San Jose Sharks forward Will Smith grew up watching highlight videos of Patrick Kane and now he gets to face him for the first time in his career.
Will Smith is just like any other young hockey fan. He grew up watching highlight videos long into the night of Patrick Kane. Smith will take on his hockey idol for the first time against the Detroit Red Wings tonight.
“This is the guy that I was looking forward to my whole childhood. It’s going to be pretty cool,” Smith said.
Smith said he’d never met Kane, but he had watched many of his games during his time with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Kane has gone viral on many occasions, but one of his biggest viral moments wasn’t during an NHL game. During a Bauer Hockey advertisement video, he stickhandled through a bunch of pucks in a small area. Smith said that he had tried the drill but didn’t believe anyone would be as good as Kane.
Smith is partnered with Bauer Hockey and uses their gear. His stick, skates, gloves, and helmet are all Bauer, which happens to be the same brand Kane partners with. Smith even said he used the P88 Kane blade that Bauer uses as a stock curve pattern for sticks.
“I used stock [p88 blade] my whole life growing up because I liked them,” Smith said. “I have my own curve now.”
Smith and Macklin Celebrini are trying to re-create their version of what Kane and Jonathan Toews had with the Blackhawks.
“The last game, we tried to make a bunch of plays, and we did,” Smith said. “I thought we were pretty good together, and it’s nice being out there with him too.”
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