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Preview/Lines #52: Granlund on What’s Been Different for Will Smith, Rutta Hurt

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Credit: AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson

Will Smith has been one of the San Jose Sharks’ better offensive players since his Jan. 11 benching.



He has a goal and four assists in six games, fourth on the Sharks behind Mikael Granlund, Macklin Celebrini, and William Eklund. Most impressively, all his scoring has been done at even strength, and he leads San Jose in that category since Jan. 11.

So what’s been different for the 19-year-old, the fourth-overall pick of the 2023 Draft?

“His overall game, I think he’s way more comfortable, kind of in tight spaces, making some plays, holding onto the puck every once in a while, realizing you have a little bit more time than you think,” Granlund said.

The No. 9 pick of the 2010 Draft, Mikael Granlund had an up-and-down integration into the NHL as a youngster too.

“A lot of it is just getting used to, okay, I maybe I have a little bit more time. I can make a play. You have some good moments, good games, [then] oh boy, I can do that. That’s the issue of confidence to play the game you can play,” Granlund said.

Granlund has seen this first-hand recently, centering Smith.

Smith (2) gets Nick Blankenburg (37) to bite on the shot, then Smith has the patience to look off Cody Ceci (4) driving the center lane, before hitting the man that he really wants, Granlund (64), lost in the weeds.

“With his hockey IQ, I knew he was gonna learn really quickly,” Granlund said.

San Jose Sharks (14-31-6)

Alexandar Georgiev will start.

Florida Panthers (28-18-3)

Sergei Bobrovsky will start and Aaron Ekblad returns to the line-up.

Get all your Florida Panthers lines and updates at Florida Hockey Now!

Where To Watch

Puck drop between the San Jose Sharks and Florida Panthers is 7 PM PT at SAP Center. Watch it live on NBC Sports California. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.

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