Rangers' Alberts Smits Shows Flashes of Brilliance Despite Scoreless NHL Start
The 18-year-old defenseman is impressing with his defensive play and poise, even as his offensive production has yet to materialize.
Alberts Smits, the New York Rangers' 18-year-old defenseman, has provided glimpses of his potential since joining the NHL, even as he seeks his first point of the season. Coach Mike Sullivan has noted Smits' "offensive dimension to his game that might be untapped," and while scoring has not yet followed, the team remains impressed with his overall performance.
"I think the offense is gonna come," Smits said. "Just gotta take care of the defense first. So that’s what I’m focusing on right now." Smits has demonstrated flashes of his offensive capabilities, including a moment in the first period against the Devils where he generated a scoring chance. Last season, he recorded two assists for Latvia in the Winter Olympics and contributed six goals and 13 points in 38 games with Finland’s Jukurit. His preseason performance included a pass that led to a goal, drawing praise from Sullivan for his passing and poise.
The Rangers have observed strong underlying metrics from Smits. He ranks second on the team in expected goals per 60 minutes, trailing only Adam Fox. During his shifts on Saturday, the team registered a high expected goals for percentage and a strong expected goals against number in their overtime loss to Columbus.
Despite these positive indicators, Smits' ice time has been limited at times, partly due to the team's power play opportunities and his current role outside of special teams units. In the Rangers' recent overtime loss to Columbus, he skated just 14:46, the lowest among Rangers defensemen. Head coach Mike Sullivan acknowledged that defensive pairings are managed by assistant coach David Quinn, who oversees the defense.
Sullivan has characterized Smits' occasional miscues as "mistakes of enthusiasm," underscoring the team's overall satisfaction with his integration into the lineup. The team opted for Smits' potential over more experienced defensemen, accepting the inevitable learning curve.
"The biggest challenge [for young defensemen] is the reads," Sullivan explained. "When to be aggressive. When to cut your losses, stay inside the dots, manage the dots, let the play come to you a little bit. That’s the hardest part, I think, of playing defense in this league, and that’s, I think, Smitty’s challenge moving forward. But we love his aggression."
The team believes Smits' defensive play has translated well to the regular season, and they anticipate his offensive game will develop further over time. As of Monday, Smits remained the last regular Blueshirt player without a point this season.