Max Miller
San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier gave his exit interview last Saturday, a long one, lasting 47 minutes.
Once again, thank you to Jonathan Bailey for the transcription help.
Here is the full transcript of Grier’s interview:
Q: What is your overall assessment of the Sharks’ season?
A: Yeah, it was a step in the right direction. We’re still a long way from the ultimate goal and where we want to get to. But, yeah, it was, overall, a positive step for our group. And, we wanted to start earning some respect throughout the league. I think the group, they did that. So overall, a good, positive step.
Q: Do you feel like San Jose is a place that free agents will want to sign with again?
A: I think being on some no-trade [lists] earlier was more of the state of the team. At the end of the day, players want to go to places where they have a chance to win and play with good players. And so I think we’re definitely turning the corner in that regard. I think people in the league realize we have a lot of good players here, a lot of good people. It’s a great place to live. So I don’t see any reason why it’s not going to be a destination for players as we move forward.
Q: What can you say about the job Ryan Warsofsky and his coaching staff did to get you to this place?
A: I think the coaching staff got a lot out of the group, and overall, they did a good job. I think he’s still learning and growing as a coach. And I think he did a good job to kind of get the group and get them to buy in and get them to battle hard every night. I think it was a resilient group, I think, from the way we started the season, not winning until our seventh game, till the road trip before the Olympic break, and then our home stand, where we lost a few games.
And everyone kept saying, “We’re out. We’re down and out. And it looked that way, even watching from above, maybe these guys are running out of steam, but then the next thing you know, they put a couple wins together, and they battle back. So it’s a credit to him and to the players, with how resilient they were throughout the year.
Q: How can the coaching staff improve?
A: I mean, I think everyone’s got to improve. I can improve, the players, coaches. It’s all about growing and evolving. And, you know, I’m sure there’s things he wants to be better at next year, but, I think that’s probably more of a conversation for him, and I to have, but, yeah, I think he’s a really good young coach in this league, and he’s learning the league and learning and learning how to coach at the highest level. He’s done a good job.
Q: Hasso Plattner said he didn’t expect the San Jose Sharks to make the playoffs before the season. Did this team meet or exceed expectations?
A: I mean, you guys kind of know me by now. You guys always asked me what a successful season is, and I’m never gonna really put point totals or things like that on the board. I think the team took a step in the right direction. They grew. They did. There was some internal growth from our young players, and we improved on some of the things that we really struggled with last year. I don’t know if overachievement is the word to use, but the team got better, and it’s going in the right direction, and took positive steps to kind of start heading towards where we want to get to.
Q: When looking at Macklin Celebrini’s season as a whole, he did more than grow on the ice. How did he grow as a player and leader this year?
A: Mack, he’s a 19-year-old, right? So he’s doing a lot of growing, and he’s getting more and more comfortable in his own skin and in his place in this league and the place on the team. It’s a lot of it off the ice, I think he’s being more willing to speak his mind, but he’s a great kid. He carries himself the right way, trains hard, practices hard, and is leading by example.
The season he had this year was unbelievable. It’s by far exceeded what I thought he might do in a second year. I think if you look at we didn’t get in the playoffs, but if you look at the MVP award, and what it actually means is the most valuable player to your team, I don’t think there was anyone more valuable to their team than he was to ours.
And that’s nothing against the other guys who are probably be nominated or win it. You know, [Connor McDavid] is maybe the best player to ever play this game. Kucherov’s a Hall of Famer. Nate MacKinnon is a special, special talent. He’s probably gonna end up in the Hall of Fame. I think what Mack did for us and the fan base and in the group here, I don’t think there was anyone in the league that was more valuable to their team.
Q: Is the door open to Celebrini being the next San Jose Sharks captain?
A: To be honest, I haven’t really given that any thought. We’ve kind of been trying to get through this season and the grind of the season, and we’ll kind of start to evaluate this, get through the exits today, and get the feedback from the players today. It’s kind of a discussion for down the road with myself and then the coaches and the front office staff. But yeah, he’s taken some leadership steps, and he’s learning what it’s like to have to lead men in here and deal with referees.
Being an assistant assistant captain this year, he had to deal with the referees and some of the stuff and some of the off-ice stuff that goes on with being in the leadership group. So I think it was a good step for him in that regard as well. But I haven’t really given any thought to the captaincy next year, with the season being done just a couple of days ago.
