Cole Smith's third-period goal, a perfect deflection off a point shot, proved to be the game-winning goal, which completed the sweep of the Avalanche, and that sends the former Steinbach Piston, as well as his Golden Knights, to the finals.
Proud former coach
Paul Dyck, who coached Smith during his time in Steinbach and has remained close with the Smith family, couldn't be happier to see Cole having the success he is. "Well, it was pretty special," he says with a smile. "You know, at the time, he gave him a 2-0 lead, so a little bit of a buffer. Whenever I watch Cole now, and you have moments like that, you kind of reflect on the beginning of his journey with us in Steinbach. To see where he is today, I don't think anybody would have projected that. I'd say Cole would probably be the first to say that as well. What an amazing, amazing story, very inspiring, and it's just a cool moment."
A refusal to fail
Many fans know about Smith's time in Steinbach, but what many perhaps don't know is just how hard a road it has been for the power forward, but Dyck believes it's those challenges and his work ethic that have made him the player he is today. He's earned absolutely everything that he's achieved in this game, and that started with us," the veteran bench boss says with a grin. "He became a Piston as a 19-year-old rookie, which, in itself, doesn't happen that often. He was just a player who came out on the ice and instantly was our hardest worker. Then he went to the gym. He hit the weights hard, and it was every day. Really, the epitome of an 'everydayer,' and you know, you talk about controlling what you can control, and often with players we talk about your effort, your attitude, and those are the two things you can control. You can't always control what coaches decide or et cetera. But he did such a great job of just kind of focusing on what he could do to improve every day.
It's not just in hockey, Dyck believes Smith could have been a professional in a few different sports. "He is an athlete," the coach says with the utmost respect. "Just painting a picture of who he was, as a high school student athlete, he played multiple sports. Was a really good football player. Ran track, as well as played hockey. I think some people would say hockey wasn't his best sport, but that really speaks to him, the amount of work that he's put into his game. His fitness level is just off the charts. I think that's one of the things that opened up the opportunities he's had during his time with us and then led him to the University of North Dakota. When he left, there, I mean, he had made such an incredible impression just on his dedication, the teammate that he was, and how hard, literally, how hard he worked. If two words would pop up whenever you describe Cole Smith, it's hard work. That's for every coach that's ever been a part of his journey."
Traded to the right place
After spending his first few seasons in the NHL with the Predators, Smith got a dose of the business side of the game when he was traded to the Golden Knights, and Dyck says he took it all in stride, finding his stride almost instantly. "I think the Golden Knights saw a great fit. I know someone in the organization who said that's exactly what they were looking for. So they were pretty grateful to be able to add Cole. But any time a player gets traded, it can be a shakeup. He's a young family, a young son at home. It was difficult for him to move across the country and be apart from his family. That's always an adjustment. Then you walk into a new room and a new coach, and then of course, they made a coaching change and brought in (John) Tortorella, who I actually think would be a great fit for the way Cole plays the game. But I do think his life was turned upside down there. I think their team was kind of floundering. Of course, since they've entered into the playoffs, they've certainly hit their stride and are playing the best hockey they've played all season. I haven't spoken to him here in the last few weeks, but I'm sure he has settled in pretty quickly."
The perfect example
As a player, Dyck says Cole Smith is the kind of person the Steinbach Pistons organization can promote for the young players now coming up in the program. "I think everybody who was here, obviously, is very proud of him. I think it's inspiring to be honest. I mean, he wasn't a player who was highly touted or drafted with a top pick. He was undrafted in the NHL. He wasn't drafted into the USHL. He never let that stop him, he just dug in and found his way. His story is just so inspiring for young players. So we're grateful to have that model right in front of us. For our guys, I mean, I use them as a point of reference so often. Now that he is in the NHL, people often ask, like, 'How dominant was he with us?' You know, I'll say that there were times, but he didn't lead the league in scoring. The last year he was with us, he had a very strong playoff, but it was how he played the game. It wasn't necessarily about his statistics. It's how he played the game. It's how he impacted the room. He has become the ultimate template that the majority of players should have a serious look at in terms of how they approach the game."
"Often, young guys get very caught up in statistics," the coach continues, "and I think with Cole, that was never his thing. He put his head down and worked. He discovered that he can make a run in this game, and he can play this game for a long time, just focusing on getting pucks out and being physical on the forecheck. He's going to be making a pretty good living doing it."
Not taking sides
With Smith and the Golden Knights in the finals, they now await their opponent, and there's a chance it will be the Canadiens, who happen to be Paul Dyck's favourite NHL team, but the coach refused to say that, if it is eventually the matchup for the big trophy, who he'd be cheering for, taking a firm position on the fence.
"Oh, I am not a Golden Knights fan, although Cole has changed things in our home," he says with a laugh. "The Smith family, we're friends, we're close with them. It'd be a great problem, to be honest. My eyes would be glued to that series without a doubt. I think the Habs have some work to do and are really up against it against that Hurricanes team, who look so strong."
]]>
