Next month, the NHL will hold its annual draft, and it won’t be a centralized event for the first time. Each team will remain in its facilities, and while it will probably make the event less expensive for teams, I think it’s a shame for fans. Unless GM Kent Hughes pulls off a couple of trades, the Montreal Canadiens will speak twice in the first round. They’ll have two consecutive selections at numbers 16 and 17.
We’ve already looked at some options for the Habs in Justin Carbonneau and Cole Reschny. Still, it’s also possible that the organization selects another left-shot defenseman even though the prospect cupboard is already stacked with rearguards. Drafting for need instead of picking the best available player is a trap that should be avoided at all costs, as the Jesperi Kotkaniemi selection reminded us.
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Jackson Smith is one of the very good options at the blueline in the upcoming draft, and he could still be available when Montreal takes to the stage. He is ranked 12th in the Central Scouting list of North American skaters, but some believe his stock has been falling since the World Junior Championship. The six-foot-three defenseman weighs 195 pounds and is a very mobile player who has a knack for moving the puck and launching the attack.
This season, with the Tri-City Americans of the WHL, he has scored 54 points in 68 games while only taking 48 penalty minutes. His team was eliminated from the playoffs quite quickly, but he scored three points in just five tilts. At the World Junior Championship, he scored five points in seven games while skating for Team Canada.
Smith stands out because of his creativity and willingness to try plays other defensemen wouldn’t have thought possible. He can take zone entries into his own hands and skate along the blueline to create shooting lanes and scoring chances.
Much like Lane Hutson, he’s likelier to use his wrist shot than his slap shot, as it’s not his strongest attribute, but that shouldn’t be used as a reason not to draft him. His defensive game still needs a bit of polishing, but it’s rare for an 18-year-old rearguard to be a finished product.
Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
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