Q: Celebrini said he’s open to getting an extension done this summer. Is that a top priority for you?
A: We’re definitely open to it. He’s obviously someone we want to be here for as long as possible. We haven’t really had any talks or discussions yet, and hopefully you guys won’t know when we do so. Obviously, it’s something we would like to get done at some point. But if it’s the case where we don’t get it done, it’s not the end of the world either. I think we’ll be able to get through next season, even if he doesn’t have one, so we’ll kind of see where it goes. I don’t think there’s a huge rush on either side of it; it’s kind of time to kind of digest things and settle in, and then I’m sure at some point, Pat [Brisson] and I will have a discussion and see where it goes.
Q: Is there a number you’ve thought about for Celebrini’s next contract?
A: *Laughs* What are you trying to do to me? You guys are trying to kill any sort of leverage I might have.
I can’t throw any numbers out there.
Q: Is there a number that is too big for the San Jose Sharks?
A: I mean, I guess there’s always a number that’s too big. But I would imagine whatever the number is, we’ll be able to figure out and make it work.
Q: What about Will Smith?
A: Yeah, he’s kind of in the same boat. He’s one we want to be here for a long time. This year was a good step for him, too. I think he’s learning the league, and I think there’s so much more there for him that he can get to, which is the exciting part for me, for him. So, yeah, I think he’s kind of in the same boat. at some point. I’m sure his agent and I will have a conversation, and we’ll kind of see where it goes.
Q: Where can the San Jose Sharks improve next season? What will you be focusing on first?
A: We’ve got to keep the puck out of our net at the end of the day. I think that’s the main thing. So, as a group, I think we have to improve defensively. Our special teams got to improve, both of them, the power play. PK, so, you know, I would say those are the main things.
I think, similar to last year, hopefully we’ll continue to get some internal growth with our group. With our young players. Smitty, Mack; Dickie just went through a year as a 19-year-old defenseman. Next year, I think, will be a good step for him as he learns the league and the game will start to slow down for him. Mis’ did a really good job coming back from his injury after World Juniors. He’ll be more confident next year. So we’ll get some internal growth from those guys.
Asky learned a lot. I think people sometimes forget about him. And when you’re a goalie, you’re in the spotlight, right? When you have a bad night or you make a mistake, the whole building sees it, right? Where you know a forward can mess up and turn a puck over and make a big mistake, but maybe the goalie bails them out, or the defenseman bails them out, and no one notices. So it was a good learning year for Asky as well. So I think just some internal growth and then, but the main thing for us will be to be a better team defensively and keep the puck out of our net. And I think that’s what you see, is the teams that are in the playoffs are all, for the most part, pretty sound defensively.
Q: Does this team match the vision you had about building the San Jose Sharks team back up, or is it still a work in progress?
A: It’s still a work in progress. I think we’re still a long way away from getting to where we want to go. And it’s not just being Wild Card 2 and losing in the first round. There’s a bigger prize here that we’re after. So we’re kind of still in the baby steps of that. Hopefully, we’re starting to come out of the rebuild and take positive steps forward. But I think the ideal roster and roster makeup and things like that are nowhere near complete to try and have the type of roster that can compete and try and win a Stanley Cup.
Q: Stylistically or tactically, is it at least trending in that direction?
A: Yeah, we’ve played an up-tempo, fast game. When we’re playing well and we’re on our game, we’re hard to play against; we’re taking away time and space. That part of it is kind of trending in the right way. I still think there’s a way to go with making things a little bit more difficult for the opponents and things like that. So there’s definitely still some growth to go, but where I think it’s starting to point in the right direction.
Q: Did you have an idea of what went wrong during the key games down the stretch?
A: I probably already had an idea. I think those games, and kind of in general, were just more for me to see how the group was going to respond to them. And I think it was hard. It was hard for the group when the temperature got turned up, the intensity, the pace of the game, the physicality, when every little play matters. I think it was difficult for our group, and it should be. We got a lot of guys on the roster; it was their first time going through that, and the first time this group has been together going through it.
It was a really good learning experience for them and even more so for the coaching staff. I mean, it’s his first time going through this type of run and kind of feeling the heat and having to do things quickly and stuff like that, and make adjustments and try and figure out the tweaks that go, so. I just know those games on the stretch were important and good for our team to kind of feel that, feel that pressure and feel that intensity, I think, in the long run, and it’s only going to help us. But it didn’t really, you know, shape too much of any ideas I might have had.
