Fantasy Summary
June 2026 – Smits was selected fifth overall by the Ran […]
Observations
June 2026 – Smits was selected fifth overall by the Rangers. He is arguably the most NHL ready prospect in this draft, but may not have the highest fantasy ceiling. Pat Quinn
April 2026 – Smits has continued to build momentum as one of the more intriguing fantasy names in this draft class, combining size, skill, and strong underlying play-driving results in a way that points to real upside. He is difficult to handle in traffic, protects pucks well, and has started turning those tools into more consistent offense as the season has gone on. What makes him especially appealing in fantasy is that the profile is not limited to scoring touch alone, his tracking data also points to strong block, shot, and hit (BASH) contributions, giving him valuable multi-category appeal. There is still some projection tied to his pace and decision-making, but the blend of physical tools, offensive growth, and BASH potential gives Smits the look of a well-rounded defender with legitimate top-four NHL upside and sleeper value in dynasty formats. Victor Nuño
| Attributes | |
|---|---|
| Fantasy Upside | 7.5 |
| NHL Certainty | 8.0 |
| Country | LAT |
| Position | D |
| Roster Type | Liiga |
| Shoot/Glove | Left |
| Date of Birth | December 2, 2007 |
| Height | 6‘3” |
| Weight | 205 lbs |
| Drafted | 2026 Round 1; Overall: 5 |
Stats – Frozen Tools – Profile on FT
| Season | League | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-2026 | WJC-20 | Latvia U20 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 | -6 |
| 2025-2026 | U20 SM-sarja | Jukurit U20 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 8 | 4 |
| 2025-2026 | OG | Latvia | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | -2 |
| 2025-2026 | Liiga | Jukurit | 38 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 20 | -3 |
| 2025-2026 | DEL | EHC Munchen | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2024-2025 | WJC-18 | Latvia U18 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | -5 |
| 2024-2025 | U20 SM-sarja | Jukurit U20 | 21 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 2 | -9 |
| 2024-2025 | U18 SM-sarja | Jukurit U18 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 50 | 0 |
| 2024-2025 | Liiga | Jukurit | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -3 |
| 2023-2024 | U20 Suomi-sarja | Karhu-Kissat U20 Akatemia | 7 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 0 |
| 2023-2024 | U20 Mestis | Karhu-Kissat U20 | 25 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 44 | 0 |
| 2023-2024 | U18 Mestis | Karhu-Kissat U18 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 48 | 0 |
| 2022-2023 | U19 Suomi-sarja | Karhu-Kissat U19 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022-2023 | U18 Mestis | Karhu-Kissat U18 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 0 |
| 2022-2023 | U16 SM-sarja | HIFK U16 | 28 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 65 | 0 |
| 2022-2023 | U16 Mestis | Karhu-Kissat U16 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 34 | 0 |
| 2021-2022 | U16 Mestis | Karhu-Kissat U16 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 0 |
| 2021-2022 | Latvia U17 | Baltu Vilki U17 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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