Great passing! I like that’s he’s not greedy for the goal himself he’s more about the team, a lot of young players would pull off all of those moves and try to finish it themselves rather than looking for a teammate.
This kid is going to be a star, no doubt in my mind. He's got it all and he's only going to get stronger & better. His hockey sense is on the moon, unreal. Looking forward to watch him playing college hockey and can't wait to see him in the NHL.
Hes boom or bust, he has one move that works all the time in the USHL, not sure how translatable it is tho, his skating is a clearly below average projection, his sense waivers from high end to well below average from game to game, hes too reliant on hero puck too, both Leonard and Moore are way easier projections
@@Jmulk96he’s mastered the dangle. When he loads the puck up at his hip he can pass, shoot, or toe drag. I think the question is whether he’ll be able to adjust to the speed and physicality of the NHL. A year in college will help with that. I think he has the potential to be another Patrick Kane.
@@MrVisde he won’t be close, his handling isn’t on the same level, skating isn’t close, he’s another Zegras, lemme guess ur one of the morons who have Smith over Benson
Leonard and Moore you mean the guys standing by the Goal waiting for his tap ins because be just went through the entire team are better prospects than him? Huh.
@@markstaud moore isnt on his line and had better underlying playmaking metrics with worse linemates, Leonard who is the main transitional playdriver, best defensive player and the guy who does the most work on the line, Smith isnt half the player without leonard, he creates so much space for him to work in, you actually have to watch them to see that Smith by no means carries the line at all, if anyone carries the line, its Leonard
Very good & entertaining report. Thanks for putting it together. I think at his age under the proper training staff he can up his skating speed eventually. I can see him doing well on powerplays.
I’m not sold on him at all. When he’s on he’s great, but when he’s off it’s like he’s nonexistent. So many frustrating games. I’d rather take the shot on Moore over Smith.
A lot of people don't realize (including the whole Vancouver Canucks) that tanking this season isn't just about Bedard. It's about any of the top 6 and Will Smith being ranked 5th or 6th is definitely a player that a team should tank for.
This draft class is soooooo good! The Top-6 and also a bunch of other prospects who may have some great upside. Just look at the point totals for a bunch of them...big numbers!
@@nhldraftpros Exactly. Being a Nucks fan is infuriating. They had no chance at the playoffs by December and yet, they fired their coach (only coach to be fired in the NHL during the season) and waived a goalie who lost 10 straight. At the time, the Nucks were tied for 5th worst team with the Sharks. That pretty much guaranteed them a chance at any of the top 6. This draft class is insane and not many people actually realized this (even Nucks management/ownership doesn't realize this). They only think teams are tanking for Bedard. Nope. Last year's first overall goes #7 at the highest.
If anything he’s overrated, neither cooley or point are great comps due to skating and activity level, Zegras i can see but hes a considerably worse skater than zegras
Tough to say...I think it depends on what a team wanted/needed. Cooley did go ahead of Wright in the 2022 NHL draft so who's to say that a team like Arizona would still go with Smith ahead of Wright too? Smith is looking pretty special at this moment and could possibly go Top-5 in this stacked 2023 draft. Tomorrow is the gold medal match and I'm excited to see Smith-Leonard-Perreault against a really good Sweden team.
@@Michael_RareZebra I think the Coyotes will get him or Benson unless we slide down to 8th due to the lottery. If that happens we're probably taking Honzek, Moore or Danielson. I wouldn't pass up on these guys for Reinbacher. Maybe with the Ottawa pick I'd take him but I prefer we fill out our offense with these two high picks.
@@Jagged_Ice I agree! Really hoping we could snag Benson if not any of the top 3. I like the other choices too as we do need scoring first. On defense I kind of like Axel Sandin Pellikka too.
bedard is out of the picture for coyotes fans. cooley is the franchise talent they needed to secure. guenther and smith would be simply dreamy linemates for him.
@@tuttifrutti2229 in arizona’s system i do. i think cooley looks like a franchise center and i also think bill armstrong is very big on size within the top 6 which is where geekie comes in at 2c. Smith is a top 6 player 100% but cooley is a better center. playing with him and then a sniper who is eating the whl for lunch in guenther is a top line that oozes potential.
