2023 NHL draft scouting report: Will Smith has 'no holes' in his game
Could high-scoring center with 'no holes' be there for Flyers at No. 7? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
With slim odds, the Flyers didn't strike gold in the Connor Bedard sweepstakes.
But they will have a chance to bring in some needed high-end talent near the top of the 2023 NHL draft.
"We're fortunate it's a good year," Flyers general manager Danny Briere said of the draft crop in April. "We have quite a few picks and we have a high one.
"You have to go through a lot of bad times to get there unfortunately, but it's exciting when you're at the draft table and you get to pick such a high pick. It's going to be a critical pick for the organization moving forward, there's no doubt about it."
After selecting Cutter Gauthier fifth overall last summer, the Flyers are slotted at No. 7 for this year's draft, which will be held June 28-29 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. The club has nine total selections. The first round kicks off at 7 p.m. ET Wednesday, while Rounds 2-7 follow Thursday starting at 11 a.m. ET.
Leading up to the draft, we'll break down targets for the Flyers at No. 7.
To kick things off:
Will Smith
Position: Center
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 181
Shoots: Right
Team: USNTDP
Scouting report
A creative and prolific scorer, Smith is masterful with the puck, but also adept without it. He can outthink and out-skill opponents at an elite level.
The Boston College commit was second on the star-laden U.S. national U-18 team with 127 points this season. He put up 51 goals, 76 assists and a plus-71 rating in 60 games.
"He's one of those players that, consistent with the [U.S.] program, has the excellent speed and quickness," Dan Marr, the director of NHL Central Scouting, said Thursday in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. "It's difference-making type of speed and quickness. But to go along with that, he's got the offensive instincts and intuition where he reads the play and anticipates and reacts. And it's all at an unbelievable quickness. He gets opportunities and creates opportunities that others don't see at the same times, it takes them a little longer."
Behind only Bedard and Adam Fantilli, the draft's consensus top two, Smith is the third-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting. In contrast, on EliteProspects.com, he's the ninth-rated overall draft prospect.
At the 2023 IIHF U-18 World Junior Championship in late April, Smith was the tournament MVP and led the Americans to gold. He finished with 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) in seven games.
"Whenever you need a goal, he's the guy that's going to create a scoring chance," Marr said. "So he's got the speed, he's got the smarts. But he's got excellent playmaking skills in the offensive zone. He can see the ice, set up plays — his read and react is just at an elite quickness level.
"There's no need to look for what he might not be able to do as well in other parts of the game because when he's out there, he's focused and he's motivated."
Rena Laverty/USA Hockey's NTDP
Fit with Flyers
If Smith is available to the Flyers at seventh overall, he'd be a no-brainer pick. It also doesn't hurt that he has a Philly-flavored name.
The 18-year-old would take a serious dent out of the franchise's talent deficiency and he happens to play a premium position. Gauthier is a natural winger, but he's playing center at Boston College and the Flyers hope he plays down the middle at the NHL level. With Smith, the Flyers would then have two potential top-six centers in their system, playing for the same college program.
The Flyers probably feel drafting out of the U.S. national team development program is a strong bet. Three of their first-round picks over the last five years have come from the program: Joel Farabee (2018), Cam York (2019) and Gauthier (2022).
Many draft experts and outlets view Smith as a top-five selection, while some feel he could slip just outside.
If Smith falls, not only would the Flyers welcome his offensive strengths, but they'd also love how he plays the game the right way.
"He's going to be able to generate and contribute offensively, but he's also got instilled in him a really strong work ethic, so he's committed to playing the two-way game — he'll backcheck, he'll stay with his check, he understands the game without the puck," Marr said. "He's all those players where there's no holes to his game. He's just going to mature into an NHL player. How soon that'll be? We'll wait and see.
"But he's got all the tools and he's really a committed athlete. He's committed to being one of the best players he can be. He's an impressive young man."
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