The Brendan Smith Situation

[ThirtyONE]

observations and conclusions.

 

So you've concluded that Smith just signed a paycheck and said, "fuck it. I don't need to work out this summer."

 

Seems like a stretch.

[Rangers4Life]

His skating isn?t great but he doesn?t have feet like cement.

[josh]

Moved, married, honey moon... showed up out of shape, looked like shit on the ice.

[Long live the King]

So you've concluded that Smith just signed a paycheck and said, "fuck it. I don't need to work out this summer."

 

Seems like a stretch.

 

He had a lot of things going on this summer. Easy to see he clearly didn't put in as much works as most of the other guys.

 

https://www.nhl.com/rangers/news/rangers-summer-catch-up-brendan-smith/c-290830072

[Giacomin]

Smith isnt in a spot where he can "work through his struggles". Its not a confidence, or a little rust from the summer. The guy put off hockey all summer, and hes getting older. Shit caught up with him. He, essentially, needs to re-start his summer training program. He's not even ready for pre-season, right now.

 

And regardless of what people read in scouting reports, or remember him "skating well" on 2 occasions last season, his lack of foot speed in the defensive zone has been a huge detriment. He cant keep up with forwards in a man-to-man system in his own zone.

 

Baah, even this year he led the rush with speed (at the beginning of his shifts). The guy can skate, especially for his size. It is clear to my own eyes, nothing to do with Detroit fans or coaches. He looked like absolute shit at the end of shifts cause he is out of shape. He was also caught out of position (possibly trying to save energy or not in practice) and making misplays a few times each. Cause of his conditioning and lack of sharpness AV felt justified benching him.

 

When he said he had "to work to get back, to stay ready" that was a clue that he was saying he needs to work to get back into playing shape and form. Let's face it though, AV keeps him on the bench until a loss, injury or Holden/Kampfer looking awful.

[LONG LONG LONG TIME FAN]

Moved, married, honey moon... showed up out of shape, looked like shit on the ice.

 

So. Moved, married, honeymoon equates to " out of shape". What looks like " &*$! " to me are the assumptions that some people make.

[LONG LONG LONG TIME FAN]

On post #12 of this thread you corrected me about Don Maloney, when I posted the information. Age can mess with memory. So as a friendly reminder, DAVE Maloney reported it on the Scott and Patrick show on Sirius XM radio and then repeated the conditioning story on the MSG pregame, sharing his discussion with Smith.

 

Yup. DON Maloney it was. Age didn't mess with memory on this end. So Smith told DAVE, not DON Maloney that he, Smith was out of shape, and DAVE related it on the radio for all the world to hear. Dave must've been hallucinating from one too many suds.

[josh]

So. Moved, married, honeymoon equates to " out of shape". What looks like " &*$! " to me are the assumptions that some people make.

 

sorry man.

Some of us watch, listen to the coach, the writers, and the announcers tell us about things.

 

Not only that, but this thread, and other threads, have been, apparently, "assuming" the same thing we were told to "assume" by the aforementioned staff.

[josh]

Yup. DON Maloney it was. Age didn't mess with memory on this end. So Smith told DAVE, not DON Maloney that he, Smith was out of shape, and DAVE related it on the radio for all the world to hear. Dave must've been hallucinating from one too many suds.

 

Why dont you post "I dont think he's out of shape, and I dont think conditioning is an issue" instead of this crap?

[Phil]

There were, of course, other teams waiting on Smith had the intense 28-year-old hit the open market on July 1. Multiple teams would have been willing to at least match the Rangers? offer. One would think that there would be significant interest in Smith if the Rangers wanted to annul the agreement.

 

It is worth wondering whether, this soon into the union, there is buyer?s/seller?s remorse on Smith?s part. The answer came from Smith?s agent, Anton Thun.

 

?I?m not sure who?s the buyer and who?s the seller in this case, but there are no regrets at all from Smitty,? Thun told The Post prior to Wednesday?s match. ?And while I don?t want to speak for the Rangers, I talk to Jeff pretty regularly and I?ve never gotten that impression from him.

 

?Smitty?s no dummy. He knows this is a performance-based industry and his hasn?t been where he would like it to be or where it needs to be. He?s just working hard to get back in the lineup.?

