Jared Crozier: What Can Zack Smith Do For An Encore?

I honestly think Smith is easily capable of a 20 goal season this year.

Up until last season, he was the most underrated player on the team. I always said this to anyone who would listen. The combination of untimely injuries and horrible line mates made him a diamond in the rough.

Seems like other teams realized this, because no matter how poorly he was playing, there always seemed to be 'interest' in Zach Smith.

Give him some decent (not even great, just decent) line mates for an entire year and he'll surprise us again.

he can pray he shoots 20+% again...and not his career avg 10%

he can pray he shoots 20+% again...and not his career avg 10%
- senstroll

What about the possibility of him getting more shots?

I love how people point to shooting % with players who have good seasons, then completely ignore the fact that they don't have to carry that percentage if they get more ice time with better players and more overall shots.

Here's a crazy, crazy fact: Players who have breakout seasons generally get more ice time with better players in the following season.

Two seasons ago, Smith got 13 goals with an 8.4%. That was playing with total garbage for line mates. Projecting a 20 goal season with better linemates is hardly a stretch.

If its Smith-Pageau-Lazar then prob not. Maybe ifthey wanted to spread the top 6 into 3 lines though.

CMac-Brassard-Ryan
Hoffman-Turris-Lazar
Smith-Pageau-Stone

Rotate 3 lines with even minutes depending which line is hot.

What about the possibility of him getting more shots?

I love how people point to shooting % with players who have good seasons, then completely ignore the fact that they don't have to carry that percentage if they get more ice time with better players and more overall shots.

Here's a crazy, crazy fact: Players who have breakout seasons generally get more ice time with better players in the following season.

Two seasons ago, Smith got 13 goals with an 8.4%. That was playing with total garbage for line mates. Projecting a 20 goal season with better linemates is hardly a stretch.
- Charliebox

I am not sure I am putting my money on a player coming off a career year at 28 getting significantly more shots.. but lets say he gets 170-180 shots..which is about 45-50% more than last season (huge jump).. his career avg before last season was about 8%

he has to shoot about 12% to get 20 goals
I dont see both happening

I like Smith, I think he is a solid NHLer and can play in multiple roles and has an awesome contract.

But I also think these are the reasons and because he is coming off a career year that he will more than likely never repeat. We should sell high on Smith. His stock will never be higher than it is right now. He could be used as part of a package deal or send him to a cup contending team who is willing to pay now to win a cup.

If its Smith-Pageau-Lazar then prob not. Maybe ifthey wanted to spread the top 6 into 3 lines though.

CMac-Brassard-Ryan
Hoffman-Turris-Lazar
Smith-Pageau-Stone

Rotate 3 lines with even minutes depending which line is hot.
- PaskySens

I really like the idea of spreading the line up like this, and maybe it could help Lazar
get better offensively. The big question mark is still CMac... Can he stay healthy throughout the year?! time will tell

I'm pretty high on the roster potential of this team right now to be honest, but if there's one guy who I think is gonna be kinda crummy, it's Smith.

His minutes came by default because of the injuries to MacArthur and Turris, so those will be down. His shooting percentage was almost certainly predicated completely on luck, so that'll be down. He spent a good portion of those minutes with two players who are high possession guys and great playmakers, and even if he does play at 3LW with Pageau, not having Stone on that wing is going to cause a dropoff.

I figure that Smith is probably good for anywhere between 7 and 11 goals this year, as long as the guys who play ahead of him in the lineup are relatively healthy.

What about the possibility of him getting more shots?

I love how people point to shooting % with players who have good seasons, then completely ignore the fact that they don't have to carry that percentage if they get more ice time with better players and more overall shots.

Here's a crazy, crazy fact: Players who have breakout seasons generally get more ice time with better players in the following season.

Two seasons ago, Smith got 13 goals with an 8.4%. That was playing with total garbage for line mates. Projecting a 20 goal season with better linemates is hardly a stretch.
- Charliebox

***Three seasons ago he got 13 with garbage for line mates. Two seasons ago he got two goals with garbage for line mates.

He's not a 20 goal guy any more than Bryan Bickell is a 20 goal guy. There's your comparable. He's a replacement level NHL player who gets minutes because the team lacks experience on their bottom lines. He's a place holder until someone from the farm is ready to step up and take that job, and I'd say that happens sometime this season.

