Alberts Smits: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

Rangers Fall to Kings for First Home Loss of the Season

NEW YORK, N.Y. — The New York Rangers fell to the Los Angeles Kings 6-3 on Monday as Artemi Panarin returned to Madison Square Garden for the second time since being traded to the Kings last February.

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Alberts Smits Shares Thoughts on Historic NY Rangers Debut

The first game of the 2026-27 NHL regular season was a historic one for New York Rangers rookie Alberts Smits despite the team's 3-0 loss to the Boston Bruins.

New York Rangers News / New York Rangers On SI / September 29

Breaking Down What a Successful Opening Night Would Look Like for NY Rangers

For the New York Rangers, the stakes are high for the 2026-27 season. The Rangers are coming off failing to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second consecutive season after having reached the Eastern Conference Final in 2024.

New York Rangers News / New York Rangers On SI / September 28

Alberts Smits Poised for Rookie Season Success With NY Rangers

The New York Rangers have awarded the Lars-Erik Sjoberg Award to defenseman Alberts Smits, after also having announced that the defenseman will be wearing No.

Washington Capitals News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The 'Most goals in NHL history' quiz

How many of the 22 players in NHL history with at least 600 career goals can you name in five minutes?

The 'Conn Smythe Trophy winners' quiz

The '2026-27 NHL captains' quiz

The ''EA NHL,'' covers since 2000' quiz

New York Rangers News / Blue Seat Blogs / September 28

Thoughts on the 2026 Rangers final roster

The 2026 Rangers final roster has been set. The New York Rangers will carry 13 forwards, 8 defensemen, and 2 goalies, and notably Alberts Smits has broken camp with the Blueshirts.

NHL News / Yardbarker

The biggest draft bust for every NHL team

People love a good mid-round draft pick that pans out, and in the NHL you used to see those fairly often, but that’s obviously partially luck. If the Red Wings thought Nicklas Lidstrom was going to become a top-five defenseman in history, they wouldn’t have waited until the 53rd pick to take him.

New York Rangers News / Pro Hockey Rumors / September 27

Rangers To Carry Alberts Smits On Opening Night Roster

The Rangers have informed reigning fifth overall pick Alberts Smits that he’ll break camp, reports Mollie Walker of the New York Post. The 18-year-old

New York Rangers News / Forever Blueshirts / September 26

Alberts Šmits defying history, odds to start season with Rangers

Alberts Smits is on the verge of doing something that no defenseman selected in the first round by the New York Rangers has done in more than five decades.

New York Rangers News / Blue Seat Blogs / September 26

Rangers Recap: A dominant dress rehearsal

Some might call it a tune up game, and they wouldn’t be wrong, but the expected opening night lineup did what they were supposed to do. They completely dominated the mostly AHL Islanders in their preseason finale, building up a 5-0 lead before hanging back and winning 6-1.

New York Rangers News / New York Rangers On SI / September 25

NY Rangers' Alberts Smits Has Proven He Deserves a Spot and Can Be a Star

Alberts Smits is knocking down doors for the New York Rangers. After being drafted at No. 5 overall in the 2026 NHL Draft, the defenseman has wasted absolutely zero time in proving himself.

New York Rangers News / Blue Seat Blogs / September 24

Rangers lines tonight: Smits-Morrow is the top pair to watch

The Rangers lines tonight are more of a mix of the expected NHL lineup and some prospects looking to make an impression. Notably, Alberts Smits and Scott Morrow will be paired as tonight’s top defense pair.

NHL News / Yardbarker

The defining figure for every NHL franchise

People will talk about the “Mount Rushmore” for a franchise, which is to say the four people, usually four players, that most define the franchise. Not always the four-best players, but the four that evoke the essence of the franchise.

New York Rangers News / New York Rangers On SI / September 23

NY Rangers' Alberts Smits Proving That He's Ready to Make an Impact

The New York Rangers wrapped up their second preseason game against the New York Islanders on Tuesday, and in a loss, there were some mixed results. Despite holding a 3-0 lead, the Rangers ended up allowing four straight goals to the Islanders, who stormed back for the victory.

