Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - What should the Penguins do with forward Reilly Smith?

Starting point is 00:00:00 It was a year of regression for one Riley Smith. Hunter and I are going to take a look back on his season right after this. Your Locked-on Penguins. Your daily podcast on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Part of the Locked-on Podcast Network. Your team every day. Hello and welcome back to another edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I'm one of your host, Patrick Damp.

Starting point is 00:00:29 You can follow me on Twitter at Synonym 4Wet, joined as always by the one and only Hunter Hodes. You can follow him on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. You can give our show's account a follow at L.O. underscore Penguins. And we thank you for making this your first listener watch of the day, because we're your team every day. We are free and available wherever you get your podcasts as well as YouTube. So let's get right into it, Hunter.

Starting point is 00:00:54 We are going to look back on the season that Riley Smith had this season. It was one that we thought was going to be a promising one after he had a very, very solid season in 22, 23 coming off a Stanley Cup win with the Vegas Golden Knights, where in the regular season in 78 games, he scored 26 goals and 30 assists for 56 points. But as the Vegas Golden Knights are apt to do, they completely blow up their cap during the season. All of the traditional wisdom be damned. and then they take the off season to clean it up and get themselves right back into position to become cap compliant, which often means there are casualties off of their roster. This past summer, that casualty was in fact Riley Smith. He was acquired simply for a third round pick. He was brought to the Penguins with a lot of promise because he was a pretty big driver in their run to the Stanley Cup in 2023.

Starting point is 00:01:54 While his numbers don't jump off the page, he was very solid. solid in that run, four goals, 10 assists, 14 points in 22 games with the Golden Knights. But then he comes to Pittsburgh and he has a pretty hot start. He looked like he had a lot of chemistry with Evgeny Malkin. The two of them absolutely rocketed out of the gate coming together and combining for quite a few goals in quite a few really good efforts. But then he dipped down the rest of the season and never really seemed to be able to figure it out. Overall this year, he played 76 games, 13 goals, 27 assists for 40 points. But the biggest thing for

Starting point is 00:02:37 me, and we talked about this before we hit record, his biggest problem this year amongst what were a ton of them, let's be honest, but his shooting percentage greatly regressed this year. In 22, 23 with the Vegas Golden Knights, he had a 14.4 shooting percentage this year. worst of his career at 8.6. So really a deep, deep regression because not only did that shooting percentage regress that far, he also had a drop off of 16 points in total, had 56 in his last season with Vegas, and then just 40 this year. So Hunter, your thoughts on Riley Smith's year with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Starting point is 00:03:21 The Penguins quite literally got Riley Smith's worst season of his career. The only other season that really comes to mind for how bad he was was 2014-15, when in 81 games with the Bruins, he had 13 goals, 40 points. So the same exact point output this season, but it was basically about a decade ago. And you're right, shot 8.6% this year. And yes, people, I am a little bit under the weather. I am battling a cold. So if my voice is a bit raspy or whatever, that's why I'm getting over a cold these last

Starting point is 00:03:56 couple of days, but hey, there's no days off here in this business. But I was so excited for this player to come to the penguin, just because I really felt like he was going to help their offense off the rush. I thought he was going to be a great fit for Evoking Malkin. At the start, it was looking like James Neal, and we said that on the show at the start of the season. It looked like that's what this was going to become throughout the season. Then he just tailed off after the first month. I mean, I was someone who predicted him to score 20, 25, 30 goals this year. I thought He was a perfect Jason Zucker replacement. You paid a third round pick to get him.

Starting point is 00:04:29 I would still make that trade every single day. The cost to acquire really doesn't matter. It's just unfortunate that they didn't get the level of play that they thought they were getting from Ms. Smith, or especially the level that I thought they were going to get from Riley Smith. I mean, his underlings were, I guess, fine this year. When he was on the ice, about 1,000 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time, 51-half shot attempts, 42 goals for, 37 goals against.

Starting point is 00:04:54 484 scoring chances for 4-37 against for about almost 53% and then high danger chances, almost 55% of those for Smith when he was on the ice. So again, his underlines were fine. He just really couldn't translate those fine underlines into better results for the season. And I really hate saying this on the show, but it looked like for a lot of games this season,

Starting point is 00:05:18 it just looked like he didn't want to be with the penguins. Just looking at how he was playing, it looked like he would have rather been with Vegas or a different contending team. And I understand the Penguins were really not that good this year. But when I watched him compared to other players, it just didn't seem like he fully was bought in with the Penguins. I'm trying to be careful with how I say it to because I'm sure he obviously cares. Every player on this team cares. Every player in the NHL cares.