Q: The San Jose Sharks only have two defensemen signed next season. How do you plan to approach that?
A: It’s probably a little bit of everything. I think we need to be able to move the puck out of our end a little bit better. We need to be harder, harder around our net, and we need to be able to kill more plays in the D zone. So it’s probably a little bit of everything. a little bit of stiffness back there to defend hard when you do have those shifts where you’re boxed in your end, and then at the same time, when teams dump pucks in, we’ve got to be able to break pucks out a little bit cleaner. And kind of get away from so many rims and things like that. If we can be a little cleaner, get the puck up in our forwards’ hands a little bit cleaner, we’ll be better off for that.
We need a little bit of everything. And that’s probably the case in most teams, when you’re, I don’t know, probably bottom five in goals against. Some guys we’ll look for in free agency, the trade market, and then we’ve got a couple young guys down there in the ‘Cuda, you know, Cags came up and did a good job when he was up. Maybe showed that he should be an option for one of the power plays, if he earns it. And then Eric Pohlkamp coming in. We’ll see what he looks like. Nolan Allan has been good for us down there, too. So we won’t leave any stone unturned trying to improve things back there.
Q: Is there a chance Pohlkamp will join the San Jose Barracuda before the end of their season?
A: He could. We’ll see. He’s a little banged up. I think you guys probably heard David Carle mentioned after the game. He’s a tough kid, competitive kid, but he’s had a couple of different injuries that have kind of limited him the last two games there that he fought through to try and win the championship. We’ll get a look at him, see how he’s feeling, and if he’s feeling up to it and he’s healthy enough, there’s a chance he could join them next week.
Q: How do you go about balancing promoting from within the San Jose Sharks org and bringing in players from the outside?
A: That’s always a balancing act, right? Because when you have prospects and good young players who are doing the things you’re asking and developing the right way, then you want to make sure they have an opportunity to advance and can fill roles. But it’s my job to try and make the team better, and so I have to balance those. I have to balance those two things out. And as always, we’ll look for the best possible fits for our group. good people, competitive people, people who want to win and are willing to sacrifice and be a part of, and want to be a part of something that you know that’s growing. Lots of things to look at, but it’s definitely a little bit of a balancing act.
Q: How different is your draft prep this season compared to the last couple?
A: It’s no different. We, you know, we go through the draft, every player. We get our list together, and scouts do a really good job. We’ll plan to plan accordingly, every player that’s eligible. Whether it’s someone who, you know, the public might think is going to go number one, or someone who they think is going to go 30, we’re going to do our homework on all these guys. We’ll dig in on them, make our list, and be excited to hopefully grab another player who can be part of this group for the long term. So it’s an exciting part of the year for us on that side of it, the draft, to try and get some players in here to help build, and you know, that’s at the end of the day. That’s what, how you kind of build your team.
The draft and scouting are kind of the lifeblood. So our guys have done a good job, and we’re looking forward to the draft. They’re excited. We knew Mac was going to be the guy, but we had the 11th pick, or whatever we had. We traded with Buffalo to get 11, I think. But we had to do all our research on that whole round anyway.
And you never know what comes up on draft day anyway. If a team wants to trade up or trade down, you can’t be caught without knowing the players on the list and knowing who might be available in different scenarios. So we’ll be thorough like always, and we’ll be excited. And then it’s the offseason. So you never know what happens, but we will definitely be listening and open to teams that might want to move a player, and if that means moving one of our first, I think it’s something where we’ll be open to it and listen to it.
Q: You’re open to moving picks. Does that include your own?
A: I’m usually pretty open to listening on anything, really, if it makes sense and makes us a better hockey team. So, you know, we’ll see what happens on the lottery here in a few weeks. But I would say it’s something that I’m not closed off to at this point.
Q: How much did this season’s success change your expectations of the job?
A: It doesn’t change it too much. I mean, it’s probably pushed it forward a little bit quicker than maybe expected. But at the same time, it’s my job to remain disciplined and kind of stick to the plan and not get too excited. I think that’s when teams–it doesn’t matter what the sport is–teams get in trouble where they try and accelerate things too quickly and make maybe some rash decisions and give up some things to try and chase something too early, and you kind of sell out to kind of go all in too early. So it’s up to me to stay disciplined and try to add the right pieces to the group without going overboard.
Q: Of the UFA defensemen, do you plan to bring back anyone, specifically wondering about Mario Ferraro or Vincent Desharnais?
