Mr. Smith goes to Columbus with Rangers
There was only so much Brendan Smith was willing to say about being scratched the last two games. Smith, on the first year of a four-year, $17.4 million contract, admitted he was surprised and “frustrated” because every player would rather play than not. But then came the question of whether his removal from the lineup just three games into the season was warranted.
“Warranted? I don’t know how to answer that,” said Smith, who will return to the lineup Friday in Columbus after he played an awful opening period in Toronto last Saturday. “You know what I think? I think that I should’ve played better in the first period — should’ve is a tough word. I could’ve played better, and I think the team would’ve liked to have played better because it would’ve put us in a better position. I think everything that you do, there’s pros and cons, there’s consequences to everything. A lot of times you can get knocked off the horse. You’ve just got to get back on.”
Smith will saddle up again after returning during Thursday’s practice to a pair with Brady Skjei, reforming the duo which opened the season together and had great success last spring in the playoffs. “We need wins here,” Smith said. “I’ve got to do my job.”
Alain Vigneault described the 28-yearold’s training camp as “okay” but felt he
RANGERS at BLUE JACKETS 7:00 on NBCSN
Plus, the NBA’s revised draft lottery format doesn’t go into effect until 2019 so the more you lose the more you increase your chances of landing the top overall spot. Privately, Steve Mills and Scott Perry won’t be broken up if the Knicks, instead of winning 28 games, win 24. Plus, those defeats go on Hornacek’s permanent record anyway.
But there is still plenty for the Knicks to accomplish this season. Look no further than the Brooklyn Nets last season. In Kenny Atkinson’s first year, the Nets focused on player development and trying to build a culture that demanded accountability from the players and that they had a “fairly good game” on opening night. A bad period against the Maple Leafs saw Smith demoted for the rest of that game and in a suit for the following two.
“I see him (among) our top defensemen, but he has to play accordingly and I feel that there’s definitely room for improvement in his case,” Vigneault said. “At the end of the day, I’m sure he knows that.” Having lost three of their first four games, the Rangers are a “work in progress,” Vigneault said, following poor starts and disjointed 5-on-5 offense. The coach continues to shuffle things around on the back end; Smith is tagging back in for Steven Kampfer, while competed every night.
Hornacek failed to do that last season, but in fairness to the Knicks’ head coach, he had Jackson breathing down his neck insisting that Hornacek run an outdated offense that the players hated. Hornacek gets another chance. He needs to make the most of it.
Hornacek and his staff should be judged on the development of Porzingis, Willy Hernangomez, Doug McDermott, Ron Baker and the two rookies, Ntilikina and Damyean Dotson.
Even if this is a losing season, the Knicks can get something of value out of this year. They need to. Tony DeAngelo will remain out. And not only will Nick Holden remain in after he was scratched for the first two games, but he will partner up with Ryan McDonagh while Kevin Shattenkirk is paired with Marc Staal.
Preferring to keep J.T. Miller on the wing, Vigneault shifted Paul Carey to center on the fourth line, while Miller practiced on a line with David Desharnais and Jimmy Vesey.
“I think J.T. is more effective on the wing,” Vigneault said. “I know he likes the wing better. He can get in there more on the forecheck, he can protect the puck, he can go to the front of the net a little bit more, and we need that strength. We need him playing to his strengths. So we made a couple of changes there and we’ll find out (Friday) if that’s gonna pay off.”