Starting point is 00:05:45 But it just looked like he would have rather been on a different team this year compared to the Penguins. You know, that's just how I see it. at least. And it just ended up being a disaster of a season for him. It didn't matter what line he was on, whether it was Malkins line or even the third line. He did have a few decent games with the third line, the ESP line, Eller with Smith and Pustin. But heading into next season, this is a player that I think you got to try and trade at the draft. If you can get out of that entire contract for the final year, that entire $5 million salary, I think you do it. I'm sure there's a going to be at least one or two teams that will come calling, be like, okay, maybe we can get a

Starting point is 00:06:27 bounce back year out of him per se. But this is a player that, again, if you can move on just because the experiment didn't work, I think you do it. You do it. Just a really miserable year for him overall. Yeah, it was definitely putting it mildly a disappointing year for Riley Smith, especially considering how well he played with Vegas in his last season. And honestly, how he started with the Penguins. It looked like, you know, I said it on the show. The Eric Carlson trade was going to get all the headlines, but the Riley Smith trade, early returns, made it look like that was going to be the better one of the offseason moves.

Starting point is 00:07:04 And he's got one more year left at $5 million going into next year. And to your point about him kind of looking like he wasn't fully bought in, maybe not the happiest player, it's understandable. He was one of the original golden misfits. He was one of the guys who was taken in the expansion draft when Vegas came into the league. And he really carved out a niche there. He really was one of their main guys. And unfortunately, with the way Vegas operates, that's the cost of doing business with them.

Starting point is 00:07:37 You are very expendable when you play for the Vegas Golden Knights because they fully go for it every single season. And we have seen it throughout their entire existence. They are not afraid to move on from guys no matter how popular, no matter how productive they are, because they want to get better in the immediate and constantly be among the NHL's best. But I also do think if you can trade him this summer, you do it just to get that $5 million off of your books. I keep saying it, one of the most valuable assets in the modern NHL is cap space. But then you look at kind of his career trajectory, the way he, been his entire career, he has pretty much two really good seasons and then he falls back.

Starting point is 00:08:26 And then he has two really good seasons and then he falls back because you look at 2018, 2019, 53 points, 2019, 20, prior to the pandemic, 54 points. And then 2020, 21, the shortened season, 25 points. And then 21, 22, 38 points. Now, the 21-22 season was hampered a little bit by injury, only played 56 games, but then the next season, the Stanley Cup winning year, 56 points, and then he falls back to 40 this year. So friends indicate that he may not bounce back next year. You also add in the fact, going to be another year older. And a lot of miles on his body, because we have seen Vegas went on a lot of runs with him at the helm.

Starting point is 00:09:14 So it's a really, really difficult decision to make. But if I'm Kyle Dubus at the NHL draft, which it's going to be funny this year. It's our first decentralized draft where not everybody's going to be in the building. They're going to have it. You know, it's going to be like the NFL draft where everybody's got their war room. Everybody's hanging out at their own facility. But you figure Kyle Dubis is going to be working the phones to get some kind of return for Riley Smith, who you figure with a lot of teams out of it now, a lot of teams trying to take the next

Starting point is 00:09:44 step, he could be an enticing piece to offer to those teams. Especially, I think, to teams in the Western Conference, I think he's just a better fit for some teams over there anyway. For example, a team I keep going back to is Los Angeles Kings. I think that's a team that still needs some more scoring in their lineup. If they can get the level of Riley Smith that they saw the year before this one, I think that would make sense for them. And if the Penguins can get some sort of draft capital back, that would be big.

Starting point is 00:10:11 And the Penguins, if they're able to get out of that entire $5 million cap hit, they'll be able to get not even just one player for that cap. They can maybe get two players to come in that can replace this production. That adds you getting closer to $20 million of cap space. It doesn't get you all the way there, but it gets you closer to how much cap space you had heading into last season. So yeah, I agree. If you can find a taker or two for him at the draft,

Starting point is 00:10:38 you do it every time and you look to replace him via means of other players for his production. For sure. And I briefly mentioned it around the trade deadline. For some reason, general managers will be a little less scared to take him on with just one year left rather than a few months and another year, even though that really doesn't make that much of a difference in the whole.

