 Rookie goaltender Jeremy Smith is the last player in “Breaking the Ice with…” The feature was a season long series on plymouthwhalers.com that showcased a different Whaler each week so we could get to know them better.
Drafted in the 4th round (64th overall) in the 2005 OHL Draft by Plymouth, Smith split time this season with the Compuware Ambassadors Midget Major team. On November 18, 2005, he made his OHL debut when he played the third period against Kingston. Smith stopped 35 shots in his first career start December 30, 2005, against the Erie Otters. The Brownstown, Michigan, native took a few minutes before a workout to help us break the ice. » On the best advice he has been given… “My best advice was from Justin Peters, he told me, ‘Hard work and dedication are what it takes to get to the next level.’ He told me I have a bright future and if I keep on working I’ll be very successful in this league. That was not necessarily an eye opener, but a motivational quote.” » On how he started playing hockey… “My older brother, David, started playing hockey and I just followed the role like little brothers do. I started playing goalie a few times in Mites, but I didn’t start playing goalie solid until Mite AA. I have been playing goalie pretty much my whole life, I played one year as a skater. I just followed the older brother’s footsteps and that’s how I started playing hockey.” » On his youth hockey highlight… “My youth hockey highlight would be the Golden Horseshoe Tournament that was up in Toronto. I think it was in Squirts or Pee Wees. It was against Honeybaked and we weren’t supposed to go to the semis or even quarterfinals, but we made it to the championship. We lost 1-0 and my friend now, Ryan Bazzana from Allen Park, scored on me. Even though we lost 1-0, I ended up being named MVP and getting a plaque and everything, so I played good.” » On his most memorable game… “My most memorable game ever was probably Erie (Dec. 30) because it was my first start. I was pretty nervous that game. I got a lot of shots and it was a pretty active third period. We didn’t win, but I thought it was a pretty good game to start out. I had some highs and some lows, but I remember that game a lot, so it is my most memorable so far.”  » On his most embarrassing hockey moment…
“My most embarrassing moment was when I went in for my first game (Nov. 18 vs. Kingston). I was pretty excited and pretty nervous. The first play comes down on me on a 2-on-1 and the guy rips a slapshot by me for my first OHL shot and my first OHL goal. So that was pretty embarrassing and I got chirped about that for a while, but we all laughed about it. Off the ice most embarrassing is probably not knowing anything, not knowing what to do like packing the bus. Just being clueless out there, like when we went to Toronto and everyone is doing their own thing and you’re just standing there and don’t know what to do, where things go, or what the routine is. I mean it’s not necessarily embarrassing, but just lost.” » On if he ever played with any of the guys before… “I never played with any of them. I have played against a couple of the ‘89s up in the OHL Cup. I never actually met any of the Whalers until I came here, but I did play against some of them.” » On if he grew up watching the Whalers… “I actually grew up coming to the games throughout my life I would come and watch these guys like they were the NHL and wish that I could be like them as a player. I thought it was pretty cool that I watched these guys as a young kid and now I’m playing for them.” » On his best moment in a Whalers uniform… “My biggest save would probably be in the third period of that Erie game I made a couple breakaway saves at the end of the game in about a 2 minute span, so I thought that was pretty good and I think a great moment for me.” » On the championships he has won… “I haven’t won too many championships, but I won a lot through Mites and Squirts. I guess as a goalie it was good that I didn’t win too many growing up. You don’t want your team to be so great that you don’t face many shots during the games. I won the Showdown In Motown. Didn’t win too many up in Canada though. We got close, but no cigar.” » On who has influenced him in hockey… “Most influential person as a coach would be David Bazzy. He was my coach for about 6 years. He’s a great guy and one of the best coaches I have ever had. He knew a lot about the game and taught me. He was a great coach to grow up with because never looked down on a guy. He was a friend of the family. He always believed in me. He would pull me out of the net if I was having a bad game and just talk to me. He really knew psychologically the game within your head. It was just a game within your head with him. He knew all the ways to get around it and work with you on it. He was a great coach and probably my most influential. Goalie-wise is probably Mr. Hamilton. Mr. Hammy was a great goalie coach. He started working with me at about Bantams. There was a year that I just tanked; it was one of my worst years. He was a dad on the team, one of my dad’s best friends. He started just watching the game and stuff. Then the next