A look at new Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Blake Smith

The Leafs have continued to add to their prospect pool after the NHL trade deadline saw them deplete a lot of their prospects and future assets. On Thursday, the Leafs signed Blake Smith, a 6’5”, left-shot defenceman from the Flint Firebirds of the OHL. A 20-year-old, Smith has finished his junior career now that the Firebirds have been eliminated from the playoffs. 

Team building philosophies

The most obvious observation from an organizational standpoint is GM Brad Treliving’s preference for size on the blueline. Under Treliving, the Leafs have continued to add size at all levels, from Brandon Carlo in the NHL to Cade Webber in the AHL. Size is not everything, but many areas of defending are easier with it. In particular, in-zone defending, an area the Leafs clearly feel that help was needed. 

As a prospect, Smith is a long way from NHL relevance. As an undrafted free agent, he was passed over in the draft multiple times, even despite his size. Had Smith shown more elite traits in years past, he might have been selected, as teams have been willing to draft overage players in recent years. 

Profile

Still, there has been some progress from Smith, who has continued to earn icetime and increase his abilities with the puck. There is little chance that his offence will be a focal point as a professional, but building up enough skill to make effective support passes would be enough to keep carving out a bigger role in the future. 

The timeline for any NHL appearance is nearly impossible to predict. In all likelihood, it will take at least two seasons for Smith to become a staple of an AHL blueline if he is ever to do so. As such, any meaningful NHL consideration is three years away, optimistically. Still, adding depth throughout all levels of the organization is vital, even if most of those prospects do not become regulars for the Leafs. 

Perhaps the most interesting tidbit is that Smith was a teammate, and briefly a defence partner, for 2024 first-round pick Ben Danford. Even though Danford is younger, he is in a different class of prospect than Smith, and the two should not be expected to see much time together as professionals. 

Developmental path

In all, Smith’s development should not be measured by offensive production, but rather by icetime and role. With some luck and some hard work, Smith might have some relevance as a prospect into his mid-20s. For now, Smith will find himself deep into lists ranking the Leafs best prospects, likely a footnote in the lowest tiers until he is able to increase his stock. Some time in the ECHL should not be surprising over his first two seasons as a professional, either.