Everyone is raving about Gabe Smith’s outstanding regular season and playoff performance and rightfully so, but no one ever talks about the adversity and criticism he faced and how hard he worked over the past three seasons and his overall progression.
It’s hard to ever imagine, but Gabe Smith a Utah Mammoth 2024 4th round draft pick was harshly criticized especially in his first foray in the QMJHL. Those critics clearly underestimated his skill, work ethic, drive and determination. They saw the turnovers, growing pains and minor mistakes of a young role player trying to gain his footing at the Q level and mistakenly judged his true identity or what was in that moment versus what he could become. Countless young players especially the “big and tall kids” are castaway and dismissed by fans, critics or those on the outside looking in because they don’t understand their foundational skill and full potential.
Gabe Smith’s progression serves as a great lesson or shocking reminder to critics to be careful what you say about the “big and tall kids” and their lack of perceived skating ability, puck skills and hockey IQ.
Gabe Smith’s breakout season with the Moncton Wildcats was predictable, based on who is as a person and player. You can look at his stat line all day long and say that’s great growth and development, which it is, but his progression goes beyond all of the numbers, it’s all about his character, grit, compete level and the intangibles he brings to the game and his role. You see Gabe Smith’s progression was very predictable if they were to project his true potential rather than criticizing it early on in the process.
(22-23 66G 4 G 16A Playoffs 12G 1 G) (23-24 54G 9 G 14A Playoffs 4G 0 pts) (24-25 52G 20 G 19A Playoffs 6G 16 A)
I first saw Gabe Smith play when he was 15 years old with the RNS River Hawks. He was a force then just like he is now.
Here’s a compilation of articles I wrote on Gabe over the years. As a scout, I have to stay neutral and objective, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to see young players reach their full potential and have success. Gabe Smith deserves all of the praise and attention he’s receiving right now, because he has earned every opportunity that has come his way and has taken full advantage of that, but especially because he has worked his ass off to do it.
Gabe Smith is a player to watch published February 13, 2022 https://firstdownsportspodcast.com/2022/02/13/a-player-to-watch-gabe-smith/
Gabe Smith continues to go about his business quietly published November 3, 2022 https://firstdownsportspodcast.com/2022/11/03/going-about-his-business-the-right-way/
Gabe Smith is on target. Published April 16, 2023 https://firstdownsportspodcast.com/2023/04/28/on-target/
Gabe Smith proved all his critics wrong and has become a monster and major catalyst for the Moncton Wildcats success!
FDS Sports Blog 