Will Smith’s Struggles With the San Jose Sharks Raise Questions About His Future

Will Smith has struggled to start this season. Through the San Jose Sharks' first six games, Smith has had no points and is -4. While it is worth noting that he's only 19, this is a clear sign of a player struggling to live with the speed of the NHL. At practice yesterday, he rotated with the bottom six, hoping to find somewhere to slot in, but he could lose his roster spot for the game with the LA Kings.

His underwhelming start is not concerning, but it is worth discussing what is best for this player. Could a stint in the AHL with the San Jose Barracuda, allowing him to regain his confidence in a slower environment with a team that's been excellent to start the AHL season worthwhile? Or should he stick around Ryan Warsofsky's group and try to play through it? There's no correct answer, as both are justifiable, but the Sharks need to get this right.

In the AHL, he'd be playing with the future generation of San Jose Sharks. Players such as Yaroslav Askarov, Luca Cagnoni, Shakir Mukhumadullin, Thomas Bordeleau, and the promising young talents of the San Jose Sharks would allow him to build a rapport with the future that will join him in the NHL. This could potentially damage the player's confidence, but he can rebuild that in the future.

So, what's the answer? Do you let him play through his issues in the NHL? There's no reason to send him down urgently, but letting him dominate in the AHL could get him some more development time, especially if he is not going to be included in a few games by Warsofsky. However, in the AHL, he isn't adjusting the speed and tenacity of the NHL. It's a tricky line to walk for the Sharks.