Experts praise Rangers’ pick of Alberts Šmits in NHL draft

Experts impressed with Rangers’ choice

The Athletic has released its grades for every first-round pick in this year’s National Hockey League (NHL) draft. The ratings are based not only on players’ talent but also on the value gained relative to the draft position. The highest grade is "A", the lowest is "F".

One of the top-rated picks was Latvian defenseman Alberts Šmits, chosen 26th overall by the New York Rangers. Experts describe Šmits as one of the most versatile players in the draft. He already has experience in Finnish and German professional leagues and has debuted for the Latvian national team. The Athletic believes the Rangers have acquired a potential top-pair defenseman for the future. This selection earned an "A" grade.

Three other teams received the same top grade. The Seattle Kraken for selecting defenseman Chase Reid at seventh overall, the San Jose Sharks for picking Keaton Verhoef at ninth, and the Montreal Canadiens for choosing Gleb Pugachev at 26th. Pugachev is considered the best power forward in the draft.

An "A-" grade went to the Toronto Maple Leafs (Gavin McKenna first overall) and the San Jose Sharks’ second pick (Ivar Stenberg). The lowest grade – "D" – was given to the Ottawa Senators for selecting Jackson Cover. Several teams, including the Vancouver Canucks and St. Louis Blues, received a "C". The Philadelphia Flyers and Buffalo Sabres earned a "C+", with the Flyers’ pick Maxim Sokolovsky having been projected for the third round before the draft.