Sharks select Will Smith with the 4th overall pick.

Nashville – The San Jose Sharks have selected Will Smith with the 4th overall pick. Smith spent last season with the USNTDP, where he scored 51 goals, and 76 assists in 60 games. Smith was also named the MVP of the U18s, where America won gold over Sweden.

“Mostly, these dangles serve Smith’s ends as a playmaker. His instinctual handling skill, with feints and deception aplenty, opens up ice for himself and his linemates, and he has the touch as a distributor to connect every time. He made life all too easy for his linemates at times.
You don’t score 50-plus goals without the ability to find twine yourself, though, so don’t discount Smith’s ability to finish the job himself, either. Sure, he can put a goaltender into the spin cycle, but he’s also a capable off-puck scoring threat, probing for shooting opportunities and timing his arrivals into space perfectly before sending one- and two-touch shots on goal.” – Elite Prospects Draft Guide.

The San Jose Sharks look to continue their rebuild by building down the centers with Filip Bystedt last season and Will Smith this year. Smith will need to work on his defensive game while at Boston College, but the upside of a potential Trevor Zegras or Jack Hughes light was too much for the Sharks to pass up.

Smith is expected to spend next year at Boston College with Ryan Leonard, who was picked 8th by the Washington Capitals, and Gabe Perreault, who is expected to be a top-15 pick.


Discover more from Inside The Rink

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

JD Young

Host of Locked on Sharks, saved the franchise once.

Leave a Reply

Brady Martin 2025 Draft Profile

2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Brady Martin

The Scouting Report: Brady Martin of the Soo Greyhounds is a very intriguing prospect in this year’s draft, and recently has been climbing the rankings at a quick pace. Many teams in the front half of the first round are showing interest in the forward, who scored 72 points in 57 games played. Martin is […]

Read More
LJ Mooney 2025 Draft Profile

2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile: L.J. Mooney

L.J. Mooney is an 18-year-old right-shooting center and right-wing from West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. He spent the 2024-25 season playing with the U18 U.S. National Team and the USNDTP Juniors, as well as appearing in the 2025 U18 World Junior Championships. He is projected to be selected early in the second round of the 2025 NHL […]

Read More

2025 Hockey Hall of Fame Class Announced

The 2025 Hockey Hall of Fame Class has been announced. The class will be inducted on Monday, November 10, 2025.

Read More