A: Both of those guys, they were important pieces to our group here, and both of them played hard. Mario plays his tail off every night. They’re both free agents, and Mario’s first time as a free agent has earned the right to kind of see what’s out there. You’re never closing the door on anything. I think he’ll probably test free agency, then we’ll kind of go from there. We’ll see what happens, who knows?
Q: What’s your assessment of the defense prospects you have with the Barracuda?
A: As far as the young players down there, Havelid’s first year, he was having a decent year before his injury, skates, well, competes, well. Nolan Allan, since we’ve got him, he’s been a good two-way guy, a little bit different. He brings some bite; he can skate and bring some physicality. So it’s been nice to see.
And Cags, I think he’s, he’s taken to the challenge this year where he’s kind of been targeted a little bit down there. He drives offense for the group, and he’s a tough kid. I think teams go after him, but he doesn’t back down. good with the puck, real high hockey IQ. So, yeah, overall, those guys have done what we’ve asked down there. They’re growing, they’re learning the pro side of the game. We’ll throw Eric in the mix there, and kind of go from there. We’ll see. But I think they’ve all developed pretty good years down there.
Q: Is there interest in the San Jose Sharks re-signing Desharnais before he reaches free agency on July 1?
A: We haven’t really, really gotten into too much with his agent. I think Vinnie is someone who wants to focus on the season and not worry about contract stuff. So we haven’t really got into anything, so we’ll kind of, I guess, see what happens there. But there hasn’t really been anything yet. Reavo and I’ve had some good discussions. I think everything’s kind of on the table with him as far as possibly coming back. He did a good job here, bringing some leadership, some charisma, and some toughness to the group. He’s been a good fit. I think guys enjoy having him around. And we’ll just kind of have to see where all the puzzle pieces fit, all that stuff with him.
Q: How important is it for the top Sharks prospects to get playoff experience in the AHL this season?
A: Whenever you’re in the playoffs, it doesn’t really matter what level it is; it’s always good to go through to try and win games when the pressure is on, and the mistakes are magnified and stuff like that. So we’re excited to see those guys. They had a good run last year. This year will probably be a little bit tougher for them down there, just with all the injuries. They’re kind of banged up. But it’s also an opportunity for someone to kind of step up and shine and push through, so we’re definitely excited to watch those guys and see how they do.
Q: Are you confident that you can put together a playoff-caliber San Jose Sharks blue line next season?
A: I mean, I hope to improve the blueline if I can. I don’t have the crystal ball to tell you. I think the hope is to improve the roster and improve the blueline. And so that’s kind of the mindset I have going into the offseason, hopefully, is to make the team better, and the blueline’s part of that.
Q: What was your evaluation of Yaroslav Askarov’s season?
A: I think that’s a good way to put it, probably an up-and-down, inconsistent year for him, but it’s, for the most part, to be expected, right? It’s his first time trying to be a number one and take on a little bit of the workload. And, he’s a young guy, so he’s learning how to manage that workload, the game load, learning all the shooters in the league, the different players where they like to shoot, where they like to shoot from, things like that.
So it was kind of expected that there’d be some growing pains here. I think he showed in November the talent level he has and how good he can be. But like all young players, there’s going to be ups and downs and things that you want to improve on. And it’s no different than Smitty or Dickey, right? They have good moments, go on good stretches, and struggle at times. So, you know, it’s all part of the process.
Q: While talking about contracts, do you expect Warsofsky and his staff back with the San Jose Sharks next season?
A: I mean, I think those guys did a good job. this time of year. I know you guys all have to ask the questions, but they did a good job. And for us, it’s up here. It’s kind of the beginning of the evaluation season for coaches, players, staff, everyone, so. But I think they did a good job.
Q: Will Warsofsky be back at the start of next season, and do you plan on signing him to an extension?
A: Yeah, I think he’s done a good job. I would say there’s no reason to think that he won’t be the coach here when the season starts next year. And we’ll kind of take it from there.
Q: Collin Graf is an RFA and had a great season. Would you like to sign him to a long-term contract with the San Jose Sharks?
A: Grafer had a really good season. Did a great job, chipped in a lot of his goals were five-on-five, which is a tough thing to do in this league. So he’s finding his way. He’s finding a role. So, he’s definitely someone we’d like to get something done with and have him be a part of the future.
Q: What was your message to the group this morning?
