Ht/Wt: 6' 3"/206 lbs
Position: LHD
Team: Jukurit (Liiga)

Alberts Smits's Player Profile

Steven Ellis - Daily Faceoff - April 14th: "The 6-foot-3 blueliner moves well for his size and makes so much happen with the puck. It’s always nice seeing an 18-year-old who plays with a ton of confidence on the power play. He also has plenty of pro experience under his belt, highlighted by a strong first half with Jukurit in the Finnish Liiga."

Will Scouch - Scouching.ca - April 13th: "His pass vision across longer distances could use some work, being a bit calmer on the puck in his own end, but he’s more than capable of keeping the game simple and straightforward with a good team-first focus. He really brings a Brent Burns type vibe to the game, with a bit of that offensive zone confidence that might scare many coaches, but if you give him some rope and time to develop, you might end up with a premier 70/30 offensive split defenseman that is a rock solid addition to any team’s top four."

Dauton Reimer - The Hockey Writers - March 25th: "In his draft year, he struck me as a highly-skilled defenceman who needed a lot of polish to become a reliable presence on the blueline in the NHL. He took big risks, driving the offence when no one else on his team would, and while that sometimes created incredible chances, it also put him in some really bad positions."

Scott Wheeler - The Athletic - March 17th: "He has excellent hands, both pulling pucks laterally and protecting them out wide, often with one hand on his stick. He has good size and a strong, pro frame that will continue to fill out. He's a good skater with well-above-average four-way mobility. He plays with a ton of confidence against his peers and has played with similar boldness even against men at times, while still defending to positive results."

Jason Bukala - Sportsnet - March 17th: "Smits is a big body who moves very well and projects as a two-way defenceman who could produce secondary offence. Despite his young age, Smits averaged over 17 minutes of ice time for Latvia at the Olympics, while being used in all situations."

Steven Ellis - Daily Faceoff - March 13th: "He’s a big, mobile defender who loves having the puck on his stick and boasts an incredible shot. Šmits should have no issue producing in the NHL, and, almost definitely, will be an NHLer in the next two seasons."

Peter Baracchini - The Hockey Writers - March 10th: "He’s extremely mobile and does a great job to use a combination of his speed, puck skills and vision with the puck. He has a sound defensive game as well, although the awareness can lack sometimes. He’s strong in one-on-one coverage, displaying a great reach to break up plays and keep things to the outside."

Smaht Scouting - February 27th: "He is a plus skater already, and has a good size frame, at 6’3 and over 200lbs. Alongside this he is calm under pressure, has a massive shot, and makes some beautiful crisp passes. While not a big hitter he is also good in board battles, and solid defensively in terms of fundamentals. There are, however, some questions over how high-end his upside is."

Sam Cosentino - Sportsnet - February 25th: "He benefits from playing on a weak Liiga team, which has treated him to top pairing minutes all season long. The fact he also played so well at the Olympics for a weaker hockey nation in Latvia makes you wonder what he will develop into when he's surrounded by elite talent. He has the confidence of a lion, NHL size and strength, and he proved he was able to keep pace against the best players in the world."

Tony Ferrari - The Hockey News - February 23rd: "With excellent size, impressive mobility and the offensive instincts that could make a true difference-maker, Smits is a potentially effective defender at the next level with the ability to truly make his mark in all three zones. He has been playing quite well in Finland's Liiga, putting his game on display in big minutes against men."

Alberts Smits's Stats

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