Recalled/Assigned: Filip Forsberg (Update: Sent back to the Ads)

[adsfan]

I really hope you forgot to use your sarcasm smiley.

Sarcasm? I thought he was telling the truth!

 

[Byrddog]

Based on the intelligible parts of your post, it would seem that Smith is doing a fine job of hitting a fat hog, or a goalie as a substitute, quite regularly. On top of that he has 2 ES goals, 5 ES assists (3 primary, 2 secondary). Your admitted hatred of Smith is showing and preventing any objectivity. Wilson's lack of ES goal scoring so far is troublesome ... but he at least is getting on the scoresheet with 4 ES assists (1 primary, 3 secondary). Stalberg is very disappointing so far.

I will not be optimistic about Smith. I would prefer him be on another team or out of the league.

This guy is a T.U.R.D. and not even a polished one. He currently plays 16:30 to 17:30 a night so not enough minutes excuse, is gone.

Thru 14 games he has 2 goals this is a pace to have 12 by year end. His 5 assists are on pace for 40 assists. He also averages 4.8 goals per 100 shots. He now has played in 130 NHL games and has 20 goals and 35 assists.

In the last 134 games Spaling has had 28 goals and 27 assists yet most want to see him traded.


I fail to understand his performance has afforded him top 6 minutes. Then again he is but one problem the offense has. And because he is in the top few on the team in points that does not provide comfort to anyone. Heck the entire fanbase has become accustom to poor offense. To promote Smith as the offensive option for the team is very shortsighted.

 

[PFL615]

Smith has been a bright spot on this team this year along with Nystrom. Absolutely no reason to be grumbling about him based on your obvious personal dislike.
Spaling and Smith are two different players. Smith actually has skill and will get better. He actually tries to make a play instead of dump the puck or drop it behind the net.
Spaling stands infront of the net and gets dirty goals. Spalings whole career has also been against other teams lower dmen. Your point on Wilson and Stalberg is valid. They need yo step up.

 

[Byrddog]

As much as I dislike this player would like nothing more than to see him have 25 goals and 60 points. his would be helpful to the team. This is also what I would expect of a top 6 forward. Perhaps its too much to ask for this team to have legitimate top lines. But to accept that Smith can produce those numbers is unfounded in any way one looks at it. His best year at Waterloo was 76 points and the UAHL is a far cry form the NHL. So when the season is at the mid point and he has 6 to 8 goals and maybe 23 points and still icing 16 minutes of ice time I will feel no better. At some point we have to have expectations for these guys rather than POTENTIAL or hopes.

Many are calling for Trotz head because the players are not performing. Wow every player is a crap shoot especially those trying to brake in. And Trotz system is defensive focused forwards can still excel. It is easy to point a finger and blame the system for players failures, when in fact its the players that are the failures. There is nothing wrong with requiring a forward be defensively sound. n fact for a team to be successful they must be balanced. Most think the Preds are too defensive. One can look at the Oiliers who are the exact opposite. So there must be a little of both. As for Smith he is lacking in most defense abilities and has yet to prove such an offensive asset to make up for it. sure if he were a 35 goal scorer and 70 point guy I would never opine about how usless he is but hes not and will never be. Refer back to his body of work. While a decent college player the jump to NHL is proving too much for him. For that matter most college players suffer the same problems. There is a reason a kid makes a decision to go to college and most times it is they plan on there education rather than there sport to be there carrier path. Smith is 24 has missed out on any development in the system and is now in over his head.

 

[Persona5]

I will not be optimistic about Smith. I would prefer him be on another team or out of the league.

This guy is a T.U.R.D. and not even a polished one. He currently plays 16:30 to 17:30 a night so not enough minutes excuse, is gone.

Thru 14 games he has 2 goals this is a pace to have 12 by year end. His 5 assists are on pace for 40 assists. He also averages 4.8 goals per 100 shots. He now has played in 130 NHL games and has 20 goals and 35 assists.

