Jackson Smith (D, L, 6’3″, 195, Tri-City Americans, 05/07/2007)
Jackson Smith is a two-way defenseman with elite skating, defensive reliability, and a high hockey IQ, making him a top prospect for the 2025 NHL Draft. He possesses the size, mobility, and poise necessary to be a long-term top-four defenseman in the NHL, with the potential to develop into a cornerstone shutdown defender who provided reliable secondary offense. While his defensive game is polished and his transition ability is among the best in his class, Smith’s offensive production, particularly his shot power and selection, requires further development.
Strengths:
Elite Skating Ability:
Smith’s skating is a defining feature, characterized by a powerful stride, high-end speed, and excellent edgework.
His agility allows him to evade forecheckers, join the rush, and recover defensively with ease.
His offensive transition game thrives due to his ability to carry the puck through all three zones at high speeds.
Defensive Acumen:
Strong spatial awareness and excellent positioning make him effective in one-on-one situations and defensive zone coverage.
An elite stick-checker, consistently breaking up plays with precision and anticipation.
Excels at winning both net front and wall battles, with a 60% success rate in 50/50 puck battles.
Physical without being reckless; uses his size to box out opponents and protect the crease.
Hockey IQ and Decision-Making:
Smart with the puck, making consistent, flat breakout passes to start transitions.
Reads plays well in all three zones, understanding when to jump into the rush or stay back.
Thrives under pressure, showing poise and composure in high-intensity situations.
Work Ethic and Competitiveness:
Smith is a relentless competitor, consistently giving maximum effort and willing to give second-third and fourth efforts to win battles and regain possession.
His motor and physicality make him difficult to play against, and he excels in high-stakes moments.
Puck Anticipation and Recovery:
High-end puck-tracking ability leads to excellent anticipation and recovery of loose pucks (5.5 recoveries per game).
Frequently creates turnovers through smart positioning and active stick work (11 takeaways per game).
Areas for Improvement:
Shot Power and Selection:
Averages 1.57 blocked shots per game, indicating a need to improve shot selection and timing.
Lacks elite shot power, which limits his ability to consistently threaten from the blue line.
Needs to develop the ability to release quick, deceptive shots from less-than-ideal setups.
Offensive Consistency:
While effective in transition and capable of creating scoring chances, Smith’s offensive zone contributions remain inconsistent.
Learning to use his skating to create more dynamic opportunities by showing deception and moving laterally at the point will be key to a top pairing role in the National League.
Puck Management and Passing:
Completes 90% of his passes but occasionally forces plays, leading to unnecessary giveaways (5 per game).
Needs to improve his ability to make decisive plays under pressure
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Physical Development:
At 195 lbs, Smith could add another 10-15 pounds of muscle to improve his physical dominance and shot power.
2024/25 Season with Tri-City Americans (WHL):
Averaging 22:43 total ice time, including 3:13 on the power play and 1:12 on the penalty kill.
Contributing offensively with 25 points in 32 games while maintaining a +/– rating of +6.
2024 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup:
Recorded three assists in five games while playing nearly 20 minutes per game.
Showed strong defensive awareness and transition ability, emerging as Canada’s second-best defenseman behind potential number one overall selection Matthew Schaefer.
Projection
Jackson Smith projects as a top-four, two-way defenseman with the potential to develop into a No. 1 defenseman in the NHL. His elite skating, defensive reliability, and transition skills are already NHL-caliber, and with further development of his offensive game and shot, he could become a game-changing blueliner.
Draft Outlook: Top-15 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, with the potential to rise into the top 10 as the second defenseman selected.
Player Comparison: Brayden McNabb with the potential to evolve into a Shea Theodore type — a dynamic, two-way defender who can play in all situations.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images