Mike Chambers; Landon Smith: BCHL scoring leader, NHL free agent, former Denver and North Dakota recruit, makes character move

Salmon Arm Silverbacks (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

First off, for the person that made the quip about Brad not reporting on this story, Hakstol can't comment about any recruit that hasn't signed a letter of intent. So, that's that...

Lastly, historically, said beat writer likes to stir the pot when it comes to UND fans.

Mike Chambers, Denver Post --- According to Smith’s father and several friends of the Smith family, Landon Smith was asked to replace North Dakota freshman Adam Tambellini, who left school this month to play major-junior for the Calgary Hitmen. Tambellini was a third-round draft pick last June and Smith could make a small fortune as an NHL free agent — judging from his 37 goals in 45 games for the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.

ooo … is Smith going to play AGAINST Denver this weekend? No, his father said, because Landon plans on keeping his commitment to Quinnipiac and refuses to run out on his Salmon Arm teammates.

Character folks! Landon Smith had an unbelievable opportunity to invisibly point his middle finger at DU by playing against the Pioneers this weekend, but he’s not taking it and going with his natural instinct of honoring his word.

Make no mistake, I’m not bashing Montgomery. Gwozdecky’s successor has every right to bring in his “own” guys and Smith never signed a letter of intent (because Gwozdecky’s word, at the time when he was the coach, was golden), and Montgomery’s “own” guys coming in next fall must be exactly what he wants because he currently has just two seniors, thus scholarship money is extremely tight.