A: A lot of the stuff we’ve talked about here already, it was a good step forward. But how do we improve on it? What is each player going to be willing to do to make themselves better? What are the coaches? myself? What are we all willing to do to make the next step to get better? So that was really it. It’s nice to be a young and promising, upcoming team, but what are you going to do to take the next step? So that’s kind of the message. So everyone’s got to put the work in to get better. And like I said myself, the coaches, and the players got to put the timing in the gym and on the ice to work on their games and improve their games, and then we’ll see where that takes us.
Q: As a former San Jose Sharks player, how cool was it to see the SAP Center full again?
A: Yeah, it was great. I think the fans have been very patient here over these four years. They’ve supported us. There were a lot of tough hockey games to watch those first three years. So it’s a great hockey market, great fan base here. It’s great to see that the tank is kind of rocking again, filled up, and some excitement in the building. So, credit to the group for doing that, but more importantly, credit to the fans for sticking by us and supporting us through some tough times.
Q: If you keep your pick, are you looking for a player who can impact the San Jose Sharks right away?
A: I mean, looking at it, initially, at some of the lists. We still have a lot of work to do here over the next two months, the U18S coming up next week, and to build it up. But I think we feel, if we’re fortunate enough to kind of stay in the top 10 or 11, I think, really good about the type of player we’ll be able to select.
Q: If you keep your pick in the top ten, do you plan to draft for need or best player available?
A: If we’re still picking in, you know, the top part of the draft order, I think you really run the risk of making a big mistake if you’re just strictly drafting for need over talent. So we’ll take the best player available on our board. And, it’s not like the NFL, right? NFL guys are, it’s a plug-and-play. You know, we’re drafting 17 and 18-year-old kids, so it’s a long runway for these kids. So you can get caught in a dangerous game if you start drafting for need too much.
Q: If the San Jose Sharks don’t make the playoffs next season, is that considered a massive disappointment?
A: Well, it goes back to what we talked about earlier, right? That’s for you guys. You guys put the expectations on wins and losses and points and all that stuff. I just want to see improvement and growth and things moving in the right direction. So if that happens, we’ll be okay. We’ll be fine. If those things that we want to improve on, and we don’t grow, and we regress a little bit, then that’s where the disappointment will be. For me, it’s not going to be necessarily, whether we make the playoffs or not.
Q: Do you have term left in your contract?
A: I don’t get into that stuff.
Q: Are there things you have identified that teams in similar spots have not done well that haven’t allowed them to take the next step?
A: Yeah, I think it’s just kind of stepping on the gas too early. I think that’s kind of the common mistake where you feel like you lose a little bit of patience, and you feel like you want to get there sooner than maybe your group’s ready to get there. So that’s kind of the discipline I have to have is, as well as this year went and the excitement that’s in the building and in the fan base and to not kind of overstep and do something that, in two years, we’re regretting and worrying enough after trying to get things kick-started again. So hopefully we can just keep a steady progression and climb and not get too carried away with having some good feelings after their season.
Q: Do you anticipate any European prospects coming to the Barracuda, like Leo Sahlin Wallenius?
A: They just got knocked out, like, yesterday. We’ve had some brief conversations with him. I think he’s another guy. There’s a possibility that maybe he comes, but I think he’s a little banged up, too, so it’s a long way to come over. So we’ll see how he feels and see if that’s something that’s appealing to him.
Q: Why was trading for a guy like Kiefer Sherwood and extending him the type of player to bring into the San Jose Sharks core?
A: I think players like him are hard to come by. Generally, you’ve got to draft them, or if you get lucky enough to maybe get one in free agency. But the players who play hard and contribute offensively and play with that passion and speed and tenacity and physicality, they’re not available too often. I think every team’s looking for that.
So, I think it was just kind of a unique situation where we thought he was a good fit for what we have already to add something different to the mix. And he’s someone who has a chip on his shoulder. always had to fight his way to get on a roster and stay on a roster and play in the league. So, those type of things lead to a special type of character. So if you can add that to your group, I think it brings a really good, different mentality to it. And it’s something we thought our group needed.
Q: What did you see from Sherwood that makes you believe he can be the player you hoped to get?
A: Yeah, I think once he got settled in and– he missed a lot of time with his injury–you can see the passion he plays with, and the commitment that he puts his body on the line and throws his body a lot, and then scores some big goals for us. Yeah, he kind of gave us a glimpse of what he can be, and I thought him with Becky and Wennie, the last two and a half weeks, three weeks, were tremendous together.
