Photo: NHL.com

The 2023 NHL Entry Draft is now just a week away. In advance of the draft we continue our evaluation of players that the Washington Capitals could potentially select with the eighth overall pick. Today we take a look at forward Will Smith.

PREVIOUS PROFILES

David Reinbacher
Matvei Michkov
Colby Barlow
Oliver Moore
Dalibor Dvorsky
Andrew Cristall
Gabe Perreault
Zach Benson

WILL SMITH – (18) – 6’0” – 172LBS, C, USNTDP (USHL/NTDP)

Smith is committed to Boston College for the 2023-24 season, where he will join fellow teammates and draftees Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault. The Lexington, Mass., native was second on the US National U18 team with 127 points (51 goals, 76 assists), which only trailed Perreault for the team lead. Furthermore, it was the second-best season in USNTDP history.

In the USHL, Smith had 42 points (15 goals, 27 assists) which was third on the team, but also led the team in assists. Furthermore, he led the World Junior U18 tournament with 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) in only seven games. 

Even though Perreault was the team leader with a record-setting 132 points, Smith will likely get selected before him because his stock has risen.

Similar to other players we have reviewed, Smith is an elite passer with eyes on the back of his head. In a draft class filled with playmakers, the 18-year-old center is without question one of the most dynamic. He has tremendous puck handling abilities along with an extremely high hockey IQ.

Bob McKenzie on Will Smith: “Dynamic and creative offensive presence and elite duel threat to both score goals and make plays, one scout went so far as to dub him the veritable offensive genius”

— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) June 23, 2023

Smith is also very nimble on his edges and can beat guys by moving laterally. Smith is a pretty fast skater as well. His shot is very quick and accurate, especially his one timer. 

The big area of improvement for Smith is his overall 200-foot game. His compete level is good  in the offensive zone, but in the defensive zone he tends to be a little lazy, which leads to missed coverage. 

What concerns me about Smith is that I did not see a single forward in the final four of the NHL playoffs who plays like him. Highly skilled for sure but with little regard at this point for competing away from the puck IMO. For me there really is risk taking him top 5.

— Grant McCagg (@grantmccagg) June 17, 2023

Smith is a future No. 1 center for any team in the NHL. Corey Pronman of The Athletic compared him to Evgeny Kuznetsov. 

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

OTHER TAKES

Corey Pronman: The Athletic

Smith is a dynamic offensive player who stands out every game with his talent. He has tremendous puck skills, vision and overall offensive creativity and projects to be a major asset on an NHL power play. He skates well and makes so many high-difficulty plays at a strong pace, which lends well to his pro projection. Smith is a high-end passer who is also able to finish chances from the dots. The only real wart in his game is I wouldn’t call him an overly physical or high-energy player. I don’t think he lacks effort. He’s around the puck a ton whenever he’s on the ice and even at times killed penalties for the program.

The Hockey Writers

Smith attracts a lot of attention in the offensive zone, drawing multiple defenders in his gravity before making a deft pass out of pressure to one of his lucky teammates. He has a ton of deception built into his game, and is capable of faking opponents with his head, eyes, shoulders, and skates. It’s very difficult for defenders to predict where he’ll go next, and as soon as they commit one way he zips off in another.

The ability to make tough plays under pressure at high speeds is often referred to as “pace”, and it is one of the biggest indicators that a player will find ways to succeed in the NHL someday against the fastest and smartest competition in the world. No matter what you call it, Smith has it. In fact, he thinks so quickly that he’s often making plays in an effort to predict what defenses will do next which can sometimes be as dangerous as it is exciting. 

Elite Prospects 2023 draft guide

It’s not hard to see the appeal with Smith. He’s one of the draft’s most gifted puckhandlers, a human highlight reel almost every time he steps onto the ice. His ability to turn the mundane – like a pass reception on the breakout or a puck retrieval along the wall – into something special is really something to behold. –

OTHER RANKINGS:

FCHockey: 5
NHL Central Scouting: 3 (among NA skaters)
EliteProspects: 7
The Hockey News: 5

By Jacob Cheris