#HotTake: Will Smith should stay at Boston College

With Boston College losing in the NCAA Championship game, the season is over with for the Eagles. That means it’s time for top Sharks prospect Will Smith and Sharks management to make a decision. Does Smith leave college and join the Sharks, or would it be best for him to stay another year at Boston College before he jumps to the NHL?

Maybe this isn’t the popular opinion, but the Sharks should seriously think about leaving Smith at Boston College for another season.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m incredibly excited that the Sharks drafted Smith, and I have a lot of confidence that he’ll become a key piece for the Sharks moving forward. However, staying at BC is likely the best plan for his development.

Smith played well in the championship game and he was one of the more impactful players on the ice. He was named to the Frozen Four All-Tournament team over teammate Cutter Gauthier. That said, there was some play in the tournament that made it clear that he needs more work against strong defensive teams. Look at what happened when he was faced with Quinnipiac’s 1-3-1 set up. It was difficult for Smith to find the wide open ice he likes to work with. He tried to force plays through a clogged neutral zone. Against more defensively sound teams, it was clear that Smith still has some skills to develop and the college level is a more forgiving place for him to do it.

College hockey has become a credible pipeline to the NHL

Let’s start by pointing out that college hockey is no longer where undrafted players go when they can’t find a team to draft them. Today, college hockey is very competitive and is often an acceptable option for players who choose not to go the major-junior route. It’s very common for American players, especially, to play college hockey.

Many college programs have started consistently developing strong NHL players. Adam Fantilli, for example, was drafted just ahead of Smith in 2023 and played one season at the University of Michigan before he joined the Columbus Blue Jackets. Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar played at the University of Massachusetts Amherst alongside the Sharks’ Mario Ferraro. Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck spent two seasons at the University of Massachusetts Lowell before he moved on.

There is plenty of competition at the college level, and Smith will not lack strong opponents next season.

Boston College’s coach has a solid resume

The fact that Smith plays at Boston College, is an asset in this case, at least when it comes to directly transitioning to the Sharks. Boston College’s Men’s Hockey Head Coach, Greg Brown, is not only a great coach — he was recently named Coach of the Year — but he also has a strong connection to members of the Sharks management. He served as assistant coach to David Quinn from 2018 to 2021 when Quinn was the head coach of the New York Rangers.

That means that not only is Brown familiar with what it takes to play in the NHL, but he is also familiar with Quinn’s coaching style. The lines of communication between him and Quinn are likely still open. Brown will shape Smith into the player that Quinn and General Manager Mike Grier want him to be.

For Sharks fans, that’s good news. The transition from college to the Sharks’ style of play should be easier. He’ll be ready to jump to San Jose when the team does decide to call him up.

Smith as a number one center

It’s hard to believe, but the fourth overall pick in the 2023 draft was not the top center on Boston College’s team. That honor went to the fifth overall pick from 2022, Cutter Gauthier. Another season in Boston will allow Smith to prove that he can take over the role of number one center. Sure, it’s not the NHL, but it’s still a challenge that Smith has yet to accomplish.

As the number one center, Smith would be challenged with the top lines, the top defensive units and the top players in the faceoff circle.

It would be a good challenge for him as he develops into a stronger player, plus it will help him learn in a lower-pressure environment than the NHL.

What can Smith do away from Perreault and Leonard?

Sticking around may also see what Smith can do away from his linemates Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard. There is no denying that the trio has chemistry. While much of that has to do with skill, there’s also a familiarity there and a perfect fit of skills that you often don’t find.

This summer, the band may break up. Perreault, Leonard or both could be called up to their respective clubs. In fact, Leonard could be called up for the postseason if the Washington Capitals make it.

A season of watching how Smith adapts to playing without one or both of his familiar linemates could also help in his development as a player.

Gauthier, Wright could serve as case studies for Smith

Leaving a player back in college for a second season doesn’t always have to be seen as a failure on the part of the player or his development. It does not mean that the player was drafted too high. In some cases, it just means the player needs some more time before he is ready for professional hockey.

Take, for instance, Smith’s teammate Gauthier. While the reason Guathier stayed with the Eagles had more to do with his drafting team or his personal preference than need, there’s no denying that his game benefited.

Gauthier improved on his stats in almost every key category. He went from 35 points (15 G, 20 A) in 30 games last season to 65 points (38 G, 27 A) in 41 games this season. He increased the number of shots per game he took and his shooting percentage. It went from 11.7% in 2022-23 to 17.9% in 2023-24. Gauthier had ten game-winning goals this season compared to zero last season.

2022 fourth-overall pick Shane Wright might be another good example of what another year of seasoning can do for a player. Wright tried to play at the NHL level in his first season post-draft and the Seattle Kraken decided that he needed more time in the lower levels. While Wright’s path was a little different, he was sent down to the OHL that first season where he played until he could be called up to the AHL.

Wright spent most of this season in the AHL, aside from a few call-ups to the Kraken. However, in his most recent return to the NHL, Wright has done better. As of Saturday morning, he has five points in five games. Even in the Kraken’s loss to the Sharks on Thursday, Hockey Stat Cards shows Wright was one of the better players on the ice, adding not only to the offense but also the defense.

#NHL GameScore Impact Card for Seattle Kraken on 2024-04-11:#SeaKraken pic.twitter.com/PYgfwBtE2J

— HockeyStatCards (@hockeystatcards) April 12, 2024

While there’s no guarantee that Smith will turn out like Wright or Gauthier, there’s no doubt that both Wright and Gauthier benefited from a slower approach to their development.

Conclusion

Ultimately, it won’t hurt the Sharks or Smith either way. If the Sharks bring Smith to the NHL next season, he will likely be fine. He seems to have a high enough hockey IQ and skill set that he’ll be able to adapt, though it might take longer than if he waited another season.

At the same time, leaving him down in the NCAA for another season won’t hurt him either. There’s plenty for him to work on, and doing it at a lower level might give him the ability to recover from his mistakes easier.

Plus, and this is simply a selfish thought, if Smith waits a season and the Sharks get the team’s top pick this draft, could it mean back-to-back Calder Trophy nominees for the Sharks? I’m just saying.