for a brief period Matteau were talked up more than they should have been because we were in the Sahara Desert at the time.

I also think to a degree, Nico, Butcher and Bratt kind of spoils the curve for prospects going forward.

 

[My3Sons]

Lol after our almost generational defense with the likes of Merrill and Gelinas and Urbom failed everyone has become pessimistic about our prospects

In retrospect those guys were all old school NHL defenders as I see it. Just another symptom of Lou and Conte not acknowledging the direction the game was headed. JMHO. YMMV.

 

[My3Sons]

I wasn't talking about Ty Smith specifically, because he has gotten praise for a few other things before his skating. Watching his clips as well, his positioning is very good.

For what it is worth the NHL radio guys on Sirius talked about his two way game and his defensive ability as better than many of the defenders drafted before him. They really like the pick. Their prognosticator has him 10th best prospect I believe.

 

[NJDevs26]

In retrospect those guys were all old school NHL defenders as I see it. Just another symptom of Lou and Conte not acknowledging the direction the game was headed. JMHO. YMMV.

I'm afraid we might be saying the same about Santini in a short while and I like the guy. You almost can't have enough picks like Ty Smith these days though...he fits the new NHL prototype.

 

[My3Sons]

I'm afraid we might be saying the same about Santini in a short while and I like the guy. You almost can't have enough picks like Ty Smith these days though...he fits the new NHL prototype.

But doesn’t Santini have enough skating and just enough passing to get by in the current NHL? Granted he needs to read the play much better and have better positioning but if he’s willing to study and work at it he can correct those things. If Lovejoy can do it no reason Santini can’t be better than him if he isn’t already.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

Gelinas is the only disapointment IMO. He had all the tools in the world to be a damn good dman, just no toolbox.

 

[Blender]

Gelinas is the only disapointment IMO. He had all the tools in the world to be a damn good dman, just no toolbox.

Gelinas had tons of talent. It's a real shame he was just such a low IQ player that he could never put it together. Lump him in with many other physically gifted players who have ended up the same.