year he started to come out and working with me. I love the guy. Everything about him, the way he worked with me, the way he knew me since he watched me for a year maybe 2 years. He knew how I played and didn’t want to change my style, but he wanted to perfect it. He pulled me out the slump and he is one of the reasons I became so dedicated. He was the one that pushed me. He was there through thick and thin. He was a great goalie coach, so he was one of my influences.” » On attending the Selects camp… “Selects was exciting. It’s fast. You get to play with different faces. It’s a different type of game with different speeds, so you have to adapt to it, but it was fun. I played with a couple of my friends that I never played with before, just always played against. It was a different experience and I thought I played well and played with confidence.” » On his rookie year… “My rookie year taught me a lot. It taught me a lot about the game and the way the game is playing. Watching and playing are two different things. My rookie year showed me the amount of dedication it takes to play at this level. I had pretty good leaders and a lot of guys to look up to and a lot of role models on the team. They taught me a lot and taught me what it takes to be successful in this league. I’m thankful for that in my rookie year they taught me and pointed me in the right direction.” » On if he fits the mold for goalies being a little different… “Goalies are supposed to be a little crazy, but I don’t see myself as crazy. I’m sure the position is not mentally challenged, but mentally challenging because of the way you look at goals and the way things fall on a goalie because you can be a hero or a zero.”  » On learning from the older goalies…
“Ryan Nie was a really good guy. I liked him a lot. In the beginning of the year, I just practiced with him a lot. He was a funny guy. He treated me more like a little brother and just took care of me. He was probably one of the nicest vets to me. He wouldn’t treat me like crap, but really respect me. I sort of had a goalie bond with him. Justin Garay is more like a best friend. He taught me a lot and showed me little pointers. He’s a great guy. (Justin) Peters is more of a mentor to me. He was the one that I would look at for style, technique, dedication, and hard work, just because the guy is so dedicated to the sport and wants to make it to the next level. He’s amazing. He gave me a lot of pointers and just kept giving me tips throughout the year to get better and what the next step takes.” » On learning from goaltending coach Greg Stefan… “I actually knew Mr. Stefan before I came to the Whalers. I skated with him while he was working with the Midget Major team one time. I actually worked with him a lot. He is a good coach and knows a lot. He worked a lot with me and would tell me stuff to work out. He’d stay here for about a week and we’d work before and after practice, and even during practices he’d pull me aside and tell me what he sees and different stuff like that. He’s just a great coach and I look forward to working with him in the next couple of years.” » On living at home… “Actually I think I have it better than a lot of guys. I have it so good that I don’t realize how good I have it. A lot of guys won’t see their families for a long time, a couple months, even the whole season sometimes, and not necessarily just seeing my parents, but being able to sleep in my own bed every night is something I’m very grateful for. My family is very supportive in that they support me in everything I go through and every decision I make. They will be there now, they will be there tomorrow. They are one of the key things in my life that I can count on.” » On his typical day… “My typical day would be going to my 6 classes, but my sixth class is called work study. It’s a program that allows students that work to leave class during their sixth hour and go to work. Since I’m with the Whalers, that was actually my sixth hour, so at 1 o’clock I’d leave school and if I had time I’d run home and grab something to eat. Then I’d head to practice, it’s about a half hour drive, and hopefully get here by 2 or 2:30 and practice for however long. After that, I’d either eat at Ginopolis or go home and do my thing at home. It’s like 2 different lives at the rink and at home since I don’t have billets. I like it a lot though.” » On his pre-game routine… “Pre-game routine is pretty simple. I wake up, eat a good breakfast. Stay relaxed the whole day, not psyching myself out for the game because I don’t want to think too much about it, but I don’t want to get my mind off it either. Just have a normal day, I like to get to the rink early and just relax and get the glove warm and have a great warm-ups and it’s off to the races.” » On his favorite class… “Work study, just kidding, actually I like statistics a lot because it is interesting.” » On playing major junior over college… “Actually the past year, my Midget Minor year, USA was in my backyard and I never got any calls or notified by USA and was never invited to any goalie camps for their national team. I didn’t really look down on that, I just