Q: What did you think of William Eklund’s season?
A: I think overall, like, he had a good year. I thought he came out, kind of came out of the gate really well. And then, I think whether guys know it or not, I think the Olympic stuff was hard for a lot of players around the league. I think it’s something guys wanted so much and so badly to be a part of. I think he started to maybe press for some offense, and then got dinged up, so he had a little bit of a lull there. But I thought he’s been really good since the Olympic break. I think he’s been really good.
So he’s someone who cares so much and competes his tail off every night, battles hard, and wants to win. So having someone like that around, whether he had fewer points than he did the year before. That to me, it’s not a big thing. I think it’s kind of the will and the compete he plays with, so I think he’s getting more and more comfortable in the league and more comfortable with himself. So overall, I would say it was a pretty solid year for him,
Q: What about Tyler Toffoli? Are you worried about the drop in production for the future of the San Jose Sharks?
A: I think Toff is a little banged up at times throughout the year. Just had some bad luck around the net, too. I think he had lots of chances that he usually buries, and sometimes that’s just the way it goes in the season. You have chances that don’t go in the net for yourself. He’s a big part of our group down there. I think a lot of guys look up to him. He’s someone who has won before, so I’m sure his not getting as close to his 30 [goals], or getting his 30, will be something that motivates him for the summer. But you know, he’s a good pro, and a lot of the goal-scoring, I think, just came down to him not having some puck luck around the net and being a little banged up.
Q: How did you feel Sam Dickinson grew as the season went on?
A: I think Dickie can get to a top-four spot. I think his season was almost to be expected for a 19-year-old defenseman. It’s a hard league for a D. Your mistakes get exposed. The game’s fast. Only gets faster when you get into the last month and a half here in the playoff drive. So I think it was overall, a good year of him learning. He’s got to work on a few things, as far as some reads and defending and things like that. But I think the game will also slow down for him again next year, and he’ll know the league better. I think when you’re on the outside looking in, you don’t always realize who can really fly and who can’t, so you’d better have your gap set and your feet going.
So I think there were some times this year where guys surprised him, so I think it’s just a real good learning experience for him. There’s no doubt in my mind that he’s got all the tools and the abilities to get to a top 4 D and play lots of minutes and play in all situations for us. He got a little bit of trial by fire this year, kind of thrown into it. And I think he did a good job managing it. And the second half of the year, I think he took some positive steps for us.
Q: Do you want to bring back Shakir Mukhamadullin to the San Jose Sharks? Where do you want to see him improve the most?
A: I don’t see any reason why he wouldn’t be back unless he tells me he doesn’t want to be back. So I think for him, it was kind of a up and down season for him. It was hard for him to get going, two or three injuries, so it was kind of stop start for him. And then as a young player, you know, confidence can be hard. Being scratched a few times and the injuries, he just never really got himself rolling. I think, down the stretch here, He was pretty good for us. I think he was skating more and making more plays and things like that.
We still believe in him here. We think that he’s a good player. He can be a good two-way D, and he’s still learning as well. He’s a young guy. This was going to be his first full-time role, and unfortunately, sometimes injuries happen, and it’ll be a good learning experience for him to learn how to deal with some adversity. It’s not always smooth sailing. So, young players have to deal with that side of it too. not just the performance, but how are you going to deal with it? When you get hurt, you got to miss time, and your body doesn’t feel great. So overall, I think it’ll be a good learning experience.
Q: What do you want to see Eklund improve on next season?
A: I think he can be more of a shot threat. I think you see his kind of quickness and play-making ability below the dots, but I think he can definitely be a shot threat and score more goals. And, like he probably told you guys, he hasn’t really had a full summer to train and to work on a shot between the shoulder and the wrist and the back and stuff like that. He’s had some nagging things going into the offseason every year. So he’s got a late start with his shooting.
I think he’s excited to have a full summer to train and work on the shot, because I think there’s probably some more goal scoring in there. And it always helps if he can be a dual threat, which you probably see a little bit from Smitty. Smitty probably came into the league as a pass-first guy, but now you see, when he’s got the chance to shoot it, he can bury it. It’s no different for Eky.
Q: Do you know of any players who are going to Worlds?
A: I know there’s some players that some countries have kind of inquired about. I don’t know if anyone has yet agreed to go or not.
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