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The 'Fewest passing-yards in a win' quiz

The 'Rushing-record by NFL team' quiz

The 'World Series Game 1 starters' quiz

The 'World Series managers' quiz

New York Rangers News / Blue Seat Blogs / September 23

Rangers Recap: The good and the bad

Preseason game number 2 had a little more familiar names in store for the fans of both the Rangers and the Islanders. The first game at home, and the first time seeing many of the newly acquired players brought an excitement to this game, despite a frustrating 4-3 loss, there were plenty of elements to like about this game.

New York Rangers News / Forever Blueshirts / September 22

Impressive Smits debut tops key Rangers takeaways from 4-3 preseason loss

No one in the New York Rangers organization is happy about blowing a three-goal lead and losing to the rival Islanders 4-3 — on home ice, no less — even if it was only a preseason game.

New York Rangers News / Blue Seat Blogs / September 22

NY Rangers lines tonight: Greentree, Beaudoin, Smits all in the lineup

The Rangers lines tonight are comprised mostly of NHL talent, with the expected top six forwards and top four defensemen all dressing for their first preseason action of 2026.

New York Rangers News / Forever Blueshirts / September 22

Top Rangers prospect Smits to make debut: ‘We don’t expect him to be perfect’

You’d think that Alberts Smits will have more than a few nerves Tuesday night when he makes his preseason debut with the New York Rangers against the rival Islanders at Madison Square Garden After all, the kid is 18 years old.

New York Rangers News / New York Rangers On SI / September 21

NY Rangers Rookie Projected To Make Starting Lineup

The New York Rangers have a few intriguing battles that have been ensuing during training camp for spots on the opening night roster. People are keeping a close eye on the No.

New York Rangers News / New York Rangers On SI / September 20

NY Rangers' Defensive Logjam Could Create a Potential Trade Candidate

The New York Rangers are getting set for their first preseason game of the season, coming up on Monday night against the New Jersey Devils. Following a

New York Rangers News / New York Rangers On SI / September 18

Day One of Training Camp for NY Rangers Could Indicate Plans for Alberts Smits

The New York Rangers are getting set for the start of the regular season, and with training camp underway, they might have tipped their cap for a potential

New York Rangers News / Forever Blueshirts / September 18

Rangers Daily: Smits gets fair chance; Nikishin not going to KHL

Alberts Smits not only took part in his first New York Rangers practice on Thursday, but the 18-year-old was in their top-six defense grouping. That’s

New York Rangers News / Blue Seat Blogs / September 17

Alberts Smits highlights the initial 2026 Rangers training camp lines

We have our first look at the 2026 Rangers training camp lines, and they are about what most expected, save for one big, big change. Matthew Robertson is not on the initial 2026 Rangers training camp lines, Alberts Smits is.

New York Rangers News / New York Rangers On SI / September 14

Why NY Rangers Should Start Alberts Smits in AHL

As the New York Rangers get set for training camp, all eyes will be on the new faces for the team. Furthermore, who will make the team in a couple of roster

New York Rangers News / Forever Blueshirts / September 12

Rangers fall to Flyers in up-and-down rookie game for Alberts Smits

The New York Rangers came up short in the opening game of the 2026 Rookie Series, falling 3-2 to the Philadelphia Flyers at PPL Center in Allentown, PA, on Saturday.

New York Rangers News / Blue Seat Blogs / September 10

Submit your questions for Live From the Blue Seats

Live From the Blue Seats will be back this weekend as the gang starts to get those podcasting juices flowing with the 2026-2027 season. The Rangers prospect tournament is this weekend, which will be our first look at Alberts Smits in a Rangers uniform.

New York Rangers News / Forever Blueshirts / September 6

Top draft pick Smits leads Rangers trio in The Athletic Prospect Tiers

The New York Rangers and their fans have high expectations for Latvian defenseman Alberts Smits, their’ first-round pick (No. 5 overall) in the 2026 NHL Draft.

NHL News / Draft Nation / August 21

The Top Five 2026 NHL Draft Picks

The first five players taken in the 2026 NHL draft have already demonstrated their talents throughout their amateur careers. Now the question is—can they show off those skills and make significant contributions to the teams that picked them this season?