5. New York Rangers — Alberts Smits, D, Munchen (GER)
NHL Central Scouting: No. 2 (International skaters)
Smits (6-foot-3, 209 pounds) exhibited poise and physical maturity beyond his years playing against men in Finland’s Liiga and with Munchen in Germany’s top division. He combines strong skating with reliable two-way play, defending well through gaps while making smart, efficient puck decisions. The 18-year-old left-handed shot was the youngest player at the 2026 Winter Olympics, where he had two assists in four games for Team Latvia while averaging 18:44 of ice time. He had five points (one goal, four assists) in five games at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, leading Latvia in time on ice per game (23:40), and he had four assists and averaged 21:47 of ice time for his country at the 2026 IIHF World Championship. Smits had 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in 38 games with Jukurit in Liiga before he was loaned to Munchen on Feb. 25. He had one assist in five regular-season DEL games and six points (two goals, four assists) in 11 playoff games.
NHL.com analysis: The Rangers go for arguably the most NHL-ready player in this year’s draft class. Smits has the size, maturity and experience playing with and against older, more developed players in Finland and Germany, as well as at the Olympics, where he was the youngest player in the tournament. Smits has lived on his own since he left Latvia at age 13 to live in Finland, so there’s no need to worry about him adjusting to living on his own. He’s big and strong, can handle pro-level players, and his offensive game is developing. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him on the ice with the Rangers, and earning significant ice time, when next season starts.
