Everybody needs a teacher, and Oilers goaltender Mike Smith’s first NHL instructor in Dallas was Marty Turco — not just for stopping the pucks, but also handling pucks, because when it came to that skill, Turco had his PhD.
“I was a puck-handler in junior, too, (Sudbury) but not like how Marty did it. He was a big influence on my career. I got to learn from one of the best puck-handlers ever” said Smith, chuckling when asked what Turco had exactly taught him when they were the Stars’ goalies 15 years ago.
“I’m not giving away my secrets.”
What happened was Turco got on him one night for hesitating to handle the puck and that struck a nerve with Smith. “I’ve told this story numerous times that when I first got to Dallas, there was a dump and I didn’t go out and retrieve it. Next TV timeout, and I’ll never forget this, Marty looked right at me (at the bench) and said: ‘What are you doing, why didn’t you get the puck?’ I said: ‘What do you mean?’ I told him I didn’t want to make another mistake and Marty told me to go back out there and show the team that you are battling. That’s stuck with me the last 14-plus years,” said Smith, who now passes the puck as well as many forwards, with big mitts.
As for stopping pucks, lots of shooters have given him fits through his 626 NHL games played for Dallas, Tampa Bay, Arizona and Calgary, before coming to Edmonton. Comes with the territory. “There’s one guy who’s pretty good, standing in that one spot,” laughed Smith, throwing out Alex Ovechkin and his release. “Going back to Dallas, back in the day, playing with Mike Modano, I saw his shot, and in Tampa there was (Steven) Stamkos. Auston Matthews? Everyone knows what kind of shot he has,” he said.
ABOUT CONNOR’S SHOT
One thing that makes Connor McDavid’s shot ultra-dangerous for goalies is how the Oilers captain masks his quick release, according to Jets goaltender Laurent Brossoit, who saw two shots beat him cleanly on Thursday. McDavid doesn’t telegraph where his shot is coming from, partly because he’s stick-handling with it, so fast. He’s handling the puck like he’s weaving through pylons in practice, and his shot angle is hard to pick up.
“Connor’s always moved the puck at a high rate, but he and Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers … the puck just comes off their sticks before a goalie can get set. Connor’s hands are so quick, getting it from his backhand to his forehand and off. It’s a real challenge for the goaltenders. And his accuracy, he’s not snapping it over the net. He’s picking his spots,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said.
“He’s got an elite set of hands. That’s why I can’t figure out why anybody would want to be play goal, ever,” said Maurice.
MOVING AROUND CHESS PIECES
The Oilers have quietly moved James Neal onto the taxi squad, which helps them on their salary cap but it’s also, a signal that his days, even as a fourth-line winger, are in jeopardy. If Neal was banging in power-play goals like he did last season, when he was terrific with 12, he would be dressing every night. However, coach Dave Tippett likes Alex Chiasson on his first PP as the net-front and Jesse Puljujarvi is evolving as a second choice with his big body. Neal has one PP goal.
Tippett said Neal, who has played 838 NHL games and is eight goals from 300, was healthy and not hurt when asked Saturday morning why he wasn’t on the ice for the pre-game skate with Joakim Nygard and Devin Shore taking left-wing reps on the fourth line with Jujhar Khaira. The Oilers have a surplus of left wingers, with Josh Archibald able to play both sides.
Neal, who was set back because he got COVID-19 before coming to Edmonton for training camp and then had to work himself into game shape, has averaged 12:14 a night in 17 games. He played just 7:05 on Monday in a loss to Calgary, and his scratch on Saturday was his third straight. He has three goals and six points this season.
WHAT ABOUT LEON?
While McDavid’s speed is obviously his scariest weapon, Leon Draisaitl’s strength and ability to hold people off is clearly a handful for defencemen, especially when he sticks his backside in the way. Jets defenceman Dylan DeMelo witnessed that first-hand in the first game of the two-gamer, with his face taking some damage. “Just a hockey play. He was trying to protect the puck. I’m not sure if it was an elbow or a reverse hit. Maybe he came a little high. He caught my right in the schnozz. It was pretty swollen at the top and I’ve got a big nose as it is,” said DeMelo.
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