| Blake Smith | Flint Firebirds | OHL | L | D | 6’4″ | 201 | Oshawa Generals | 2021 | Oshawa, ON | 2004 | 2022-2023: C |
OHL: Flint vs Owen Sound, February 11, 2023: Smith totaled 21:35 in ice time including 4:06 while shorthanded. He did not play on the power play. Smith was a force in this one. Yes he had a few turnovers while attempting quick ups in transition, but overall he retrieved pucks with pace while looking over both shoulders so he was well prepared once the puck was on his stick. In the defensive zone he used a disguised reach to bait opponents into passes that he could easily pick off. After picking off the pass he moved his feet and then went wish his first choice for an outlet. He has the primary assist on Flint’s second goal. The play originated off a left circle defensive zone face. On the play Smith won a 5′ race for a loose puck, recognized he did not have a play and airmailed the puck to center ice which allowed his forwards to apply hard pressure to Owen Sound’s defensemen. This pressure led to a turnover and quick transition. What we loved was Smith moving his feet to be a secondary option on the zone entry and then firing a quick snap shot for a rebound that led directly to the goal. He also had two one-timers from the left point that he fired off of indirect passes bouncing off the mid-wall. Neither was a rocket, but the 6’4″ Smith showed real athleticism and an expanded shooting zone as he smoothly adjusted his feet and fired 12″ high pucks on net. He finished the game +1 with 1 primary assist, 3 shots, 0 hits, 3 giveaways, a team high 13 takeaways and he won 70% of his 10 puck battles.
OHL: Flint vs London, February 6, 2023: Smith totaled 10:11 in ice time including 1:11 while shorthanded. He did not play on the power play. Although Smith only finished -1 in the 9-5 loss, he was fighting it. In both offensive and defensive situations we feel he was too hyper focused on the puck. Because of this he made hurried decisions with puck that resulted in poor passes and his gap control was not as tight as we’ve seen in the past. As a player in our opinion it would be best to park this game and move on. He finished -1 with 0 points, 0 shots, 1 hit, had 1 shot blocked, 6 giveaways, 3 takeaways and he won 50% of his 6 puck battles.
OHL: Oshawa vs Ottawa, November 11, 2022: Smith totaled 14:54 in ice time including 1:56 while shorthanded. He did not play on the power play. Although he still looks fairly thin at 201lbs Smith is a 6’4″ left shot defender with NHL size and reach right now. Although he wasn’t overly physical in any area of the ice, we liked his aggressiveness while defending the cycle as he used his skating ability to take time and space away. In the second period he was on the ice for a grade “A” opportunity against after a lack of communication with his goalie on a dump in. On the play his goalie had clear control of the puck, and for whatever reason he skated right to his goalie’s shoulder rather than scanning the ice locating forecheckers and then fanning out to the corner so he was a passing outlet. On line rushed we liked his gap control while playing the strong side as he pinched off opponents in the neutral zone or at the defensive blueline. We feel Smith knows what type of player he is, but midway through the second period he did make an odd decision to jump into the forecheck and get trapped below the offensive goal line. The decision resulted in an odd man rush against his partner. Smith may have scored on a seeing eye one-timer in the third, but the play originated earlier in the shift when he sacrificed his body to block a one-timer in the slot and then won a 50/50 puck battle below his goal line. The block and battle led directly to a clean breakout and eventually the goal. If he can do this consistently it was the type of play that will give him a chance to play professionally. On the night he finished even with 1 goal, 2 shots, 0 hits, received 1 hard body check, had 1 shot blocked, 4 giveaways, 1 takeaway and he won 22% of his 9 puck battles.
OHL: Hamilton vs Oshawa, October 28, 2022: Blake is a big, good sized defensive defenseman, reliable, plays within his strengths and takes care of his own end. His skating is league average. He is strong on his skates but he is not terribly quick or fast. He plays under control, maintains good defensive positioning, and when he gets pucks he either passes really quickly or makes the safe out. He is listed as a C prospect on Central Scouting, and likely because of his size and defensive focus. However to play at an elite level Blake is going to need to add assets into his game. I don’t find him terribly aggressive defensively. He will make pretty good neutral zone pinch decisions if he has support, but in these situations or when going into corners in his end of the ice to compete, I feel he needs to develop a bit of a mean streak, hit harder, compete with more intensity and become feared. He in not going to every develop into a point producing 2 way defenseman so if he is to hang his hat on his size and taking care of his own end he will need more bite than he is displaying at present. Game Grade: B
OHL: Kingston vs Oshawa, October 23, 2022: Blake is in his second full year with the Generals. He is strictly a defensive defenseman who uses his size at 6’4 and a big stick to make him tough to beat offensively. He is quick into his corners and will play physical and compete. He does need to continue to improve on his box out ability as he is prone to letting attackers slide in between him and the net. Game Grade C+
OHL: Oshawa vs Niagara, January 6, 2022: As an October 2004 Smith has reliable puck skills and displayed that when advancing the puck up to his forwards. He made quick and accurate passes, most of the game. His compete level is adequate. Smith requires mobility development. He protects the mid-lane of the ice, but can lose positioning when taken wide in certain situations. Mobility development will also improve his ability to retrieve pucks deep in his DZ. Grade B-
2004s: Whitby Silver Stick, December 18, 2019: Smith is a lanky left defender who continues to show good development in his offensive play and puck management. A big player who moves effectively in all directions and has good stick skills on both sides of the puck. Smith does not over complicate the game making good hockey plays. A late 2004 birthday, we continue to see steady development with Smith as he matures physically and uses his size to defend. Grade: B
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images