Will Smith on Board With Sharks’ Development Plan, Understands Why He’s Sitting Out Sometimes

Will Smith is on board with the San Jose Sharks’ development plan for him.

It was a bit of a surprise to local media at first when Smith was scratched for Friday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets, the second half of back-to-back games.

Smith had actually played a career-high 19:09 on Thursday night against the Chicago Blackhawks, and San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky called it his best game yet in the NHL.

Will Smith confirmed what San Jose Hockey Now reported on Friday, that this plan had been discussed with him from the beginning: “We talked about it when I was thinking about signing, and we have plan, and we’re going to stick to it.”

So what did he do on Friday, instead of suiting up to take on the Jets?

“Skated and worked out,” Smith said. “I think it’s a little bit of both, to be honest. I think each day will have a different plan.”

“He skated like he was a scratch, skated and then worked out like the rest of the guys,” Warsofsky said.

So it’s not an off-day — instead, it’s a day, hopefully, for Smith to get better, as he adjusts to the grind of the NHL.

“Obviously, it’s not development league, but I think [I can] still put on pounds and get more comfortable out there and getting a little more time in the gym,” the San Jose Sharks’ 2023 fourth-overall pick said. “Better at skating and stuff like that is something else that I’m working on.”

SJHN also reported that the idea is for Smith to get stronger in-season, with an eye toward playing unrestricted NHL games by the end of this season.

Smith, however, didn’t provide too many more particulars about the plan: “That’s for the management to talk about.”