Sharks Locker Room: Will Smith Has Statement Game

There’s the defense on John Beecher (19) trying to exit. Quick mind and feet and stick turn it over.

There’s the confidence on the give-and-go with Mikael Granlund (64). Smith’s bread and butter should be his confidence with the puck, but that’s flagged at times this season.

“I just kind of try to angle [John Beecher]. Coughed it up and had a little give-and-go with Granny and shot it on net and it went in,” he said.

On this shift, Smith looked every bit the part of a top-six NHL forward.

Will Smith’s play has been trending upward since he got benched on Jan. 13 against the Minnesota Wild. But it wasn’t just one play that caught my attention today, but many.

There was more defense that led to offense.

There were better catches of the puck as a winger, a recent sore spot for Will Smith.

There was assertive power play work, a Smith shot led to a Collin Graf Grade-A chance.

There were plays in traffic, including a couple centering passes for Fabian Zetterlund scoring chances.

Smith’s not a perfect player, of course, and as a 19-year-old, he’s sure to have more slumps this season. But remember, he’s just 19, and should be graded on a curve.

“Will had one of his better games of the year,” San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “Just looked more confident, more compete. Getting into pucks and bodies, looked more comfortable with the puck.”

Smith is developing, he is getting better. So he didn’t take the NHL by storm this season like 2023 No. 7 pick Matvei Michkov or 2024 first-overall (and teammate) Macklin Celebrini?

He’s just 19, and showed what he could be this afternoon — and that’s plenty special.

Ryan Warsofsky

Warsofsky, on the San Jose Sharks’ third period:

Just a young team that got scrambling, they put us on our heels, and we couldn’t relieve the pressure by making some plays. We got back to kind of flipping pucks to middle of the ice, and they just feed off that stuff. Talented players over there that are going to come in down and try to create offense, like they did tonight in the middle of the ice. If you put pucks to the middle of the ice softly, that’s what’s going to happen.

Warsofsky, on if this was one of Will Smith’s better games:

Absolutely.

Just looked more confident, more compete. Getting into pucks and bodies, looked more comfortable with the puck.

Warsofsky, on the Coyle game-winner and Yaroslav Askarov’s overall performance:

Yeah, I’m sure that’s one that he wants back, but he made some big saves. Him not playing here as of late, probably looked a little bit scrambly at times. He’s a kid that’s battling, he’s still pretty sick right now, so he battled through the game. I gotta give him a lot of credit for a young kid, to battle through that type of game is impressive.

Warsofsky, on if he should’ve instead started Askarov tomorrow, considering the goalie’s health:

No, no regrets at all.

Warsofsky, on Smith, Henry Thrun, and Collin Graf’s games:

I thought Will had one of his better games of the year, Henry did some solid things, moving in the right direction, some things that we need to do better in some different areas. And Graffer had a really good chance there [in the third period].

Warsofsky, on what coming home meant to him:

Yeah, a special moment, right? Same as those guys, you grew up here. It was fun. Special moment. Something I’ll remember, on the other side of it.

Will Smith

Smith, on the emotion tonight:

It was pretty amazing. I mean, I’ve come to plenty of games here, so it was a dream come true.

Smith, on his performance:

I wanted to be ready to go. Had a lot of people in the building, and this game is for all them too. Wouldn’t have been here without them.

Yeah, it was one of my better games. But you have to close it out and get the “W”.

Smith, on what happened to the San Jose Sharks in the third period:

They were kind of all over us. Honestly, think we’re just trying to survive instead of trying to win. So we have to get that out of our [system].

Smith, on what he saw on the Fabian Zetterlund goal:

That was a great kill, and they’re out there for the whole two minutes, so change and try to get to the D-zone and got stick on puck, and Zetts made an unbelievable play.

Smith, on his goal and if he heard the cheers afterwards:

I just kind of try to angle [John Beecher]. Coughed it up and had a little give-and-go with Granny and shot it on net and it went in.

Yeah, it’s pretty amazing. I mean, having all these family and friends here, it’s pretty special, and it’s good for all them, too.

Ty Dellandrea

Dellandrea, on how much the San Jose Sharks wanted to pull out this win for all the local ties:

Everybody, Will, Mack played here, Graffer, Hank, coach, a lot of guys. It’s tough, it’s disappointing, you want to get a win in this building for them.

Dellandrea, on Barclay Goodrow’s goal and his assist:

Just got the puck on the wall and had a couple guys come at me, dumped it in. Nico [Sturm], did all the work, won a race, won a battle, brought two guys to him, and gave it to Goody. So it’s a good play by them.

Dellandrea, on the Charlie Coyle game-tying goal and how hard it is to defend when you’re out there for a minute-plus:

Yeah, it’s tough. You’re trying to defend, you’re trying to find a time to swarm, stop the puck up, and get it going the other way. It’s disappointing. That’s the changing of momentum and kind of the start with what happened.