The Rangers’ blue line got a lot more crowded in a hurry, and that changes the conversation around Alberts Smits.
New York spent the offseason reshaping its defense, landing Sean Durzi in the Vincent Trocheck trade with the Utah Mammoth and adding Marcus Pettersson from the Vancouver Canucks. Those moves gave the Rangers a clear top four with Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov already in place, and they also complicated the path for the fifth overall pick in the draft.
Smits, the Latvian defenseman selected before free agency kicked off, had been viewed as the most pro-ready blueliner in the class. That group also included Chase Reid, Carson Carels, and Keaton Verhoeff, and the early expectation was that Smits would be ready to step into a top-four role. But with Durzi and Pettersson now in the mix, that lane looks blocked unless he forces the issue.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman addressed that exact scenario on the latest episode of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, and he sees a path for Smits if the rookie earns it.
"Even if you're a third pair D, you're still paying, what, 15 to 18 minutes, it's not the worst way to learn if you're ready for it," said Friedman.
That’s the key here: the Rangers don’t need to rush him. The first round of the NHL Draft came five days before free agency, and at that point New York’s defense depth looked thin enough that Smits seemed like a natural fit for the top four.
His floor was considered the highest among the defensemen in this class, which made the projection easy. The roster has changed since then.
At 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds, Smits has the kind of frame the Rangers like on the back end. He also brings a shot that could help a team looking for more offense, even after adding Pavel Dorofeyev and Oliver Bjorkstrand. The production was there in Europe, too: six goals and seven assists in 38 games for Jukurit of Liiga, plus one assist in five regular season games and two goals and four assists in 11 playoff games on loan with EHC Munchen of the DEL.
His stock also rose at the Winter Olympics for Latvia, where he held his own against some of the best players in the world.
So the question now isn’t whether Smits has a place in the Rangers’ future. It’s when that place opens up.
Maybe it comes in 2026-27. Maybe he wins over Mike Sullivan sooner and carves out real minutes before then.
For now, the cleanest immediate route looks like the third pair, and Friedman pointed out that even that role can be a useful proving ground.
If that’s where he lands, a third pairing with Braden Schneider would give the Rangers a solid defensive duo to work with.
In Other News...
Islanders Just Sent A Strong Message About Barzal And Horvat
The Rangers have made it clear they are not entertaining any noise around Adam Fox, even after other teams checked in on his availability. There had been some speculation that Fox might be carrying lingering frustration after being left off the U.S. Olympic roster, but that chatter does not appear to have much footing, and New Yorks stance only reinforces how central he remains to the blue line.
For the Islanders, the message is just as direct with Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat. Despite outside interest, they are not looking to move either center, a sign that the organization still sees both as core pieces rather than names to shop. In a division where rival teams are always probing for leverage, that kind of firm line matters, especially with the Devils also waiting on a separate roster decision elsewhere in the Metro. [Read more 🡒]
Chris Kreider Could Be Pulled Back Into A Rangers Debate
Chris Kreiders first season in Anaheim went about as well as the Ducks could have hoped. After the Rangers moved him, he gave them a steady scoring presence, finished with 50 points in 75 games and was part of a team that not only made the playoffs but also won a first-round series. For a player who had been such a familiar figure in New York, it looked like a clean break that worked for everyone involved.
Now the Ducks roster math is getting tighter, and that is where Kreider could get pulled back into the conversation. After the Leo Carlsson offer sheet and Pavel Mintyukov extension, Anaheim may have to clear salary, and Sportsnets Elliotte Friedman suggested Pat Verbeek could be forced to move one or more veterans to make it work. Frank Vatrano and Alex Killorn are also in that mix, which leaves open the possibility that Kreider, once thought to be settled in Orange County, could become part of a new trade debate all over again. [Read more 🡒]