***Three seasons ago he got 13 with garbage for line mates. Two seasons ago he got two goals with garbage for line mates.

He's not a 20 goal guy any more than Bryan Bickell is a 20 goal guy. There's your comparable. He's a replacement level NHL player who gets minutes because the team lacks experience on their bottom lines. He's a place holder until someone from the farm is ready to step up and take that job, and I'd say that happens sometime this season.
- the_terror

You do realize he has one season with 14 goals and one season with 13 goals before this year. All with garbage linemates. Up until last year, the guy never played more than a couple consecutive games with a line higher than the 4th.

The years that he struggled, he had injuries (to go along with his terrible linemates).

Its hardly a stretch to think this guy can score 20. If he can get 13 twice playing with Chris Neil and Colin freaking Greening.......

This whole shooting % stuff is a bit ridiculous as well. What type of quality shots are you going to get with scrubs? Our 4th line has generally thrown pucks at the net and hacked away (as most 4th lines do).

While maintaining a 20% is unrealistic, people have to realize that your shots are generally going to be of a higher quality when playing with a Mark Stone than with a Colin Greening. Smith had three or 4 'easy' goals last season, which he never got on the 4th.

I am not saying the guy is amazing, or even top 6 material, but I think its safe to say that he can be a quality 3rd line guy who is good for 15-20 goals a year.

As for being a 'placeholder', there are at least 3 or 4 other forwards who would lose their job to a rookie or prospect before Smith does. And I hate to break it to you, but there ain't much talent on the farm these days.

I am not sure I am putting my money on a player coming off a career year at 28 getting significantly more shots.. but lets say he gets 170-180 shots..which is about 45-50% more than last season (huge jump).. his career avg before last season was about 8%

he has to shoot about 12% to get 20 goals
I dont see both happening
- senstroll

Perhaps not, but he he still a valuable player in the organisation, a player that fits well and he will most likely reach 20 goals if he gets similar line mates as last season. The reason why is because the players on the team are all later in their development. You can't chastise a player for playing alongside Neil and Chiasson. Those two are horrible at puck possession, which is the number one thing you need to have a chance at scoring goals. The surprising factor with Smith is that his possession ability is actually up there with second liners across the league. That is the potential that other teams observed in him as well, which is why interest in him has always been higher than I could understand.

This article has a degree of difficulty of 0.1% and peeked Sens fans interest by about 0.01%.

Zach Smith article on his potential - if you've paid attention to this team you know exactly what he is. This is boring.

Can't wait for the Chris Neil analysis.

This article has a degree of difficulty of 0.1% and peeked Sens fans interest by about 0.01%.

Zach Smith article on his potential - if you've paid attention to this team you know exactly what he is. This is boring.

Can't wait for the Chris Neil analysis.
- tuna99

need a Snickers tuna ?????

I think Smith has found a linemate and home on that 3rd line. That will help him become a far better player ,I dont think 25 goals is realistic .But 14 to 20 isnt .Providing some grit and net front presense on the PP ,as well as some solid two way play 5 on 5 makes him an asset .If we can get him at a reasonable number i wouldnt mind us resigning him

he can pray he shoots 20+% again...and not his career avg 10%
- senstroll

BOOM!

BOOM!


- Aetherial

Meh Stone had a high shooting % too ,Smith is no star and will likely not get 25 again ever .But there is a reason for a high shooting % he scored his goals from 2 feet in front of the opposition,s goalie.And will likely be employed in the same fashion on a pp unit .As a net front guy ,i bet he scores 17

D-bag Leaf fans trolling again.... Weird.

***Three seasons ago he got 13 with garbage for line mates. Two seasons ago he got two goals with garbage for line mates.

He's not a 20 goal guy any more than Bryan Bickell is a 20 goal guy. There's your comparable. He's a replacement level NHL player who gets minutes because the team lacks experience on their bottom lines. He's a place holder until someone from the farm is ready to step up and take that job, and I'd say that happens sometime this season.
- the_terror

Dude, you're head is stuck in sand. In no way, do we consider him to be a full time second liner, but zack smith is an underrated player on an underrated team. He is strong, fast, has good puck possession. He doesn't have a good shot, but some of it is due to the ice opportunities that were created playing alongside neil and chiasson, some of the worst puck possession players in the entire NHL.

To compare him to bickell is just not fair. Bickell came in the leaguge and he immdiately had better linemates than smith.