GDB 20: Smid wings it
Jason Gregor
November 20 2008 12:04PM
You will see another new wrinkle tonight for the Oilers. For the first time in his NHL career, Ladislav Smid will suit up on offence. He will play with Brodziak and Pouliot on the fourth line.
Smid always plays with emotion. Does he make the right decision all of the time? No. But his effort is always there. His robust style is what the Oilers need on their fourth line, and Smid is a good enough skater that in theory he should be able to be effective on the forecheck.
But the other areas of the job will be difficult for him. I sat down with Smid after he fielded questions from the largest scrum of reporters he had seen in his young career.
Gregor: Sniper Smid, is that your name now that you are a forward? Smid: Yeah, pretty much... the guys will have to get used to the new name. Gregor: Do you remember the last time you scored a goal? Smid: No... Ahhh no... Well, well. No, it’s been too long. (Laughs) Gregor: Do you remember the last time you played forward? Smid: Third grade. I was about seven. That’s pretty impressive, eh! Gregor: Were you centre or winger? Smid: I was centre, top goal scorer on my team actually. Then they put me on defence, because my Dad played defence for the Czech Republic national team. Maybe if I was still a centreman, I would be a top scorer. You never know. (Laughs again). Gregor: You seem excited, but what is going to be the biggest challenge? Smid: I am excited, but still I’m very nervous like usual. Defensively there are lots of new things. I’m used to being in the corners and in front of the net. Now I have to cover their D, and they are the best in the league, so it will be different, but I have to deal with it and hopefully I will do well. Gregor: Your coach talked about players to compete every shift. You have shown that willingness as a D-man. Is your plan to just dump and chase and hopefully dish out some hits? Smid: Yes, that’s the idea that MacT had. I have to pressure their D and see what happens. Gregor: Did you practice tipping pucks or deflecting pucks in practice today? Smid: I’m really bad at that. I’m just going to stand in front of the net and hope it goes in. I don’t know how guys do it. It is a miracle to me if I can tip it. If it happens it is a miracle.
You have to like Smid’s honesty. You couldn’t wipe the smile off his face today. He just wants to play. He was asked if he thought about saying no to the idea when MacTavish approached him, “Are you crazy? This is the NHL, I just want to play.”
Later on when everyone was gone, Smid admitted to me that Detroit might not be the best team to get used to playing forward against. They are the best in the league and it will be a challenge.
Then I asked him, “When you go out, do you try and talk to the best looking girl or just an average one? Testing yourself against the best is always more rewarding.” He laughed in agreement. “That is very true. Hopefully I don’t get shot down tonight.”
Smid is one of the funnier guys to talk with. He doesn’t shy away from most questions, and he seems like he really enjoys being in the NHL. It will be interesting to see if he still enjoys it after going up against Lidstrom, Rafalski and the rest of the Detroit D tonight.
—Listen to Gregor weekdays from 3 to 6pm on TEAM 1260 or online at www.justagame.ca.
Is that Adam Sandler sitting behind the Red Wings bench???
If Smid is the monster of the game we have real problems
Let's get our solid PP ready.
I predict a clinic in Penalty Killing by the Wings
Buck, you are just noe realizing we have problems?
Those end boards are getting a lot of players hurt. LETS CRACK DOWN ON THE END BOARDS!
I am the eternal optimist. I am coming to grips now
Nice looking PP, something to build on.
Beauty pass by Nilsson. Mediocre finish by Broadz.
I love the new NHL
Gene to Pete Peeters:
We'll get to the bottom of this 3 goalie thing now...
As I suspected, 30 seconds of filler & no answers
Hello? Hello? I'm here about the gangbang and the 2-0 hockey game?
NOOOOO
Get Garon in 3 shots? - 2 Goals
Soooo... I guess we're playing golf again tonight? Lowest score wins?
I wonder how many cable boxes are going to get tossed out the window tonight by people that paid money to watch this game.
$15.95 well spent, 2-0 9 minutes in
If I have to stare at these god awful jerseys and this poor performance I would like number 5 to be Bob Beers not Smid.
Monster in the Box
Hopefully our guys can keep it out of the net.
I wonder if Mironov is doing anything these days?
I can't believe how much I regret making this buy. I have paid $30 this week to watch the Oilers lose twice to the Wings.
Hey Justice League (tm) waazzzz-appenin?
OMG ...
HUGE PENALTY KILL. IM GOING TO TALK IN CAPS FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT!
AWESOME...
4 shots 3 goals
Someone should throw Smid in net. What harm could it do?
(blows head off)
Come one come all, there is room on the Fire MacT Bandwagon... I have it idling outside the 118th Ave exit...
This is how MacT drew it up...for sure.
^ lol
Jebus, 3 nil 10 mins in. I want to blame Roli but I'm not sure I can.
Garon starts next 3 now?
That's too bad for Rolie...not his fault at all.
garon will save us! :P
MacT to Roli via the media: YOU SUCK! Now sit down and get older.
Roloson is to goaltending as to Rob Brown's hairplugs are to the hair club for men
A FAILURE
!^#@&*!!
I remember I went to the Oilers home opener in, lets say 97, and Bobo got absolutely crushed by Rob Blake about 3 minutes into the game. I developed my first man crush that day.
Does this count as a start for Garon? Getting tossed in with 50 minutes left has to count for something.
It will count as another Oilers loss....
*weep weep weep weep weep*
stupid Draper...
I didn't expect them to win but f*ck...
I don't want to repeat myself like a senile old man but one of the greatest things I have ever witnessed in a Casino was when Bobo was there and tried to cash an Oilers pay cheque at the table.
Your welcome for that tale
Oh lord I misspelled "you're"
weep weep weep weep weep
I could just sit and listen to your stories all fudging day. Unreal.
Man I hope Kay-Z just comes down from his Ivory tower and fires MacT right on the bench... then slaps him in the face and makes him cry
I bet bullets would hurt them Gene.
I wish #85 was Petr Klima not Liam Reddox. THEN we would have a hockey match
In my mind, whenever Batman enters Rexall Place, he comes in on a zip line like Shawn Michaels a la Wrestlemania 12.
Remember that game where we scored 7 goals? That was awesome.
Roli didn't take his arthritis medicine tonight.
Donna Roloson's face is going to meet Dwanye's fist tonight, that's for sure.