Alberts Smits arrived at Rangers development camp Monday with the kind of calm that doesn’t usually come from an 18-year-old who was just taken No. 5 overall in the draft.
The 6-foot-3 defenseman kept everything pointed at the present, even with plenty of chatter already building about whether he’ll sign his entry-level contract this summer and push for a spot at Rangers training camp in the fall. Asked directly about that possibility, Smits didn’t bite.
“We’ll see how it goes,” he said.
That low-key answer fit the rest of his day. Smits, who the Rangers selected Friday, gave very little away during his media session and handled questions with a steady, almost veteran-like patience. He did not come across like a typical teenager in front of the microphones.
His résumé helps explain why the buzz around him is already loud. Smits has been viewed by many as one of the most NHL-ready players in this draft class. Last season, he held his own against men and more experienced players in pro leagues in both Finland and Germany, and he also represented Latvia at the Milan-Cortina Olympics and IIHF World Championship.
One of the more memorable moments from that run came at the Olympics, when Smits delivered a heavy hit on United States captain and Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews. He brushed that aside just as quickly.
“It was just one moment of the game,” Smits said Monday.
The questions kept coming, and Smits kept his answers tight. When asked where he’ll train this summer, he declined to go into it.
“I want to keep that conversation between me and the organization.”
He did say there is still work to be done in his game.
“There’s a lot of things I have to work on to reach the next level. I have to work on the strengths and also weaknesses in my game.”
Pressed for specifics, he stayed vague.
“There are a lot of small details I don’t want to get into.”
Smits did acknowledge that some Rangers players have already reached out.
“There were a couple [Rangers] players that reached out and welcomed me to the team, so thanks to them for that.”
Asked which players, he didn’t elaborate.
“There was a couple guys.”
For now, Smits seems content to keep the future in the background. Whether that means training camp this fall or a later arrival in New York, the Rangers are clearly looking at a player who projects as a top-four defenseman down the line.
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