Starting point is 00:10:58 But we will see what happens with Riley Smith this awesome. And McHath was going up soon, people. So that's going to make it, I think, more enticing for more GMs. But that'll do it for the Riley Smith season and review portion of show when we come back well hockey is completely finished in the penguins organization as their eCHL affiliate the wheeling nailers were swept over the weekend they are out of the kelly cup playoffs we will talk about that game as well as their series and what to look for moving forward but before we do that we have to tell you about our first sponsor and that is policy genius life

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Starting point is 00:12:44 Head to PolicyGenius.com slash Locked on NHL or click the link in the description to get your free insurance quotes and see how much you could save. That's PolicyGenius.com slash locked on NHL. All right, we're back here on the Monday edition of the Locked on Penguins podcast. I'm Patrick Damp, joined as always by Hunter Hodes. And well, hockey is officially over. for the Penguins organization. As over the weekend, the Wheeling Nailers lost their second round series to the Toledo

Starting point is 00:13:16 Walleye in an absolute heartbreaker in game four, completing the sweep for Toledo, a three-two overtime loss for the Nailers, and it was not for lack of trying. That said, I again have to reference Rod Brindamore last year after the hurricanes were swept. He was clown for saying it, but he was correct in saying that, Yes, it was a 4-0 sweep, but it doesn't tell the whole story. This was a very tightly contested series between the nailers and the walleye, with two of the four games going to overtime. And pretty much this was a tight series,

Starting point is 00:13:54 and the coin flip all four times went to Leo's way. Right. I hate going towards that Rod Rindamore quote as well, but this was a very close series. I mean, two 50-50 coin flips and overtime, Wheeling loses them both. And then even in the other two games that they lost, I still felt like Wheeling played fine.

Starting point is 00:14:13 They just, A, didn't get the goaltending, and B, didn't get the scoring to keep up with Toledo as much. You know, in this game, in game four, you had the big gun show up. I mean, Hamillick had a really good game for Wheeling. Justin Adama was really good. Jordan Martell, Justin Lee. The big guns that you want to show up, they showed up.

Starting point is 00:14:31 And even Taylor Godier, you know, the ECHL goalie of the year, he made his playoff debut was really good for Wheeling, but the rest of the team just wasn't fully able to help out and extend this series to game 5 in Wheeling. It really stinks because had Gaudi A been healthy for this series, I would have been curious to see if it would still be a sweep or if it would maybe be 3-1 Toledo right now. But that just goes to show how important he was for Wheeling

Starting point is 00:15:01 throughout this season. And it stinks that he couldn't play until game. four of the series. They really missed him in the first three games. Yeah, that was a huge loss for the nailers because Gautier had been an absolute rock for them. He was a huge contributor to that team's success throughout the year. Like you said, wins the ECHL Goaltender of the Year award for having such an outstanding season. And you lose that. It's really difficult to come back from because even more so than in the National Hockey League, you go two levels down into the ECHL and you lose a starting caliber goaltender, one that has not only been starter

Starting point is 00:15:42 caliber, but been one of the best in the league. That really hampers your quality of goaltending at that level. So that can, as we now see with the nailers out on a four-0 sweep, really can sweep or switch the balance of power in a series. So that was a tough loss for them. And that said, you got a figure with Gautier still under contract for one year in the Penguins organization. He is going to probably make the jump next year and become one of, if not, Wokesbury's starter. It's going to be close.

Starting point is 00:16:18 I mean, it all depends on what happens with the main team, the Penguins, just because if they go out there and get another NHL goalie to Perichari or they maybe go, you know, Trajus Rajari, maybe re-sign and Delkevich bringing another goalie, that's the last Blumquist as Wilkesbury's starter and then you got to figure out the backup situation over there. But if Blumquist does get promoted to the main team, then there is an opening there and I could see Gautier taking full advantage of that and becoming Wilkesbury Star. It's going to be a competition if Blumquist does come up to the NHL and it's one that Gautier, he'll have a pretty decent chance of winning because, again, you look at his stats for this year.

