| 22 September 2010
Brendan Smith might not be suiting up for tonight's pre-season opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins, but he should be wearing the winged wheel soon enough. The 2007 first round draft choice of the Detroit Red Wings is making great strides in becoming an NHL-caliber defenseman. Here's what Mike Babcock told the Free Press:
"He's a confident, good player. He has the ability to be a game-breaker. Game-breakers have a tendency to want to break the game all the time. As you become a pro, you realize ... lots of shifts nothing happens and you wait for opportunity and then you take advantage. And then you don't get yourself into trouble because you're not forcing things."--Mike Babcock
Not one to be easily impressed - Babcock is basically reiterating the point that Smith needs to work on the defensive side of his game as he spends his first season in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins. Smith should do well with the Griffs, who should be be well worth the price of admission this season with guys like Smith playing alongside Tomas Tatar, Jan Mursak, and veteran Kirk Malbty (and hopefully Aaron Downey).
Smith cherishes his first experience at the Detroit Red Wings' Training Camp:
"It's been a great experience. Just the speed and the skill of the guys around here, and how everybody holds themselves. They're all professionals. Just watching them, taking some tips, I think that's been the biggest thing." --Brendan Smith
Now go learn you some defense, kid. Smith blasted a slap shot past Jimmy Howard in yesterday's Red vs White Game. We had long hope that Johnny Ericsson would be the one to be blasting slappers from the point on the PP of the future - but Smith is looking to be in every Detroit defenseman's rear view mirror.
