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The Montreal Canadiens went on the attack for the third time in a row, selecting forward Jack Smith with their first fourth-round pick
When in good health, Smith has been a consistent one-time producer in high school He signed up to the University of Minnesota-Duluth for the 2021-22 season and beyond
Place of birth: St Cloud, MinnesotaDate of birth: July 6, 2002Doors: leftPosition: LWHeight: 5’11 « Weight: 185 pounds Team: St Cloud Cathedral (USHS-MN)
In 2018, he was drafted by Sioux Falls 13th in the USHL Phase 1 Draft that year He also received an essay for the U.S. National Team Development Program in 2017-18, but did not make their final list. Sioux Falls has yet to receive much production from their top USHL selection since Smith, so far, has chosen to stay with his high school team in St Cloud, MN
Last year Smith suffered injuries and was limited to just 17 games, including the playoffs.In a three-game window in December, he had the misfortune of sustaining two separate injuries which, combined, l ‘have sidelined for half of the season First he tore a labrum in his shoulder, then he sprained the MCL in his knee
When he was on the ice, he demonstrated why he was such a high pick in the USHL Draft His 288 average PPG placed him among the best in the USHS-MN, just behind his compatriot Montreal round four Blake Biondi His 10 goals and 19 points in six playoff games show us that not only has he come back from his injuries, but he did it with revenge.
Smith is described as a prospect with a great photo who manages to find ways to use him He has good lower body strength which helps him dominate his peers with his strong skating strides and his solid game in the neutral zone There is no question though; Canadians draft him for his potential as a skilled finisher Smith creates and finishes the attack on the fly and his line with Blake Perbix and Nate Warner has been heralded as « one of the best lines in cathedral history »
Smith isn’t the tallest player, but he’s well developed physically Over the past year, he’s added mass and used that extra strength to be more of a force in the recovery game and when fighting for pucks along the boards He also worked a lot on his skating to be able to become more versatile and add rhythm to his game.
Smith wasn’t an expected selection in the fourth round With players like Martin Chromiak and Zion Nybeck still on the set, the likelihood of Montreal picking a striker was considerable However, Smith was not an actor on our radar.It is questionable if Trevor Timmins and the scout team discovered him while in Minnesota spotting Biondi, who played in the same league in the last season
As we can see above, scouting services which, even at Smith’s rank, are limited was part of Hockey Prospect’s little black book, but they didn’t include it in their final rankings. Should he be taken as a sign that he’s not worthy of a draft selection or just hasn’t been exposed enough, playing in an obscure league?
There are articles from his native Minnesota where he is seen as a hard-working, hockey-loving young perfectionist His coaches describe him as a smart kid, whose knowledge of hockey has always passed his age He seems extremely determined and focused laser to become the best hockey player he can be He is not afraid to work hard to improve his overall skills, which can be seen in the aforementioned examples of him using the offseason to improve his skating and his physical in general
It is encouraging to see that at 18, he already understood that one can go a long way in adding skating speed and body strength to a CV that already includes the ability to be a sniper winger Smart and hardworking goal scorers are always welcome in any organization It is important to note here that Montreal will have ample time to develop it and work on substantial flaws since it still has a year before you even get to the NCAA
Smith will definitely be a player to watch in the future Also hopefully the injuries he suffered last year won’t derail any future development once he settles down to playing faster hockey in USHL and NCAA
Jack Smith is a long term project with a potentially high reward waiting at the finish line With this pick it becomes evident that the Canadiens have decided to spend a good chunk of this year’s resources on improving depth of their hopes for high-scoring wingers
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News from the world – CA – Find out about the 101st overall selection of the Montreal Canadiens Jack Smith