Starting point is 00:16:59 he led to ECHL, Goetia, that is, 923% percentage. He had four shotouts. He also had a 2.23 goals against average, 24 wins. Yes, I know wins is a team staff, but I figure I would throw that in there overall. But he was tremendous against the level of competition. And if he does get the starting non in Wilkesbury for next year, I think he's going to be ready for it.

Starting point is 00:17:20 For sure. And you talk about all those numbers. It continues a through line of what we've been talking about, about some of the younger players and prospects in the penguin system, you put up numbers like that in the ECHL. It kind of shows as a goaltender that you're ready for the next level, that you've done everything that you can do at that level. It's kind of the same deal with Joel Blumquist.

Starting point is 00:17:45 You look at how well he played for Wilkes-Barre this year, how good he was. Maybe it's time for him to move up to the next level and take that next step in his development. And this is a process where it sucks for Wheeling fans because, like you guys know, I worked there for a few seasons. It's really tough to convey to people that,

Starting point is 00:18:10 because the fans there are passionate, the fans there care. But you have to remind them that they are a developmental team. They are there to help feed Wilkes-Bair, and Wilkes-Bare is there to help feed Pittsburgh. So as much as you want to hold on to these guys who are great, for you and help you win. Their ultimate goal is to get to that next level. And for Gotea, after a season like this, it's probably time for him to go to the American League. Right. I think so at

Starting point is 00:18:37 this point. And whether he gets the starting gig remains to be seen. But after that type of season, I concur with you. I really don't think he has anything, I guess, left to learn down there. It's kind of similar to how we talked about Houston last week for our episode on Friday, right, Pat, with how he played for the most part at the NH level, there's really nothing else he needs to learn down in Wilkesbury. And now you can say the same for Goethe. I know different position, but it's probably time for him to make that leap. And whether he gets the start in Wilkeshire, that remains to be seen. Yeah, for sure.

Starting point is 00:19:09 And, you know, like we said, tough, tough loss for Wheeling. They put up great efforts in all four games, but between not having Goetia until game four. and then obviously special teams played a huge factor in this series. Wheeling was unable to kill the penalties they needed to kill, which ended up playing a huge factor in a four-game sweep. So you hate to see it for the nailers. We were really pulling for them to get to the third round. But unfortunately, their season comes to an end at the hands of the Toledo walleye

Starting point is 00:19:45 in a four-game sweep. But that is going to do it for this second segment. When we come back, we are going to check in on all the penguins playing at the I-IHF World Championships, and quite a few of them are making quite a bit of a difference. But before we do that, we're going to tell you about our next sponsor, and that is eBay Motors. Passion Drive and Patience, the formula for winning championships, is also what keeps your ride or die alive.

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Starting point is 00:21:01 edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I'm Patrick Damp. That's Hunter Hodes. And let's take a look over the pond and see how some of our boys are doing at the World Championships. And got to say, they may not be at the top of the statistical standings, but Penguins at the World championships are making a difference in God, I hate talking about it because I'd rather be talking about the Stanley Cup playoffs, but we're hockey fans. We'll talk about it anyway. Let's start with one of the most polarizing penguins on the roster, and that's Eric Carlson. He's having a very solid tournament so far. Two goals, one assist, all three points came in a 5-1 win over Poland, and he looked like Eric Carlson again. One of the goals related out to me, and it was

Starting point is 00:21:48 when Victor Hedman was basically going one on three against three Poland players, and he dishes it to Carlson who fires a one-timer in the back of the net. And you know, you know where that came on? The power play. Hmm. Yeah. So I guess the fix for the Penguins power play is larger ice, international sized ice. Victor Hedman, who, you know, I think he's pretty easy to get, right?

Starting point is 00:22:10 It shouldn't be hard to find him on the trade market. I don't think they'd have to really give anything up for that. Oh, and you have to play the Polish national team pretty much. as many games as you can. And I think they're ready for NHL promotion, right? Yeah, totally. And I think we can just maybe have one of the penguin players go one on three every time on the power play,

Starting point is 00:22:29 whether it's Cindy Crosby, of Gennie Malkin, or Crystal Tanging, and then dish it to Carlson along the half wall. And then he can just fire a one-timer. That's easy, right? Even if it's against Igor Shasturkin, Andre Vasselowski, whatever. But no, in all seriousness, that was a really nice shot by Carlson. And I do want to see more of that on the penguins, for next season.

