Taking Flight - Powering Forward
When you turn pro, reality sets i

Right wing Givani Smith was drafted by the Red Wings in the second round, 46th overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. The 6-foot-2, 209-pound Toronto native, is one of four Red Wings prospects writing for our Taking Flight blog series, which chronicles the players' ups and downs as they work their way to becoming Red Wings. Smith currently plays for Detroit's AHL affiliate the Grand Rapids Griffins. Here is his first blog entry, 'Powering Forward.'




Powering Forward - Entry 1
Since I started playing hockey as a kid, I have always had a size advantage. So when I began playing junior in the OHL, I was a little bit bigger than most of the 16-year-old guys and 17-year-old guys coming in or some of the 20-year-olds. I guess I kind of got away with playing my game under my own terms a lot and now in pro, professional hockey, I'm noticing there's a lot of big guys here, a lot of thick guys, and they all command their time. There are a lot of stronger men in the AHL. Just playing with them, it's a pretty tough league. Guys are really fighting for jobs, fighting to stay in the lineup and battling to stay in the lineup.


https://www.nhl.com/redwings/news/ta...rd/c-302705768