2008 Final Grade: Wyatt Smith

2008 Final Grade: D-

2007 Grade: N/A

Links:

{{smith}} (hockey-reference page)

2008 ITCS (aka highly unofficial) Smith game log

Season Stats: 25gp 0g 3a 3pt -4

Minutes: 291 (17^th). EV 9:10, PP :07 PK 2:21, ATOI 11:38

1^st Half: 25gp 0g 3a 3pt -4

2^nd Half: DNP

Playoffs: 1gp 0g 0a 0pt E

Best Month: November (12gp 0g 2a -1)

Positions: LW (22), RW (3)

Lines: 4^th (16), 3^rd (9)

Linemates: Smith season log

C: Guite (13), Arnason (8), Richardson (1)

LW: McCormick (1), Hlinka (1), Parker (1)

RW: Laperriere (10), Parker (5), Svatos (4), McCormick (3), Hlinka (2), Brunette (1)

Season: Smith's 3 points were the 5^th highest total of his career.

Report: I think all we need to know is this: at the end of the season, I made this index list and forgot to include Wyatt. Perhaps more tellingly, it's taken me a good month to realize my omission. On paper, the Smith signing was a good one - Smith was billed as a defensive-minded center with some good faceoff skills. In other words, the Anti-Arnason. On the ice, though, the biggest thing Smith seemed to share with Arnason was his power of invisibility. If Smith is a good defender, he didn't show it in his 25 games with the Avalanche. And it certainly didn't show on the PK, when his 9.18 goals allowed per 60 minutes was one of the worst on the team. He was good in the circles (50.9%), but that seemed to be his only measurable talent. Other than that, with no offense and no defense, he was, to be frank, essentially useless. I would have liked to see this work out for both Smith and the Avs - we've needed a good, defensive-minded center since Stephane Yelle left - but this one was a bust.

Fast Fact: Wyatt is one of 106 Smiths to have played in the NHL.

2007-2008 Salary (and Cap Number): $500,000 ($500,000)

2008-2009 Status: Smith signed with Tampa Bay this offseason, and will be one of 17,000 forwards vying for a roster spot in the fall.

Outlook: Not our problem (although I'd love to see him succeed somewhere).