looked at it and realized that if I was going to play somewhere I wanted to be wanted. I got in touch with the Whalers and they showed me what they offered and what they offered seemed to fit my life perfectly. The opportunity to stay home and playing great hockey, not that college isn’t great hockey, but I still can go to college. Just everything to do with it is a great package and this is a great venue to play in.” » On the player he tries to model his game after… “This is a hard one because the NHL was gone for a year, so I didn’t get to watch it. I watch the NHL, but with it gone last year and that being one of my most developing years, I couldn’t base myself after a NHL goalie so I just had to base it off myself. I didn’t have anyone to watch to base my game after and see what the new NHL was like. I learn from each goalie I see and different levels and different coaches, I just take a little bit and try to weave it into my own game.” » On the toughest player he has played against… “One player, although it’s not really against him, but the hardest shot to save is John Vigilante. I didn’t play in a lot of games, but I sure did practice a lot and he sure did shoot on me because he actually started shooting on me right after I got drafted. He’s a great guy, but his shot, the way he plays the game and his speed and his hands and how he goes about things is a goalie’s nightmare. It really is. He’s a great guy to get on the ice and face a couple shots against because every shot he takes he wants to score. He wants to beat you since it’s a 1-on-1 game. He always competes and doesn’t want to lose, so I think he is a great player to play against.” » On his jersey number… “I picked it out when I was young because of Chris Osgood. He was the guy and wore #30 so I figured I’d carry on the tradition.”  » On his nicknames…
“Growing up I was called ‘Bear’ even on the Midget Major team. Now that I got with the Whalers, the nickname ‘Smitty’ came up because of my last name Smith if that wasn’t obvious. I’m just ‘Smitty’ nowadays.” » On his superstitions… “I actually grew up wearing the same sweatpants since Mites every time I skated, so that was a superstition. I kind of got rid of it this year because they were about 3 sizes too small and teal blue and holey. Everyone has their own superstitions and that’s one of mine.” » On his summer… “My summer has been pretty busy. I go to a lot of camps and I don’t have much of a break. If I’m not at a goalie camp, I’m skating, so my summer is pretty packed. Hopefully I’ll be working the Whalers camps this summer and that will keep me busy too.” » On what he'd do if he didn't play hockey… “I’d be playing baseball. I stopped playing because of hockey. It’s not that I didn’t like the sport, it’s just that I didn’t have time for it since I was going to school and playing hockey.” » On his funniest teammate… “Craziest teammate would probably be Justin Garay. Funniest, though, I don’t know, altogether we are a funny group. There are a few that will just get everyone going, but we all can.” » On what he should bring to the team… “Hopefully I bring a sense of a backstop, a strong backing for a strong team. Just basing everything on that, someone they can trust back there.” » On the craziest thing that has happened on the road… “Everything on the road is fun. We have a great time together. Road trips are just a blast.” » On the person he would most like to meet… “Albert Einstein because he was a genius and I would just like to talk to him.” » On Tom Sestito wanting him to cut his hair… “Well, Mr. Teapot, the hair has been cut for a long time. My hair was long for a long time. I don’t think it was necessarily long, but it was a good length. I just didn’t want to part with it, but when I went to get it cut, I didn’t really know what I wanted, so I just pointed to a photo on the wall and said ‘I want to look like him.’ At the end she asked if I looked like him, took a look in the mirror, and said ‘Yeah.’” » On his dream vacation… “Some place nice, sunny, and warm, on the beach. I love the ocean.”  » On what one thing he could not live without…
“My family. They are a great group and support me a lot.” » On what TV show he would be on… “I would like to be on Road Rules because of the competition and fun that it would be.” » On the rule changes in hockey… “The rule with the trapezoid I don’t mind because it doesn’t bother me too much. I can’t go in the corner and play the puck, oh, well, I couldn’t tell you how many times I have done that in my life, just shooting it around the boards. I like the tag-up offsides. It keeps the game flowing and that’s a big difference between minor levels in the US because they don’t have the tag-up rule.” » On what other five players he would want on the ice with him… “Gordie (Howe) to play center for me. My left wing would probably be (Wayne) Gretzky. Other wing Alexander Ovechkin because he’s a pretty good guy and could show some sick dangles. Nick Lidstrom on defense and Mr. Scott Stevens because he could punish everyone in front of me and protect me.” -Natalie Shaver, May 17th, 2006- -- Other Players' "Breaking the Ice" Features -- | 