Starting point is 00:22:49 Michael Bunting has also been great, the World Championship so far. Did you see the goal that he scored, by the way? That is probably the far, the furthest out I've ever seen him score a goal for as long as I've been watching him. It came from, look like 30, 35 feet out, and that's a goal that cannot go in, by the way.

Starting point is 00:23:06 I will say, though, I didn't see which Canadian player it was in front, but it was a good net front battle. Yes. Between the Great Britain defenseman and the Canadian player, Because, yeah, that's a goal that can't go in, but there was definitely some vision obstruction there on Bunting's goal. So he saw an opportunity with a net front scramble to get the puck at the net and score a goal.

Starting point is 00:23:29 So kudos to him for recognizing that. The other thing is he has a couple assists at the world championships, all of which have come on goals scored by Connor Baderd. So we have to ask the question. Does Connor Bidard want to come to the Pittsburgh Penguins and play with Michael Bunting? We have to ask the question. Hey man, I mean, here's my column on that, right? I mean, we can just trade the whole farm system and just everyone on the team to get Connor Bader. Right.

Starting point is 00:23:53 But now, that would be obviously be hilarious, but now that's not going to happen. But it's nice seeing him and Baderd play really well together. Apologies about my dog barking downstairs for some reason. I guess he's just excited about it. But yeah, he's been great. And then finally, Pat Poyarvey, did you see the deflection that he had on that goal? That's something I really want to see him work on for next season. get into the net a bit more working on those deflections because I think he can become a really

Starting point is 00:24:19 sound player for the penguins just in a bit of a better way I think for next year. That was a really nice deflection by him. Yeah. And I definitely want to see more of that from him. We talked about it on the show before him playing that kind of straightforward in-your-face, crash-and-bang kind of game, get to the front of the net similar to Michael Bunting. We would like to see that kind of game from him. and to add one more thing on Michael Bunting,

Starting point is 00:24:46 it again shows what we've been saying about him, that he has the ability to play with top end talent, and that's the kind of guy that the penguins need, a more affordable kind of honest, straightforward player who mesh as well with one of Malkiner Crosby. And one last thing on Penguins at the World Championships, not the best of news. As we record this around 11 a.m. on Monday morning,

Starting point is 00:25:10 the U.S. is playing Slovakia right now, and they are trailing two to nothing and in net for Team USA, unfortunately, is Alex Nadelkovich. Poor Ned, man. I mean, yeah, they're down to nothing at the end of the first period. That's right now at about 11 a.m. of recording, as Pat said. So hopefully Team USA can get it back, but definitely not the best first period for Ned overall starting in this game. And, you know, real quickly for the Stanley Cup playoffs, you know, great to see Carolina still fighting against the Rangers, though I still think that series is probably over.

Starting point is 00:25:41 I think we're going for a Panthers Rangers Eastern Conference final. I know the Rangers are giving off team of Destiny vibes, but I'm still going to take the Panthers, I think, to win that series. If we get it just because I think when the Panthers are humming, I don't think there's a team in the East that can beat them four out of seven times. And then the Vancouver Canucks, they get out shot 44, 18, but Arthur Sheelovs makes 41 saves and is able to stop the Oilers. The Canucks go up two games to one.

Starting point is 00:26:06 That was an awesome game to watch. And then Dallas, Colorado, once again, just an incredible game three. This is very much Alabama, Georgia, in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and I am having a blast watching that series for really fun series. So far, I mean, the Rangers Hurricanes one isn't,

Starting point is 00:26:22 I guess, as fun as some of the others, but these are still better, I think, compared to the first round. Yeah, Carolina will fight to stay alive tonight against the New York Rangers at 7 o'clock. I would love to see them extend that series for no other reason. Well, obviously, we want them to make

Starting point is 00:26:40 Stanley Cup final so we can get the first round pick, but I'd take that, but I digress. But I would like to see the Rangers have to get a little bit more of a chunk taken out of them before they go on and more than likely take on the Florida Panthers. So we will see. But that is going to do it for us on the Monday edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. Thank you as always for tuning in. Hunter and I will be back on Tuesday to do some more season and reviews. We'll also do a little bit more of a recap of the Penguins at the World Champion.

Starting point is 00:27:10 and whatever else the news gods bring our way. But for Hunter Hodes, I am Patrick Dam. Thank you as always for tuning in. And we will be back on Tuesday.

Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - What should the Penguins do with forward Reilly Smith?

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