2018 NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Ty Smith

Ty Smith is one of the top defensemen available at the 2018 NHL Draft

The 2018 NHL Draft is deep with defensemen. One of the more fascinating blueline prospects eligible for the draft is Ty Smith. In an NHL that demands production from defensemen, he has one of the highest offensive upsides of any blueline prospect in this year’s draft.

Smith is a tad bit raw, so he won’t be able to contribute right away. But he made impressive strides in his draft year and should get the top minutes required for his development. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Smith go in the top 10 if some team decides his upside is too much to ignore.

Prospect Profile

Height: 5’10” (178 cm)
Weight: 170 pounds (77 kilograms)
Team: Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
Country: Canada
Position: Defenseman
Handedness: Left-handed
Date of birth: March 24, 2000
WHL Statistics (regular season): 69 games, 14 goals, 59 assists, 73 points, 30 penalty minutes
WHL Statistics (postseason): 7 games, 2 goals, 5 assists, 7 points
WJC U18 Statistics: Five games, zero goals, zero assists
Average Prospect Ranking*: 14.5

All profile info is courtesy of Elite Prospects.
* Average prospect ranking is the collective average of a prospect’s four major rankings (McKeen’s, Hockey Prospect, Future Considerations, ISS Hockey)

Strengths

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Smith’s best asset is his skating. He’s one of the best skaters in this draft, which is an excellent sign. You can develop a lot of skills, but typically, skating isn’t one of them.

He has been extremely proficient in the WHL. Smith ranked sixth among all WHL defensemen in points per game (1.06) and eight in primary points per game (0.65). He led all U18 WHL defensemen in each category as well.

Smith’s two-way game has improved drastically over the past year. He used to be a high-risk high-reward defenseman, and he still is one. The difference is now Smith realizes when to be safe and when to take some risks.

He is a stellar passer and has terrific instincts on offense. Smith should develop into a very good or great power-play quarterback.

Weaknesses

Teams tend to value size among defensemen, whether it’s fair or not. Smith has a strike against him, as he’s 5’10”. He loves to pinch up in the zone, which can cause odd-man rushes the other way. However, it’s worth noting Smith has great speed, so he often gets back in time to help out.

I don’t think he’s going to be a number one defenseman. This largely has to do with none of his skills being top-tier. However, Smith is well-rounded and has very few holes in his game. He also needs to bulk up a little bit. Somewhere around 175 or 180 should be a good weight for him.

What They’re Saying About Him

“Smith has the ability to make all the right plays in his end, either skating the puck out of the zone or carrying it and creating in transition.” – Adam Kimelman (NHL.com)“A silky-smooth puck mover who is the cream of this year’s Western Canadian draft contingent, Smith is an outstanding power-play quarterback with excellent agility and a real nose for the net. There’s some Drew Doughty to his game, especially the way he handles an aggressive forecheck.” – Steve Kournianos (Sporting News)

Highlights

Overall Outlook

Smith has the ceiling of a top pairing defenseman. However, I’d wager he’ll be closer to a second-pairing defenseman. Smith should bring a lot of value to any team’s power-play and should be a reliable defenseman.

Perhaps if paired with a more defensively-gifted defenseman, he could be a top pairing defenseman. I’m not completely sold on his overall game, but Smith is a very special defenseman on offense. He’s putting up historically great numbers for his age group.

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Player Comparison

Stylistically, he reminds me of a left-handed Matt Dumba. They’re about the same size and they’re both excellent skaters. This comparison has more to do with playing style than how good Smith will be, but Dumba is a good example of what his ceiling is. A fringe-top pairing defenseman who can bring a lot to the table on offense.

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