@@nhldraftpros Zach Benson also looks good, I haven’t seen any Michkov demo though sadly but I’m hearing he is insane and probably could’ve went 2nd overall.
@@Blue-bv1ur he may never come here His Father got killed. He might stay to take care of his mother. And there's the KHL contract. Will be interesting if he's even at the draft.
Appreciate your videos - one thing, and I really mean this constructively rather than critically- but I think they would be a lot better if you focused on talking more about the player (specifics of each attribute, who they compare to etc.. something more organized) rather than narrating the individual plays we’re watching as that doesn’t add a lot
Hey Jamie! Appreciate the constructive criticism...anything to help the videos grow and become better. I'm always looking to improve so this is a give help. Thanks!
@@nhldraftpros Much respect for the positive reply - I used to watch this guy Andy Lehoux’s videos all the time and think you could very much be the next him (he’s disappeared from RUclips) - here’s a pretty good example of a solid vocal format to go with the footage ruclips.net/video/g3JDNyviRO8/видео.html
@@إسماعيلالأندلسي Smith seems to show better playmaking and passing abilities tho, from what I’ve seen from both players. In the end, the team who picks 4th will have to decide based on their needs, knowing that Leo and Will play with two different kind of styles. (The gap in talent, if there is really one, isn’t that wide tbh)
Not the biggest fan. I don't see his dipsy-doodle plays translating to the NHL. Lots of very weak defense on many of these clips. But I could be wrong, of course. Time will tell. I've been more impressed with what Moore has done with much less talented linemates and much less pp time.
Not a big fan, for me hes the 3rd best guy from the program, has one move which is the deceptive hip pocket posture pass but his skating is rough especially the stride, hes very inconsistent, plays too much hero puck, often lacks defensive engagement, not sure how translatable his game is
There are definitely some aspects of his game that need some work, but the way he sees the ice is something that can't be taught. It will be interesting to see where he lands and how they deal with his development. Obviously going to college next year will be a good look for him too.
Carlsson and Michkov are doing great things in men's leagues and Smith against juniors, so that sometimes affects how players are ranked. Size and other factors play a role as well.
Yes!! 😂 When the kids off he's off!! His defense is not great!! There's no guarantee that he'll stay a Center in the NHL!! Plus he'll be a 2-3 year project before even sniffing the lineup!! Carlsson is consistent, he's almost ready for the NHL and he's been playing against men whilst Smith is playing against Beer League'ers!! Then you have Michkov who is an Elite Talent!! You don't pass on either of those options for a "Dangler".... Not to mention Michkov is probably two classes above Smith when it comes to Offense!!!
This guy's a project; he isn't doing this in the NHL anytime soon. Skill, vision is there... but when looking at USDP prospects, of course I'm going to get a bunch of highlights of them dummying noobs. And he'll do plenty of this in college, but when NHL defensemen start taking away this guy's space, what will he do? USDP guys really only encounter the crucible when you watch them at the U18s and the WJC... so I'll make a second assessment of him when he's playing in international competition at more meaningful games.
Totally agree! The U18 WJC will be a good viewing for sure, but lets not forget what Smith did at the 5-Nations (9pts in 4gp) and 4-Nations (8pts in 3gp) this season. And he also had a try-out with the U20 WJC team (and left with an injury or illness) but still got the invite. Like you said, the U18 coming up will definitely put a spotlight on a few of these prospects, including Smith.
20pts. Tournament MVP. This kid is the real deal. He’s a smart player. He’ll make adjustments for the NHL. I’d be more worried about a player like Leonard who’s used to bullying smaller U18 kids stepping up to the next level and only having average size/strength.
If you look at his stride, he's not putting his feet enough forward, he's not bitting the ice forward but grab the ice almost all the time behind his center of gravity. He's putting a lot of energy just to accelerate then he looks to be spinning for nothing and so, he doesn't reach any full speed or any top level NHL acceleration, so I'm upset for him, he reminds me Cole Perfetti.