 

http://nypost.com/2017/11/08/brendan-smiths-marriage-with-the-rangers-is-off-to-a-rocky-start/

[Rangers4Life]

Why dont you post "I dont think he's out of shape, and I dont think conditioning is an issue" instead of this crap?

 

That would require actually thinking and presenting his opinion rather than trolling. From what I?ve seen, he?s nothing but a troller. Some people get some sort of satisfaction of being an online troller.

[The Dude]

lol, maybe during his draft year when he was labeled a A-level offensive defenseman. His lack of mobility and agility have been exposed in this system.

 

Maybe THIS year this has been true to start, but the guy is a pretty good player man. He's a skater and a banger and can carry the puck pretty good as well as dish it. I feel he's waaaayyy better than you give him credit for. Easily a top 4 guy on most any team in the league.

[The Dude]

to good plays last season?

 

You quoted a beat writer, quoting a line that was fed to him, from someone trying to trade him.

 

His feet have been cement for several seasons. I'm sure he looked like a good skater next to the rest of that defensive corps in detroit, though. lol

 

Oh come on now. Several seasons? How does a guy with cement skates get a contract like that, and gain interest as a free agent from multiple teams?

 

Is this some sort of backlash for those who trash Holden? You seem to absolutely LOVE that guy, yet you're here saying this overly negative stuff and pretty much making false assumptions about Smith's game prior to this bad start. Not sure how you think this guy is and has been a poor skater.

[LONG LONG LONG TIME FAN]

Why dont you post "I dont think he's out of shape, and I dont think conditioning is an issue" instead of this crap?

 

Public forum. I'll post what I deem appropriate. Not happy? Put me on ignore. Besides, I wasn't responding to you.

[LONG LONG LONG TIME FAN]

Yeah. The NYR signed Smith to a lucrative contract because he's a poor skater.

[josh]

Oh come on now. Several seasons? How does a guy with cement skates get a contract like that, and gain interest as a free agent from multiple teams?

 

Is this some sort of backlash for those who trash Holden? You seem to absolutely LOVE that guy, yet you're here saying this overly negative stuff and pretty much making false assumptions about Smith's game prior to this bad start. Not sure how you think this guy is and has been a poor skater.

 

Girardi, Staal, among others.

 

None of what I said was false. Most has been backed by several people.

As for the skating, I dont care, we have different opinions. But his skating is a main reason why he's not in the lineup right now... so... whatever.

 

As for Holden, I do like parts of Holdens game, yup.

And you made this thread complaining about Smith sitting - and ironically, the team has been winning, and the defense has looked 100x better.

[josh]

Maybe THIS year this has been true to start, but the guy is a pretty good player man. He's a skater and a banger and can carry the puck pretty good as well as dish it. I feel he's waaaayyy better than you give him credit for. Easily a top 4 guy on most any team in the league.

 

borderline.

I just dont think people saw him play in Detroit, enough. Just highlights.

Theres a reason most Wings fans were pleased to see him go.

[The Dude]

Girardi, Staal, among others.

 

None of what I said was false. Most has been backed by several people.

As for the skating, I dont care, we have different opinions. But his skating is a main reason why he's not in the lineup right now... so... whatever.

 

As for Holden, I do like parts of Holdens game, yup.

And you made this thread complaining about Smith sitting - and ironically, the team has been winning, and the defense has looked 100x better.

 

I'm sorry I have seen zero to back up what you are saying about his game and skating. More people seem to agree that he's a very good skater.

 

They are winning, so there's that as a positive. I can't say the D has been 100 times better. Lundqvist has been better and the offense is clicking, but I'm not a fan of the defense.

 

I started the thread to gauge whether or not anyone agreed with me about this guy being wasted talent wise and especially cap wise. That's a big chunk of change sitting in the press box. Readers seem to agree. Ain't that right Larry Brooks (he had an article about it a day or two later.

 

Guess we can agree to disagree.

[-ERIK-]

We need Smith to find his game cause Kampfer and Holden aren't going to play as well as they have forever. Both have looked pretty good recently. And to think Staal has been decent too,only a matter of time so yeah it would be nice if Smith found his game.

