San Jose Sharks general manager met with reporters and explained the development plans for Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith.
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While Celebrini is currently on injured reserve, fellow rookie Will Smith sat out last Friday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets as part of a load management development plan.
Comparisons were drawn between the Sharks’ plan for Smith and Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson, who went through a similar process last season.
“There’s been a lot of thought and effort put into this from our performance group, led by Mike Potenza, the medical staff, the training, strength conditioning staff,” Grier said. “[There’s been a lot of] research done about teenagers in the NHL and the injury rate of teenagers in the NHL, and so lots went into it. The catapult data here that’s going to go into their workloads and games played and all that stuff like that. There’s been a lot of thought and effort that’s gone into this for a long time.”
The GM assured reporters that Smith and Celebrini were directly involved in developing their development plans. He emphasized that Celebrini’s and Smith’s plans are different.
“The league is a little different now. I think you have to continue to develop your players when they are in the NHL now. In the past, that probably wasn’t the case quite as much,” Grier said. “I think it’s what we think is best for them to keep growing as players and as individuals.”
Celebrini’s father, Rick, is the Director of Sports Medicine and Performance for the Golden State Warriors. Grier said they included him in the creation of Macklin’s plan.
“[With Macklin’s] dad being in the sports science world as well, he had an input and is on board with everything that we’re going to do with him,” Grier explained. “It’s been a nice collaborative effort with both player’s camps and both players.
“It’s part of us trying to do what’s right by them. Keep them healthy as much as we can. Keep them fresh, help with the fatigue and the travel and everything.”
Grier told reporters that on the days when Smith or Celebrini is scratched from their plan, they emphasize directed development in specific areas and heavy gym work.
“A big part of it is going to be gym work for both of them. They both have things through our testing that we did in development camp and training camp. Both guys, testing-wise, [there are things] they need to get better at, whether getting stronger, quicker, faster, more explosive or whatever it may be. They all have targets and things we want to improve on,” Grier said. “That goes hand in hand with maybe not playing a game, right? You can put more time into the gym and work on your body that way. So the gym works a big part of it. Their off-day practices are going to be targeted skill development days, not just your usual post-morning skate, bag skate when you’re not playing. It’s going to be targeted, specific work that the coaches feel they need to work on, and the players themselves feel that they need to get better in.”
Although Grier didn’t provide specific numbers, he told reporters that the NHL injury rate is higher for teenagers. He also talked about how the Sharks, as a West Coast team, will have some of the most travel in the NHL.
Related: Grier: Sharks Expect An Update On Celebrini In Two Weeks
The Sharks have mapped out Celebrini and Smith’s plan for the first half of the season. Of course, things can change, but by all accounts, Grier wants Celebrini and Smith in the lineup every night for the second half of the 24-25 season.
“I think once we get in the second half, they gotta experience a little bit what the league is like and take [their] lumps,” Grier said. “Get into those scenarios you’ve got four game weeks and things like that, and just get used to that so they can feel it, know it, and be more prepared for it coming into the next year.”
Grier did not share with reporters what games Smith or Celebrini will sit out, partly because he doesn’t want teams to be able to prepare for their absences far in advance and partly because things can change, like an injury.
Despite the slow start offensively, Grier is pleased with Smith’s development in the NHL. He said he’s seen growth in the 19-year-old’s defensive end, and head coach Ryan Warsofsky said the same.
“You can tell he’s thinking about playing defense and being in the right spots,” Warsofsky said. “I wish he’d be more aggressive, in a sense, and instead of thinking so much, kind of start moving and then think is a big thing.”
The Sharks’ next game is on Oct. 22 at the Anaheim Ducks. Warsofsky said there will be line adjustments, but it is unclear whether Smith will be scratched for this game as part of his plan.
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