@@MrVisde Indeed, he have a very good balance. Balance can allow to evade the fast NHL pressure by confusing your pursuers, but the best tool is still to move the feet fast. He can works on it in the next two years in Boston, its a IF but it can be corrected.
@@nhldraftpros to be fair, maybe it was my expectations i should have dampered. I was expecting actual analysis on Smith and instead i just got a bunch of highlights with childish play by play commentary. Making my ears bleed after listening to someone yell BOOM when he scores a goal is not what i came to listen to.
@@johab11 Actually check out my latest video on Quentin Musty...just released today. More analysis instead of play-by-play commentary. Let me know what you think.
Can’t wait to see this kid in San Jose. He sees the ice so well.
Great passing! I like that’s he’s not greedy for the goal himself he’s more about the team, a lot of young players would pull off all of those moves and try to finish it themselves rather than looking for a teammate.
Exactly! And he's always looking for teammates when he's on the ice...has great vision and creativity.
This kid is going to be a star, no doubt in my mind. He's got it all and he's only going to get stronger & better. His hockey sense is on the moon, unreal. Looking forward to watch him playing college hockey and can't wait to see him in the NHL.
Hes boom or bust, he has one move that works all the time in the USHL, not sure how translatable it is tho, his skating is a clearly below average projection, his sense waivers from high end to well below average from game to game, hes too reliant on hero puck too, both Leonard and Moore are way easier projections
@@Jmulk96he’s mastered the dangle. When he loads the puck up at his hip he can pass, shoot, or toe drag. I think the question is whether he’ll be able to adjust to the speed and physicality of the NHL. A year in college will help with that. I think he has the potential to be another Patrick Kane.
@@MrVisde he won’t be close, his handling isn’t on the same level, skating isn’t close, he’s another Zegras, lemme guess ur one of the morons who have Smith over Benson
Leonard and Moore you mean the guys standing by the Goal waiting for his tap ins because be just went through the entire team are better prospects than him? Huh.
@@markstaud moore isnt on his line and had better underlying playmaking metrics with worse linemates, Leonard who is the main transitional playdriver, best defensive player and the guy who does the most work on the line, Smith isnt half the player without leonard, he creates so much space for him to work in, you actually have to watch them to see that Smith by no means carries the line at all, if anyone carries the line, its Leonard
He is really skilled a lot of “wows” he’s just a dynamic player he is a wizard with the puck
So many great game clips he has...it's amazing! This year's draft...unbelievable!
Zach benson is going to be a steal
Very good & entertaining report. Thanks for putting it together. I think at his age under the proper training staff he can up his skating speed eventually. I can see him doing well on powerplays.
Exactly! Skating can be worked on and he will improve as he gets older too. So it will be interesting to see where he lands on draft day.
@@nhldraftpros can you make a video at colby barlow?
@@stephenbozzo8514 Coming out soon! Probably next week sometime, so keep a look out. Thanks!
@@nhldraftpros You’re one of my favorite channels and THE best prospect breakdown platform. Looking forward to Barlow.
@@Michael_RareZebra Thank you! Much appreciated! Barlow should be out sometime on the weekend!
I’m not sold on him at all. When he’s on he’s great, but when he’s off it’s like he’s nonexistent. So many frustrating games. I’d rather take the shot on Moore over Smith.
I agree, id take Leonard over him too
@@Jmulk96 Leonard is a player that I think may go ahead of Smith depending on what team is selecting. Gonna be a great draft!
@@Jmulk96 yeah Leonard has been rising for me the more I watch him. Dude loves the physical game haha.
Well here we are…. Smith went ahead of both players mentioned here
@@NoMoreTortillas1 ok 👍
A lot of people don't realize (including the whole Vancouver Canucks) that tanking this season isn't just about Bedard. It's about any of the top 6 and Will Smith being ranked 5th or 6th is definitely a player that a team should tank for.
This draft class is soooooo good! The Top-6 and also a bunch of other prospects who may have some great upside. Just look at the point totals for a bunch of them...big numbers!