In the last 134 games Spaling has had 28 goals and 27 assists yet most want to see him traded.


I fail to understand his performance has afforded him top 6 minutes. Then again he is but one problem the offense has. And because he is in the top few on the team in points that does not provide comfort to anyone. Heck the entire fanbase has become accustom to poor offense. To promote Smith as the offensive option for the team is very shortsighted.

Do you know him personally or something and have something against him? I'm not sure you have seen all the games and if you have then maybe you need a lesson in how hockey is played well if you think Smith has been bad this year. He is without question one of our best players this season and I hope he continues. That 4.8 shot percentage is an aberration just like when SK was shooting the lights out 2 seasons ago with a 25%+ percentage. The fact is if he continues to put the puck on net like he is good things will happen. He happens to be one of the few players the preds has that tries to do things to create offense and I love it when he does even when he fails. At least he isn't just dumping the puck in every time.

 

[101st_fan]

25 goals would be wonderful ... but how many 25+ goal scorers are there across the league in any given year?

Smith plays 2nd and 3rd line minutes, yet you want him to surpass the level of the top 60 in goal scoring the past three full seasons?

 

[Dave is a killer]

25 goals would be wonderful ... but how many 25+ goal scorers are there across the league in any given year?

Smith plays 2nd and 3rd line minutes, yet you want him to surpass the level of the top 60 in goal scoring the past three full seasons?

'12-'13 there were 54 players that got 15 (projected to get 25)
'11-'12 there were 59 (Hornqvist was lone rep)
'10-'11 there were 53 (no one)
'09-'10 there were 58 (Hornqvist's 30 goal year & lone rep)
'08-'09 there were 69 (no one)
'07-'08 there were 63 (Arnott, Radulov)
'06-'07 there were 76 (Legwand, Arnott)
'05-'06 there were 80 (Kariya, Sullivan & Hartnell)

 

[101st_fan]

'12-'13 there were 54 players that got 15 (projected to get 25)
'11-'12 there were 59 (Hornqvist was lone rep)
'10-'11 there were 53 (no one)
'09-'10 there were 58 (Hornqvist's 30 goal year & lone rep)
'08-'09 there were 69 (no one)
'07-'08 there were 63 (Arnott, Radulov)
'06-'07 there were 76 (Legwand, Arnott)
'05-'06 there were 80 (Kariya, Sullivan & Hartnell)

I hope he appreciates you giving him the answer to the question.

Smith is currently 176th in total ice time among NHL forwards .... 198th in TOI/G. Apparently the demand is that he not only score, but do so at an unsustainable rate.

 

[NoNecksCurse]

i think byrddog is trying to say people are expecting too much from smith. and that we have no legitimate top line threat and i agree. smith may grow into a consistent, scoring option for us. he looks good so far. id say he tops out at 55 points. a second line winger. im more worried about forsbergs development. he is the only forward we have that has skills to be a threat at all times for us.

 

[101st_fan]

i think byrddog is trying to say people are expecting too much from smith. and that we have no legitimate top line threat and i agree. smith may grow into a consistent, scoring option for us. he looks good so far. id say he tops out at 55 points. a second line winger. im more worried about forsbergs development. he is the only forward we have that has skills to be a threat at all times for us.

I'll take byrd at his word. As a grown man he can express himself and if misunderstood, clarify. He's flatly stated he "hates" Smith ... called him a "turd" ...

I have no problem if Smith puts up 2nd line type numbers. 15-20g, 30+ assists are good numbers if he can consistently put them up. The 20+ goal scorer is a rarity in the league .... the 60+ point scorer is as well ... especially a player who can do it year after year.

Forsberg needs to adjust to the North American game. His angles are off, his reads are off, he's chasing the puck and getting out of position defensively, not using his puck handling skills to create quality lanes in the offensive zone. The talent is there, knowing how to apply it in the NHL hasn't come around yet.

