CRANBERRY, Pa. -- There's no doubt in my mind Mike Sullivan and Ron Hextall envision Ty Smith becoming a staple on the left side of the Penguins' defense for the foreseeable future.
But is he ready right now to be a full-timer in this system?
Will the Penguins even be able to keep him in the NHL without handicapping themselves elsewhere due to their salary cap restraints?
Smith had a very intriguing rookie season with the Devils in 2020-21, in which he scored two goals and had 21 assists in 48 games.