@@nhldraftpros Exactly. Being a Nucks fan is infuriating. They had no chance at the playoffs by December and yet, they fired their coach (only coach to be fired in the NHL during the season) and waived a goalie who lost 10 straight. At the time, the Nucks were tied for 5th worst team with the Sharks. That pretty much guaranteed them a chance at any of the top 6.
This draft class is insane and not many people actually realized this (even Nucks management/ownership doesn't realize this). They only think teams are tanking for Bedard. Nope. Last year's first overall goes #7 at the highest.
@@baiqi44 Agreed...and now with the lottery you never know where you could land. So being close to a top 6 pick is all you needed!
Don’t worry the Canucks took a stay at home Defender 11th, he wasn’t even the best Swedish Defender in the Draft.
I'd love to see this guy wearing the bleu-blanc-rouge one day, IMO he is grossly underrated... (deep draft)
reminds me a bit of COOLEY /ZEGRAS/POINT
If anything he’s overrated, neither cooley or point are great comps due to skating and activity level, Zegras i can see but hes a considerably worse skater than zegras
@@Jmulk96 of course he’s not as good as them, he’s a 17 year old and I think he’s the youngest player in the draft
@@drewregan1817 im talking about the fact that hes not as good as Cooley at this stage
He outproduced Cooley at the same age. He’s got a better frame to grow into. Both are studs.
Hi, I wonder who would be higher ranked at their draft moment: Will Smith 2023 or Shane Wright 2022 ?? Thanks.
Tough to say...I think it depends on what a team wanted/needed. Cooley did go ahead of Wright in the 2022 NHL draft so who's to say that a team like Arizona would still go with Smith ahead of Wright too? Smith is looking pretty special at this moment and could possibly go Top-5 in this stacked 2023 draft. Tomorrow is the gold medal match and I'm excited to see Smith-Leonard-Perreault against a really good Sweden team.
What a great playmaker
Fantastic playmaker indeed!
Would be awesome to see him on the Coyotes. A duo of Smith and Cooley would be sweet
Smith...Cooley...Guenther...not bad!
I'm hoping for this as well depending on where we land in the draft.
@@Michael_RareZebra I think the Coyotes will get him or Benson unless we slide down to 8th due to the lottery. If that happens we're probably taking Honzek, Moore or Danielson. I wouldn't pass up on these guys for Reinbacher. Maybe with the Ottawa pick I'd take him but I prefer we fill out our offense with these two high picks.
@@Jagged_Ice I agree! Really hoping we could snag Benson if not any of the top 3. I like the other choices too as we do need scoring first. On defense I kind of like Axel Sandin Pellikka too.
Smith and Hutson*
2:55 me when my girlfriend thinks we're having a friendly pillow fight
HAHAHA!!!
Will will compete with Bedard, for best pick ...he's very good 👍 👏 🏒
The fresh Prince
This is is the next Anze Kopitar, and he's going to go around 5OA. Just crazy how deep this draft is
This draft is crazy stacked with talent! Will be interesting to see where players fall come draft time.
i love how his name is will smith
Fun to listen to ...hire this guy, as color commentary 😅😊
bedard is out of the picture for coyotes fans. cooley is the franchise talent they needed to secure. guenther and smith would be simply dreamy linemates for him.
You see smith in the wing?
@@tuttifrutti2229 in arizona’s system i do. i think cooley looks like a franchise center and i also think bill armstrong is very big on size within the top 6 which is where geekie comes in at 2c. Smith is a top 6 player 100% but cooley is a better center. playing with him and then a sniper who is eating the whl for lunch in guenther is a top line that oozes potential.
Jackets fan here hoping he turns into a star
Possibility is definitely there! Columbus is building something nice!
him and cristall are my two favourites of the draft except the obvious top 2.
Both Smith and Cristall are highlight reel gems for sure! Cristall video coming out next weekend.
@@nhldraftpros Zach Benson also looks good, I haven’t seen any Michkov demo though sadly but I’m hearing he is insane and probably could’ve went 2nd overall.
@@Blue-bv1ur he may never come here
His Father got killed. He might stay to take care of his mother. And there's the KHL contract. Will be interesting if he's even at the draft.
@@Blue-bv1ur I did a video on Michkov a few weeks ago...go check it out! He's really good! And Benson video is coming in a couple of days!
