Rangers Draft Alberts Smits 5th Overall

While Smits was playing in the Finland Liiga, he scored six goals and seven assists across 38 games. He played on Team Latvia in the World Junior Championship, scoring one goal and four assists across five games. He also played at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, scoring four assists over eight games.

THW Prospect Profile Excerpt

On the offensive side of the puck, Šmits continues to play an aggressive style, staying involved in every aspect of the game. It begins with breakout and neutral-zone rushes, where he is either leading a rush or getting himself open, jumping into the play. Once in the offensive zone, he activates from his point spot quite a bit and has no issue with getting involved in the entire offensive play when given the chance. Much like his aggressiveness on the defensive side of the puck, it can get him in trouble from time to time. Maturing in the aspect of knowing when to pick his spots to jump into a play will go a long way towards becoming an even bigger threat at both ends of the ice.

Tied in with that comes the fact that he is playing in the top professional league in Finland (Liiga) and playing at a high level at a young age. Showing the ability to handle plenty of ice time (about 20 minutes a game) and playing a significant role on both special teams units has helped Šmits stand out in his draft-year season. The confidence he possesses is constantly on display, as shown off the ice at the WJC when he was asked about playing against a superb Canadian team. Šmits made it known that he was not intimidated by the talent on the Canadian roster and was more than ready to go up against them.

After a strong Olympics with Latvia and his season with Jukurit ending, Šmits was loaned to EHC München of the DEL and will likely be finishing the season there as he looks to further improve his draft stock. With a strong finish in Germany’s top professional league, he could push to be one of the first defensemen picked in the 2026 Draft.

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How This Affects the New York Rangers’ Plans

The Rangers entered the 2026 NHL Entry Draft looking to add high-end talent to their prospect pool that has started to thin out in recent years, and selecting Smits does just that. He will likely become one of the team’s top prospects, and this selection adds a player with legitimate top-four upside to the blue line pipeline. With his combination of size, mobility and experience playing professionally in Europe, he brings a level of play that could allow him to reach the NHL sooner than some of his peers.

Long term, Smits projects as the kind of defenseman every organization covets, a player capable of contributing in all situations. His skating and puck-moving ability fit the style of play that the Rangers are looking for. Meanwhile, his physicality and defensive instincts could eventually make him a fixture in the Rangers’ top defensive pairs. New York is adding a foundational piece that should become an important part of the blue line for years to come.