I am not as big a fan of it as I thought I would be. At first the thought really excited me and I thought it would benefit the offence a lot more but now I am not so sure of that.
Part of me likes the defenceman with the puck behind the net with time to setup. When Smith plays the puck it is to a corner limiting what the D man can do, up the boards or back behind the net. You also have to have both defensemen doing the samething, waiting for Smith to decide which way he is going to play the puck. If the puck is stopped behind the net one defender goes to retrieve it and other setups. More options for the defender behind the net and I feel the players have a better understanding of where they should be on the ice. Less guessing and thinking.
There is still room for a puck moving goalie but it doesn't need to be every play. It feels like for every good play Smith makes four are wasted.
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