How Brendan Smith stayed positive during recent benching
Brendan Smith
CHICAGO â The frustration was certainly building within  Brendan Smith   and if this kept up  it was eventually going to boil over. But the Rangersâ veteran defenseman doesnât have to wait much longer. He is set to return to the lineup for Fridayâs road match against the Blue Jackets after six-game stretch as a healthy scratch.
It might not have been such a big deal had  Smith  not signed a four-year  $17.4 million deal this summer just days before  he  could have reached unrestricted free agency. After  he  came over last season in a deadline trade from the Red Wings   Smith  had shown an edge to  his  game the Blueshirts coveted enough to offer  him  a contract with a $4.35 million annual salary-cap hit. The 28-year-old was then slated to be in the Blueshirtsâ top four  and yet  his  performance had led to coach Alain Vigneault deciding to dress  him  in only 11 of the teamâs first 19 games.
âItâs definitely hard to stay positive â  Smith  said after the teamâs practice Thursday  when  he  was paired with Marc Staal. âBut itâs how you bring it  itâs how your attitude [is] every day. If youâre grouchy or grumpy  youâre bringing down other people too. I tried not to do that.Thought I did a good job of staying positive.â
 Smith  is set to bump Steven Kampfer from the lineup after  he  and Staal had a very difficult night against the Blackhawks on Wednesday at United Center  a 6-3 loss that ended the Blueshirtsâ six-game winning streak. That team-wide success got the season back on solid ground  but itâs also what kept  Smith  from the lineup.  He  had not quite built up enough capital with Vigneault to stay in.
âLogically  some guys have more money in the bank than others â Vigneault said. âEverybody has to show me something   he âs not the only one. Everyone has to come out and play well  thatâs what we expect as a group.â
This was the longest time  Smith  has sat out in  his  seven-year career  and it wasnât made any easier by constantly having to answer the questions about it. But  he  understood that was part of the process  especially after signing a new deal.
âThere are a lot of ups and downs when it comes to being sat out â  Smith  said. âYeah  you have to try to stay positive and make sure youâre getting better every day because [if not]  then youâre going to find yourself in a hole and I didnât want to do that. Iâm going to try to get that rust off real quick at the start and then play my game.â
But what had undercut his own individual performance early in the season was very similar to what undid the team â when things were going badly  they all tried to do too much. So now that  Smith  was finally getting another chance to play   he  didnât want to overdo it.
âThatâs the hardest thing to do â  Smith  said. âWhenever youâve sat  even for whatever the period [of time] has been  you want to prove yourself you should be there on a day-to-day basis. But you have to play your own game. So there is that happy medium.
âFor myself  I think Iâve been around the league long enough that Iâve seen  it  and I understand  it . I know when Iâm playing my best is when Iâm letting the game come to me and Iâm being aggressive and Iâm making good reads and helping us break out the puck.I think thatâs one of my best qualities.So I think thatâs what Iâm going to try to do and not try to force things.â
CHICAGO â The frustration was certainly building within   [TGT] and if this kept up  it was eventually going to boil over. But the Rangersâ veteran defenseman doesnât have to wait much longer. He is set to return to the lineup for Fridayâs road match against the Blue Jackets after six-game stretch as a healthy scratch.
It might not have been such a big deal had   [TGT]   not signed a four-year  $17.4 million deal this summer just days before   [TGT]   could have reached unrestricted free agency. After   [TGT]   came over last season in a deadline trade from the Red Wings   Smith  had shown an edge to   [TGT]   game the Blueshirts coveted enough to offer   [TGT]   a contract with a $4.35 million annual salary-cap hit. The 28-year-old was then slated to be in the Blueshirtsâ top four  and yet   [TGT]   performance had led to coach Alain Vigneault deciding to dress   [TGT]   in only 11 of the teamâs first 19 games.
âItâs definitely hard to stay positive â   [TGT] said after the teamâs practice Thursday  when   [TGT]   was paired with Marc Staal. âBut itâs how you bring it  itâs how your attitude [is] every day. If youâre grouchy or grumpy  youâre bringing down other people too. I tried not to do that.Thought I did a good job of staying positive.â
  [TGT] is set to bump Steven Kampfer from the lineup after  he  and Staal had a very difficult night against the Blackhawks on Wednesday at United Center  a 6-3 loss that ended the Blueshirtsâ six-game winning streak. That team-wide success got the season back on solid ground  but itâs also what kept  Smith  from the lineup.  He  had not quite built up enough capital with Vigneault to stay in.
âLogically  some guys have more money in the bank than others â Vigneault said. âEverybody has to show me something   he âs not the only one. Everyone has to come out and play well  thatâs what we expect as a group.â
This was the longest time   [TGT]   has sat out in   [TGT]   seven-year career  and it  [TGT]  made any easier by constantly having to answer the questions about it. But   [TGT]   understood that was part of the process  especially after signing a new deal.
âThere are a lot of ups and downs when it comes to being sat out â   [TGT]   said. âYeah  you have to try to stay positive and make sure youâre getting better every day because [if not]  then youâre going to find yourself in a hole and I didnât want to do that. Iâm going to try to get that rust off real quick at the start and then play my game.â
But what had undercut his own individual performance early in the season was very similar to what undid the team â when things were going badly  they all tried to do too much. So now that   [TGT] was finally getting another chance to play    [TGT]   didnât want to overdo it.
âThatâs the hardest thing to do â   [TGT] said. âWhenever youâve sat  even for whatever the period [of time] has been  you want to prove yourself you should be there on a day-to-day basis. But you have to play your own game. So there is that happy medium.
âFor myself  I think Iâve been around the league long enough that Iâve seen   [TGT]   and I understand   [TGT]  . I know when Iâm playing my best is when Iâm letting the game come to me and Iâm being aggressive and Iâm making good reads and helping us break out the puck.I think thatâs one of my best qualities.So I think thatâs what Iâm going to try to do and not try to force things.â