 

[predfan98]

We need the coaching staff to make Forsberg successful, plain and simple. I don't know how and I don't care, but if he just rides the bench most of the year, it's a failure by Trotz.

Smith is a fast rag doll pinballing down the rink. I'm always amazed when he scores. I like the kid, but he still hasn't lived up to his billing. I hope he catches on fire.

 

[101st_fan]

We need the coaching staff to make Forsberg successful, plain and simple. I don't know how and I don't care, but if he just rides the bench most of the year, it's a failure by Trotz.

Smith is a fast rag doll pinballing down the rink. I'm always amazed when he scores. I like the kid, but he still hasn't lived up to his billing. I hope he catches on fire.

That 4th round billing of his?

 

[predfan98]

That 4th round billing of his?

All the press and talk from Poile and Trotz when they convinced him to leave college and come play on the team. They built him up like he was going to solve everything.

 

[101st_fan]

All the press and talk from Poile and Trotz when they convinced him to leave college and come play on the team. They built him up like he was going to solve everything.

The fans did more to hype him than Trotz and Poile did. Smith was a guy had a good international tournament to get asked to leave school and go pro ... then he had a great first 10-15 games before reality hit and since then has shown flashes of good offensive hockey with periods of absence. This season he's putting up decent numbers and remains tied for third on the team in points.

We're doing a lot of the same things with Forsberg ... basing too much on prospect reports and international play and not giving the kid time to adjust the pro game.

 

[predfan98]

The fans did more to hype him than Trotz and Poile did. Smith was a guy had a good international tournament to get asked to leave school and go pro ... then he had a great first 10-15 games before reality hit and since then has shown flashes of good offensive hockey with periods of absence. This season he's putting up decent numbers and remains tied for third on the team in points.

We're doing a lot of the same things with Forsberg ... basing too much on prospect reports and international play and not giving the kid time to adjust the pro game.

I don't know that I'd agree that the fans built him up more than Trotz and Poile. But I'm basing everything on my subjective memory, lol.......

no stats here, just feelings!

 

[preds1]

I'm ok with Smith so far. FF will need time, and probably a stint in Milwaukee.
Love his skill and potential though.

I'm more concerned with Wilson, Bourque, Stalberg, and to an extent Cullen.
Nystrom has surprised me tho.

 

[Nashville Transplant]

getting back to Forsberg, not sure if any of you saw this post on Mayor's Manor:

http://mayorsmanor.com/2013/11/preds-barry-trotz-on-kings-roster-changes-in-advance-of-game-in-la/

 

[Gnashville]

Pretty much he is being Trotzed which means all offense is being sucked out of him. He will ride the pine or 4th line until he plays defense and abandons his offense game.

 

[101st_fan]

Pretty much he is being Trotzed which means all offense is being sucked out of him. He will ride the pine or 4th line until he plays defense and abandons his offense game.

More hyperbole rather than fact.

 

[cleangene63]

Pretty much he is being Trotzed which means all offense is being sucked out of him. He will ride the pine or 4th line until he plays defense and abandons his offense game.

In other words: he's being "Wilsonized"

 

[I Will Son]

Trotz... Smh.. Oy

 

[PFL615]

Smith put the last nail in the believer award for me after he got absolutely destroyed twice in the recent game against the Jets and still busted his ass and got the game winning goal. I know some forwards that would be dumping and running if that happened to them.

 

[token grinder]

Anyone listen to coffee with Coach this morning? Trotz spent a good bit of time talking about Forsberg, and why he is using him the way he is...and get this....it makes perfect sense.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

Anyone listen to coffee with Coach this morning? Trotz spent a good bit of time talking about Forsberg, and why he is using him the way he is...and get this....it makes perfect sense.

Can you give a summary, please?

 

[lstcyr]

Anyone listen to coffee with Coach this morning? Trotz spent a good bit of time talking about Forsberg, and why he is using him the way he is...and get this....it makes perfect sense.

You mean he has a plan and isn't just trying to kill his offensive potential? OMG