Taking Flight - Powering Forward

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. Last season, his second year as a pro, Smith split time between playing for the Grand Rapids Griffins, Detroit's AHL affiliate, and the Red Wings. Here is his 11th entry of 'Powering Forward.'

• https://www.nhl.com/player/givani-smith-8479379

Powering Forward - Entry 11

        by Givani Smith<br>Wow, it doesn't seem like it's been six months since my last blog entry. But a lot hasn't really changed in my daily routine since my last post in May.<br>Back in May, I had just returned to Canada after the cancellation of the remainder of the AHL season and was staying with my brother Gemel, who played last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning and their AHL team in Syracuse. We had a good time training and hanging out together. After a few months, I came back to Detroit and began my summer workout program, which I have been doing since I was 16. Around October, I came back home, decided to move back in with my mom, spend some more family time with my other brothers. So pretty much it's been the same old - training three or four times a week and then pretty much repeating that cycle 'til I hear what's going on with the hockey news.<br>You may be wondering how I am able to travel between Canada and the States with a closed border. It has to do with my job. It's been helpful for me with my training. I can go to America fine but once I go back home to Canada, I have to quarantine in Canada, which is around 14 days. I stay with my family. My family doesn't have to quarantine, it's a precautionary thing and I feel great. My mom's a nurse so she's been going back and forth and helping a lot of older people during this whole pandemic, so if I ever had any symptoms of COVID-19, I am living with one of the best caregivers you could have! I am very fortunate.<br>Whether I'm in Canada or the U.S., I have stayed in contact with the Wings. Dan Cleary calls me, Shawn Horcoff calls me and Ben Simon, the head coach in Grand Rapids, he calls me and we just talk. Our conversations, they're pretty generic. With Ben Simon, we just talk about what's new, what's new with myself, with him, what has he heard between the ongoing season and how we're going to start the season or anything. With Horcs and Clears, it's just more like catching up on things and making sure I'm still doing the right program and on step to achieve my goals that I want to achieve.<br>During this extended break, my training, if anything I've been able to do it better. With all this time, I've learned to realize that there's many different styles and different ways to do things, to get things done. Through all this time, I've been learning and spending my time wisely and just trying to get better as a person, as a player, and also just learning new skills. I also do watch what I eat. I don't count my calories, but I watch what I put into my body because whatever I put into my body, that's how I'm going to feel. As I said earlier, my routine is pretty routine. A typical day for me would be I'd wake up, head to training for about two to three hours and then just come back, relax and hang out with my brothers back at home, study, and then pretty much repeat the whole process.<br>Let me be clear, when I say study, I am not studying for a PhD, unless there's such a thing as a doctorate of hockey. I'll watch video of my shifts, practice habits and game plays, study my movements on the ice, study different things that I'll absorb to just keep myself going and to keep motivated and stay on top of things. Everything has been going smoothly here in Canada. I average about twice a week on the ice and there's local coaches on with us. Also there's players similar to my stature, professional players, and we try and make each other better. It's good to go against competition, to see where you're at physically and mentally, and just to have that guideline with other players instead of your teammates.<br>When I'm in Detroit, my routine is pretty similar. My workouts, instead of at my home, it's at Barwis. Then after Barwis, we'll be on the ice about two to three times a week with other Red Wings players. A lot of Wings players are there like (Anthony) Mantha and Dylan (Larkin). After we're done training, I just hang out with the guys who I'm there with. For instance, I stayed with Dennis (Cholowski) the last time I was up there. We just relaxed and then repeated the cycle.<br>My time has been close to an even split between Canada and the U.S. during this pause. I wouldn't say keeping in playing shape has been difficult because once you know what you're doing training-wise, you're doing it. But I would say the waiting to find out what's going to happen is just a little bit frustrating, at least for myself. I'll be at home and I'll get this itch. I really miss playing the game, I miss stepping onto the ice and hearing all the crowd just screaming and everyone just watching you play the game. It's kind of good to miss it because it makes you want it or makes me want it even more.<br>I have followed the Red Wings offseason and I know they made some big moves. They added some big helping forwards and I thought to myself, that could be very beneficial. I see the additions of (Vladislav) Namestnikov and (Bobby) Ryan as an opportunity for me, if I'm playing with these guys, they will make me be even better on the ice. I have pictured in my head how things could play out. But at the same time, I'm here where I am today because the things that I can do on the ice and what people can see in me, so if a roster spot is available, I'll do the best I can to prove that I deserve that spot.<br>Last season getting called up to Detroit gave me a lot of confidence, it allowed me to go up against guys who I've only dreamed about playing against and seen watching on TV. When you're playing against guys you've dreamed about playing against, it was a big confidence booster because I realized how tangible these things are for myself to produce results on the ice and also help the team win games. Because that's what it's all about.<br>Yet, I don't want to get too far ahead of myself. Unfortunately, COVID-19 is still prevalent, though it appears a vaccine is on the way. But it's important to stay grounded and not get my hopes up too high about when I will be playing hockey again.<br>This pandemic has changed me a lot. I would never be able to discover certain things I have if it wasn't for this pandemic. I know a lot of people have experienced some very tragic times and my heart and soul feels for you. For myself, I've tried to remain positive. My family's been healthy, the ones close to me have been healthy, I'm healthy, and it's been, I guess, a positive time for me.<br>Overall, I'm happy with where I'm going, where I'm at today, though some days are easier than others. I wish you all good health and I am looking forward to the day when I'm playing for you and you're in the stands watching your Red Wings.<br><em>Smith played in 37 games for the Grand Rapids Griffins last season. He had nine goals, 10 assists, was minus-6 and he was assessed 75 penalty minutes.</em><br><em>In 21 games last season for the Red Wings, Smith had two goals, one assist, was minus-2 and was assessed nine penalty minutes.</em>