Appreciate your videos - one thing, and I really mean this constructively rather than critically- but I think they would be a lot better if you focused on talking more about the player (specifics of each attribute, who they compare to etc.. something more organized) rather than narrating the individual plays we’re watching as that doesn’t add a lot
Hey Jamie! Appreciate the constructive criticism...anything to help the videos grow and become better. I'm always looking to improve so this is a give help. Thanks!
@@nhldraftpros Much respect for the positive reply - I used to watch this guy Andy Lehoux’s videos all the time and think you could very much be the next him (he’s disappeared from RUclips) - here’s a pretty good example of a solid vocal format to go with the footage ruclips.net/video/g3JDNyviRO8/видео.html
@@Jamroy27 Perfect! Will check it out! Thanks again!
Willl Smith will be wearing à Montréal jersey
Hopefully
i hope you’re right ! hopefully he’s still available at 5th 🙏🏻 wouldn’t be mad if we select Michkov tho.
@@xLamby08X I think no matter what we’ll have a class player drafted at 5th so many ways it can go but all fantastic players
Columbus*
@@gabrielchristopher4185 ya I could see Columbus passing on carlsson for obvious GM reasons lol. And taking smith or michkov.
How is no one talking about his name?
Oh they do!
I honestly think he’s better than Leo Carlsson.
emm what about no ? except skating he is definitly not
More dynamic sure, Carlsson is way more well rounded and overall a better player
@@إسماعيلالأندلسي Smith seems to show better playmaking and passing abilities tho, from what I’ve seen from both players.
In the end, the team who picks 4th will have to decide based on their needs, knowing that Leo and Will play with two different kind of styles.
(The gap in talent, if there is really one, isn’t that wide tbh)
I agree
Oooof
Bedard Fantilli Carlsson Smith Benson Michkov
Not the biggest fan. I don't see his dipsy-doodle plays translating to the NHL. Lots of very weak defense on many of these clips. But I could be wrong, of course. Time will tell. I've been more impressed with what Moore has done with much less talented linemates and much less pp time.
Oliver Moore video coming out this week coming up some time! Skating is superb!
@@nhldraftpros Awesome. I look forward to it. Tnx.
Glad I’ve found someone who feels exactly like me lol
@@TheGreekPoet couldn't agree more, I hope the Habs scouts feel the same way 😅
Exactly. Let's hope Kent Hughes feels the same way and makes the right choice at 5 (or 6) with Benson.
Patrick Kane prime like.
Benson is better all around playmaker winger. I like both. The passing is elite.
Both great players! And Benson video is coming out in a couple of days! Thanks for watching!
Future Habs if they don't get Bedard or Fantilli
Being named “Will Smith” and being a forward who wears number 2… feels illegal and not real
Not a big fan, for me hes the 3rd best guy from the program, has one move which is the deceptive hip pocket posture pass but his skating is rough especially the stride, hes very inconsistent, plays too much hero puck, often lacks defensive engagement, not sure how translatable his game is
There are definitely some aspects of his game that need some work, but the way he sees the ice is something that can't be taught. It will be interesting to see where he lands and how they deal with his development. Obviously going to college next year will be a good look for him too.
kids gonna produce no matter what he will work into a more whole prospect in a few years
@@clwxnfn4145 not necessarily as he needs to change his game drastically and develop more translatable elements and moves
I'll be back when he puts up a point per game at BC
@@tylerN76796 wouldn’t be surprised, if he’s with Leonard and Perrealt again, its about the perfect place for him to produce
If i didn't know any better, i would swear i was watching Trevor Zegras.
Definitely has the hands and same style!
Casey middelstad written all over him
More upside tho?
He will slap the puck all over the place 😄
How is he not ranked above Leo Michkov?
Carlsson and Michkov are doing great things in men's leagues and Smith against juniors, so that sometimes affects how players are ranked. Size and other factors play a role as well.
Am I crazy for wanting him as a CBJ fan over Leo
Not at all...he's a special prospect. The top 5 in this draft are really good. It will be interesting to see how it goes at the actual draft.
