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San Jose Sharks Rookie Faces Further Developmental Struggles

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Will Smith struggle

Once again, the San Jose Sharks have found themselves on the losing end of games. Coming into the second half of the season, they had been hopeful after acquiring two back-to-back wins. This quickly changed and they are now 2-3-0 in 2025. On top of not being able to come out on top during games, one of their top rookies has now found himself lacking confidence on the ice. 

Will Smith, the 19-year-old, was the Sharks fourth pick of the 2023 NHL Draft. This season, Smith struggled during games to acquire points and find where he fits best with the team. He spent most of his hockey career playing at centre and is now playing as a winger. This can cause the young rookie to have a delay in progress as he is now adapting to a new position. 

Will Smith Finds His Groove, Only to Fall Back into Struggles in the New Year

Smith had seemed to overcome his lack of confidence early in the season and seemed to turn around his luck. After eight games with no points, he finally was able to score 11 points in a 14-game run. He now has 14 points in 37 games played this season. He has six goals and eight assists with a 14:13 average ice time per game. 

Coach Benches Smith Halfway Through Game

On January 11th, when the Sharks faced off with the Minnesota Wild, Smith was benched at the end of the second period. The young winger had played in 12 shifts on the ice, 9:15 of ice time, one shot on net and ended up giving the puck up twice. 

Warsofsky mentioned in the post-game interview that Smith was benched not solely based on one play. He went on to talk about how they would discuss the mistake or where the mistake was. If it continues to happen, then that will be what gets the player benched. For Smith, he was given a few chances before he had to be pulled.

The rookie seemed to be in a rush which cost him and the Sharks. At the blue line, the winger had a turnover that led to Minnesota being able to score. Smith is still going through a development period. Playing in the NHL is more intense than when he played at Boston College. He has been used to racking up points in every game, however, he’s struggling to find any points in the NHL. 

Developmental Work Needed to Gain Confidence Back

The Sharks understand that the young forward is going through some developmental period. Their confidence in Smith has not wavered even during his struggles. He has made some great plays regardless of not being able to play at his best. 

Head Coach Ryan Warsofsky understands that Smith is not going to play every game at his maximum potential. Especially when facing players like Jacob Middleton and Nick Foligno. 

“We’ve seen some major strides from him since training camp, and we expect him to continue to get better and better. And I think the player you see now will be completely different by the time you see this player at game 82.” Ryan Warsofsky Head Coach.

With a team like the San Jose Sharks, who have a fairly young roster. Their understanding that each player is going to hit a slump and not be at their best is a positive aspect. The understanding that a player needs further development should allow the team to work together to get through this area of struggle as a whole.

Looking At What Lies Ahead

Compared to the game the Sharks played against the Utah Hockey Club, the team seemed to be playing more aggressively. Regardless of the 3-1 loss against the Wild, the team played a better game than their last two losses.

The Sharks are moving forward, finding a break on Sunday before they find themselves flying to the East Coast. They start their five-game road trip facing off with the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, January 14th.

Main Photo Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The post San Jose Sharks Rookie Faces Further Developmental Struggles appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.