Alberts Smits arrived at Rangers training camp with one real question hanging over him: would New York keep the fifth-overall pick on the NHL roster, or send him to Hartford to get more seasoning?
So far, Smits has done everything he can to make that decision easy.
The Rangers didn’t enter camp with many open jobs. Most of the Opening Night roster looked settled, with the real uncertainty centered on the fourth line, the goalie situation for the 2026-27 season, and one spot on the left side of the bottom defense pair.
That last opening created the only meaningful battle for Smits, who was widely viewed as the most pro-ready player in the 2026 draft class. The catch was obvious: Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson had already blocked his path to the Top 4, which made an AHL assignment a real possibility.
Instead, Smits has forced his way into the conversation.
Head coach Mike Sullivan has kept him on the left side next to Braden Schneider throughout camp, and Tuesday’s preseason game against the Islanders was his first real chance to show it in a live setting. He looked calm under pressure, used his 6'3", 208-pound frame to cut off puck carriers in the Rangers’ zone, and showed a steady defensive stick. He also flashed the other side of his game, including a heavy shot and the vision to find open teammates.
That showed up on Taylor Raddysh’s goal, when Smits spotted him alone in front and delivered the puck for a deflection that made it 3-0 Rangers.
For a rookie, there’s still plenty to polish. But the upside is easy to see, and Sullivan didn’t hide his appreciation afterward.
Asked about Smits’ work on the third pairing, Sullivan called it a “strong game” and said the Rangers were “encouraged by his performance.” He pointed to the traits that stood out most: size, mobility, and reach.
"One of the biggest challenges for young players is just the physical size and strength of the guys in this league. You guys can see it - he's a man as an 18-year-old. His physical stature, he's big and strong," said Sullivan.
That physical presence was a major part of Smits’ appeal as a prospect, but it wasn’t the only reason the Rangers were so drawn to him. He came with real professional experience already in hand, having played in the top leagues in Finland and Germany before representing Latvia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, where he held his own against mostly NHL talent. That background helped set him apart from other top defense prospects like Chase Reid and Carson Carels.
With camp moving quickly toward the regular season and Sullivan clearly impressed, Smits now looks like the favorite to claim an Opening Night spot. Matthew Robertson, who appeared to be his main competition for that bottom-pair left-side role, seems headed toward the outside. If the Rangers keep things as they stand now, Robertson would be more likely to serve as the seventh defenseman.
There are still arguments for giving a young player more time in the minors. But in Smits’ case, the Rangers may already have their answer. He doesn’t just look ready to help - he looks ready to matter.
In Other News...
Rangers Gave Fans Real Reason To Feel Good Before Bruins Opener
A strong night against the Islanders gave the Rangers a little preseason momentum as they headed toward the Boston Bruins and the start of games that count. New York jumped early and kept pouring it on in a 6-1 win, with Oliver Bjorkstrand, J.T. Miller, Tye Kartye, Will Cuylle and Mika Zibanejad all getting on the scoresheet while Adam Fox set the tone with three assists.
For a team trying to build some early confidence, it was the kind of performance that checked a lot of boxes without asking the staff to read too much into the result. The Rangers have now strung together two straight preseason wins, and after the offensive showing on Long Island, they have at least given their fans a reason to feel better about where things stand before the opener in Boston. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Still Have One Roster Decision Hanging Before Opening Night
The preseason ended on a high note for the Rangers, who rolled past the Islanders 6-1 with a lineup that looked awfully close to what they expect to roll out on opening night. Even with the win serving as a tidy finishing touch, the final roster remains unfinished, with two spots still open as the club heads into the last stretch before the regular season begins.
What makes the wait interesting is the shape of the roster itself. New York has already trimmed its camp group and is still staring at a shortage of clear center options, which has fueled the idea that the answer could come from outside the organization. The waiver wire is part of the conversation now, and the next move may say as much about the teams depth concerns as the preseason finale did about its top-end readiness. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Face One Season-Defining Question Heading Into 2026-27
The Rangers head toward 2026-27 with a much cleaner-looking backbone than they have had in recent seasons. Between Adam Fox, Vlad Gavrikov and Igor Shesterkin, the club has the kind of defensive and goaltending structure that can keep games manageable, and that is usually the starting point for any team trying to steady itself in the East.
Still, the real question is whether the rest of the roster can do enough to turn that stability into wins. New Yorks season could swing quickly depending on health and the growth of its younger forwards, with the gap between a playoff berth and a frustrating year likely resting on whether the offense finds enough consistency to support the pieces already in place. [Read more 🡒]