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Gold Smith Near Me - Feb. 26, 2024 – Vol. 77, Issue. 10 - Michael Traikos

The text arrived just after the preliminary round of the world juniors ended in early January. But the message it contained wasn’t really received until a couple of days later, when Will Smith found himself stapled to the bench in the semifinal.

By then, the U.S. was trailing Finland after one period. Smith and his linemates were each a minus-2, which explains why they had seen more of the bench than the ice. Something had to change. Someone had to take charge. “We knew our line had to step it up,” Smith said. “We were down 2-0, and it was do or die. We didn’t want to have any regrets. So we knew when we were out there, we had to make something happen.”

That’s when Smith remembered the message he had received from former NHLer Todd Marchant, who is now the San Jose Sharks’ director of player development. “This is the time when the best players become the best players,” it read. “Remember, there are two types of players: players who are good in the playoffs and players who are good in the regular season. When the chips are down, this is where you lead.”

It was nothing Smith hadn’t heard before. Heck, the 18-year-old had said as much when he met with Marchant and the rest of the Sharks management team months earlier when trying to convince the California club to select him in the draft. “I like the hype and pressure,” Smith said to Marchant at the time. “I want to be ‘The Guy.’”

And so, with his team on the ropes – and his tournament in jeopardy – Smith finally got off the bench and backed up his words. In the process, he showed why he’s one of the best players currently outside the NHL. “Obviously, we had some blowouts early on,” Smith said. “So, going into the medal round, we knew it was going to be higher competition. I remember getting a text from (Marchant) saying something like, ‘This is where we need that big-time player to show up and play well.’”

First, Smith assisted on a Jimmy Snuggerud power-play goal to make it 2-1. Moments later, he buried a Gabe Perreault pass from the side of the net to tie things up. That was all the momentum the Americans needed, and a late goal from Cutter Gauthier sent them to the final. “You could tell there was a message sent,” Marchant said. “For me, that was the moment where he said enough was enough. As a player-development guy, it’s nice to see those things, where a player recognizes he’s not playing his best. Instead of pointing fingers, he just went out and got the job done.”

Crisis averted. Not that there was much time to exhale. The next day, the Americans faced Sweden in the final, where Smith picked up a pair of assists in a 6-2 win that was closer than the final score indicated. “It’s pretty special,” said Smith a couple weeks after winning gold. “Looking back on it, I’m still kind of in awe when I watch the highlights and that final game with that many people in yellow. Winning that championship is something I’ll never forget.”

In a 2023 NHL draft where most of the focus was on No. 1 pick Connor Bedard, it’s easy to forget just how fortunate the Sharks were to land Smith with the fourth-overall selection. After all, despite being the first American chosen, it’s not like he was the only skilled forward out there.

40 Days Until Opening Day: The Sharks' History of Number 40 <b><i>*** Please Note - Due to tech issues on the site over the last 24 hours. This article was originally from Yesterday by William Espy (Aug 31). ****&nbsp;</i></b>

Adam Fantilli, who went third overall to Columbus, is already in the NHL. The same goes for Leo Carlsson, who went second to the Anaheim Ducks. And although Matvei Michkov dropped to seventh overall, that was more a product of the sniping right winger being born in Russia rather than Rimouski.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT WILL SMITH, THE HOCKEY SENSE STANDS OUT RIGHT AWAY. THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO TEACH – Sharks Director of Player Development Todd Marchant

As such, Smith flew somewhat under the radar. Although, if you didn’t know about the Boston native heading into the draft, you certainly did after he finished the world juniors with four goals and nine points in seven games. That was in addition to having a faceoff winning percentage (65 percent) that ranked second-best in the tournament – a fact Marchant said highlights a hockey IQ that goes beyond his offensive production. “We were very excited to pick him there,” Marchant said. “When you look at him, it’s the hockey sense that stands out right away. That’s an area that’s impossible to teach. When you have someone who can read the game and think two steps ahead and make the play, it’s something very special.

“Even with faceoffs, he understands if he loses the faceoff, then he may have to spend 20 seconds trying to get it back. For him, it’s wasted energy. A lot of young players don’t realize it’s important. Some people in analytics will tell you it’s not important. Well, that’s baloney. Why wouldn’t you want to start with the puck?”

The same thing may explain why Smith chose to go to Boston College. On the surface, it’s a straightforward decision for someone from Boston. But the driving factor behind the decision had more to do with chemistry than convenience.

Smith’s linemates at USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program were Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault. Together, they put up ridiculous numbers at ‘The Program,’ with Smith scoring 51 goals and 127 points in 60 games. When it came time to choose a college, they did it mostly together. “I was the last one of the three to commit,” Perreault said. “The first was Leonard, and then it was Will a little after. Those two guys were asking me every day.”

It turned out to be the right decision. While sharing the spotlight might mean each player gets credit for the other’s success, the benefit is Boston College has been a juggernaut and is a favorite to win the national championship. “I don’t even know how many career games we’ve had together,” Smith said. “But it’s definitely a lot.”

Eventually, they will have to go their separate ways. Leonard, selected eighth overall in 2023, is a Washington Capitals prospect. Perreault, meanwhile, went 23rd overall to the New York Rangers. “The talent and skill from Will is off the charts,” Perreault said. “You look at the consistency and the kind of plays he makes that a lot of other guys can’t. But also, I think it’s the brain he has to make those plays. And the finishing touch. He’s really special. He’s clearly a dynamic player.”

The familiarity between linemates helps a lot. It also helps that each player knows his role.

Leonard, who has a knack for getting under opponents’ skin, is the guy who grabs the puck from the corner. Perreault, who leads Boston College in assists, tends to be the playmaker. And Smith is the one who finishes. “You don’t have to think too much,” Perreault said. “We read off each other so well. We pretty much know where each other is going to be all the time. I remember one goal against (USHL) Youngstown, where he made a couple of nice plays and then dropped it back to me for an empty net. No one knew I was there. Except Will. He made such a nice pass that the goalie basically wasn’t in the net.”

That tends to happen a lot when the three of them are on the ice together. Maybe that’s why Boston College has been near the top of the standings for most of the year. And why Smith is already getting recognition as a Hobey Baker candidate. “You definitely don’t want to think too far ahead, but we definitely know what the goal is here,” Smith said. “You look up and you see all the banners and all the national championships that we have. That’s definitely the end goal.”

For the Sharks, the end goal is that Smith, Quentin Musty (26th overall in 2023), Filip Bystedt (27th in ’22) and William Eklund (seventh in ’21) form a future core to eventually challenge for a playoff spot and Stanley Cup.

But for Smith, the goal is more immediate: an NCAA national championship. And being ‘The Guy’ to get the job done. “You definitely think about your future and the team you get drafted to,” Smith said. “But honestly, right now, it’s all BC and all we’re thinking about now. This is why I came to college, to win here first. I’ll handle whatever comes next after school. We have a lot of momentum going into this trophy season. We just want to make sure we get the job done.”

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