Alberts Šmits ranks in top 10 of NHL prospects list

Hockey analyst Scott Wheeler of The Athletic has released a ranking of the NHL's top young and prospective players, placing Latvian defenseman Alberts Šmits in the top 10. Šmits was drafted fifth overall in the 2024 NHL Draft in June, and Wheeler considers him the fifth-best player from this year's draft class.

The ranking includes players under 23 who have not yet established themselves in the NHL. In total, the list features more than 100 players from various draft years: 24 from this year's draft, 25 from 2023, 23 from 2024, 18 from 2023, and 10 from 2022.

Wheeler highlights Šmits' underrated puck-handling ability as a defenseman, praising his size, skating, and mobility, which are well above average. Šmits also shows confidence playing against both peers and older opponents without sacrificing defensive quality.

Although Šmits sometimes makes rushed decisions, Wheeler believes he has all the necessary attributes to become a top-pair defenseman in the NHL. The analyst placed Šmits in the second category along with 24 other players, reflecting his high assessment.