Yes!! 😂 When the kids off he's off!! His defense is not great!! There's no guarantee that he'll stay a Center in the NHL!! Plus he'll be a 2-3 year project before even sniffing the lineup!! Carlsson is consistent, he's almost ready for the NHL and he's been playing against men whilst Smith is playing against Beer League'ers!! Then you have Michkov who is an Elite Talent!! You don't pass on either of those options for a "Dangler".... Not to mention Michkov is probably two classes above Smith when it comes to Offense!!!
I think I'm leaning Carlsson, but really I'm still mad they didn't tank harder to get Bedard or Fantilli
@@ryanyoder8686 well didn't that work out for us for once
@@jordanpotts99 I was not expecting that! But I'm pumped to have fantilli. Hope he's good!
If habs dont get bedard we get w smith😊
Reminds me of Mitch Marner
This guy's a project; he isn't doing this in the NHL anytime soon.
Skill, vision is there... but when looking at USDP prospects, of course I'm going to get a bunch of highlights of them dummying noobs. And he'll do plenty of this in college, but when NHL defensemen start taking away this guy's space, what will he do? USDP guys really only encounter the crucible when you watch them at the U18s and the WJC... so I'll make a second assessment of him when he's playing in international competition at more meaningful games.
Totally agree! The U18 WJC will be a good viewing for sure, but lets not forget what Smith did at the 5-Nations (9pts in 4gp) and 4-Nations (8pts in 3gp) this season. And he also had a try-out with the U20 WJC team (and left with an injury or illness) but still got the invite.
Like you said, the U18 coming up will definitely put a spotlight on a few of these prospects, including Smith.
20pts. Tournament MVP. This kid is the real deal.
He’s a smart player. He’ll make adjustments for the NHL.
I’d be more worried about a player like Leonard who’s used to bullying smaller U18 kids stepping up to the next level and only having average size/strength.
Unselfish player ...very impressive 😊
Mtl better get him
If you look at his stride, he's not putting his feet enough forward, he's not bitting the ice forward but grab the ice almost all the time behind his center of gravity. He's putting a lot of energy just to accelerate then he looks to be spinning for nothing and so, he doesn't reach any full speed or any top level NHL acceleration, so I'm upset for him, he reminds me Cole Perfetti.
Definitely some work to do on his skating mechanics. Moore is a wonderful skater...just glides on the ice with ease!
I believe he prioritizes agility over speed. The clips I’ve seen of him he can turn on a dime and skate into open space he’s manipulated for himself.
@@MrVisde Indeed, he have a very good balance. Balance can allow to evade the fast NHL pressure by confusing your pursuers, but the best tool is still to move the feet fast. He can works on it in the next two years in Boston, its a IF but it can be corrected.
Habs should pick him up at 5th
Can see that happening! Post Lottery Mock Draft video coming out tomorrow!
ich dachte er ist dunkell und schauspieler 🤭🤭
If he falls to the Sharks at #4 and we don’t draft him, I’m done
I like Smith at 4 for sure!
Michkov though
@@isaiahwince4261 I have Michkov at 3!
@@isaiahwince4261 either one I’m good with
Zegras 2.0
good comparison. COOLEY / B. POINT.....
No because Zegras can skate
Welcome to Detroit lol I hope
I wish, but IMO kid's going top 5
future shark!
Could very well be!
Welcome to the Jackets 😭
I can’t believe he’s #2 as a forward. 🤮
Habs should pick this guy over MATVEI MICHKOV
Slapper
🏒 🦈
Quit watching because the commentary is awful.
Fair enough...how to improve it then?
@@nhldraftpros to be fair, maybe it was my expectations i should have dampered. I was expecting actual analysis on Smith and instead i just got a bunch of highlights with childish play by play commentary. Making my ears bleed after listening to someone yell BOOM when he scores a goal is not what i came to listen to.
@@johab11 Good to know! Always looking ways to improve the content. Only been at it for a year, so appreciate the honesty. Cheers
@@johab11 Actually check out my latest video on Quentin Musty...just released today. More analysis instead of play-by-play commentary. Let me know what you think.