[The Dude]

We need Smith to find his game cause Kampfer and Holden aren't going to play as well as they have forever. Both have looked pretty good recently. And to think Staal has been decent too,only a matter of time so yeah it would be nice if Smith found his game.

 

Hopefully Holden plays well enough to get some interest from other teams. He's not that bad. His cap hit is great. Just can't rely on him for a whole season. He held his own last season, until he fell apart late. He's fine offensively, except for his knack for passing across the front of his own net, but he's been shaky on the defense side. He's certainly serviceable as a bottom 4 guy. He's playing for a contract too.

[Respecttheblue]

AV's job was on the line. Therefore he can't allow a guy like Smith to "work through his struggles". He needed to win games, and did. Hopefully Smith gets back in because it's fucking insane to have him in the press box and Kampfer and Holden on the ice instead.

 

Exactly.

Not only AV's job was on the line, but the team was also on the verge of being in a position were they might have been mathematically highly unlikely to win at a percentage rate high enough to make the playoffs. Fortunately they dug out of that hole in the nick of time. But Smith playing through his struggles was not an option at that time.

 

I also hope he gets his chit together because —*based on last year's playoffs — he is exactly the kind of player the team will need to perform well during that later part of the season.

[Ozzy]

Exactly.

 

I also hope he gets his chit together because —*based on last year's playoffs — he is exactly the kind of player the team will need to perform well during that later part of the season.

 

I agree 100% with you. I actually like Smith and I think he's going to be a good player. A lot of folks think he was slower and "out of shape" coming back...fine...the guy's a playoff type player that's a necessity in the latter stages of the year when you need that grit to stand up a guy in front or clear the crease for Hank, when everyone's plugging away to tap in a tying goal at the end of regulation.

 

We've been there and done it; This guy is a must down the stretch and especially the playoffs in my mind. He's gotta get his shit together and get back out on the ice, otherwise we paid a whole lot for a whole lotta nothing!

[Future]

I agree 100% with you. I actually like Smith and I think he's going to be a good player. A lot of folks think he was slower and "out of shape" coming back...fine...the guy's a playoff type player that's a necessity in the latter stages of the year when you need that grit to stand up a guy in front or clear the crease for Hank, when everyone's plugging away to tap in a tying goal at the end of regulation.

 

We've been there and done it; This guy is a must down the stretch and especially the playoffs in my mind. He's gotta get his shit together and get back out on the ice, otherwise we paid a whole lot for a whole lotta nothing!

I agree with you, he's a good player and will be important to a playoff run.

 

But showing up for the season - after getting a new contract, especially - out of shape, is not "fine." He doesn't really deserve a pass. I think he deserves a shot to work through it and this is something you can get past, but weddings or not, there's no excuse to be in bad shape to start the year if there's no injury.

[Ozzy]

No doubt! That's a GM's worst nightmare. I'm with you Future. How long does it take for a guy to get back into shape though? The off season is only 4 months. He can't be too far gone! LOL

 

We're gonna need him though, like you said.

[josh]

I agree 100% with you. I actually like Smith and I think he's going to be a good player. A lot of folks think he was slower and "out of shape" coming back...fine...the guy's a playoff type player that's a necessity in the latter stages of the year when you need that grit to stand up a guy in front or clear the crease for Hank, when everyone's plugging away to tap in a tying goal at the end of regulation.

 

We've been there and done it; This guy is a must down the stretch and especially the playoffs in my mind. He's gotta get his shit together and get back out on the ice, otherwise we paid a whole lot for a whole lotta nothing!

 

I think most of us agree with this, as well. I even mentioned it in my 2nd post in this thread.

 

I think the discussion came from the op asking/wondering why Smith is not in the lineup... and then disliked and rejected the responses.

 

We all know hes not going to be out of the lineup forever, and we know Holden and Kampfer wont play this well, or stay in the lineup for the entire season. But sometimes those names trigger people.

 

I wasnt a big fan of the contract, but thats in the past. I was mostly worried about his consistency issues, especially when you only have 2 guys that are [usually] consistent, defensively. We need him to be the player we thought we signed. Hopefully hes working hard and can be an asset upon his return.