Will Smith Extension With Sharks Starting To Come Into Focus

With all the talk about Leo Carlsson, Connor Bedard, Macklin Celebrini, Cutter Gauthier and Adam Fantilli this past offseason, the one name that nobody mentioned much was San Jose Sharks' young star forward Will Smith. And if we're talking massive contract extensions, he is the next man up. 

Smith was the fourth pick in that vaunted 2023 Draft Class, and he has watched as most of his big-name cohorts have gotten their new deals in place, at big bucks. 

David Pagnotta tells us, on the DFO Insider, that although a deal isn't imminent, the kind of money he'll be making is certainly coming into focus. 

Those conversations have been very very loose coming into the season and there doesn't seem to be, from my 

understanding talking to people on both sides, there's no sense of urgency right now with respect on either side... to getting something ironed out...

Him and Macklin Celebrini have created one hell of a great relationship between the two... (And) what I can tell you is that the comparables have mounted and ... both sides are definitely looking at this going, 'Alright, Fantilli scored this deal, Gauthier, who's the winger, got that deal.' So... if (Smith) has the season that I think a lot of people expect him to, those Fantilli & Gauthier numbers are going to look pretty nice when they're presented to San Jose.  

Let's get more specific: Gauthier, as the winger to Carlsson's $18M AAV, got himself a $13.5M AAV. Fantilli, the center, who was drafted just one spot ahead of Smith in 2023, got a $13.75M AAV. 

It doesn't take much to do the math and figure that Smith will be coming in right around that $13M-$14M mark. 

And in fact, Smith got to the 100-point mark in fewer games (137) than both Carlsson (147) and Fantilli (158). Only Bedard (112) made it quicker from that '23 Draft Class. 

The Sharks will undoubtedly want to avoid any potential offer sheet troubles next summer, and should be getting Smith locked up well before that. Last season, he finished with 24 goals and 59 points, and he has four points in six games thus far this campaign.