Jackson Smith 2025 NHL Draft Scouting Report

Vitals

Position: Defense

Age on Draft Day: 18

Height, Weight: 6'3", 190 lbs

2024-25 stats (WHL): 66 GP, 11 G, 43 A

Scouting Report

If I had to sum up Jackson Smith's game in two words, it would be "well-rounded," because baby, can he do it all. Don't let people describing him as a two-way player fool you; they don't mean it in the way NHL commentators can use two-way to describe guys who can play at both ends but are low-offense. 

For Smith, it just means he's going to ruin his opponent's day at both ends of the ice.

His strengths include skating and puck movement, as well as nearly everything key to a good defensive game. He's a chameleon—one moment he's your dynamic offensive defenseman leading the rush, and the next he's using his physicality and smothering his opponent. Any top-pair archetype you can think of, Smith can be it.

One of my favorite things about his game is his ability to combine pure skill with pure pain-in-the-tail behavior. He's going to drive his opponents crazy, but you won't catch him sacrificing potential scoring or the opportunity to stop a scoring chance to do it. He's somehow just able to do both. God help you if you end up against him one-on-one.

His speedy skating, agility and edgework are going to be key to translating his game to the next level. It's already at a point that you can visualize it. His offensive instincts are top-notch, with creativity and handling skills that allow him to create effective (and enjoyable) plays.

Another key to his playmaking is the hockey sense and awareness that it provides. He knows exactly where to pass, and exactly where to be to cut off an opponent's pass.

All players have areas they can improve. For Smith, it's continuing to minimize the risks that he takes when he makes those plays. His decision-making will mature with time, though.

I'd also like to see more of the creativity that he's tapped into this season. Don't expect a scoring jump next year, as he's changing leagues and will need to adjust, but he won't exactly struggle either. It will be interesting to see how his offensive instincts play out in a league with a different style from the WHL.

Draft Outlook

Smith won't last long once that first tier of players is gone. It's possible teams think he's too safe of a pick and he floats down to the end of the first half of the round, but that's not likely. EliteProspects has ranked Smith sixth across the season, and that feels more representative of where he should fall in this group. He's the kind of talent, developed properly, that you simply don't come across that often.

Beyond the draft, Smith will be heading to Penn State next season alongside Luke Misa and possibly even Gavin McKenna (that's still just a rumor, to be clear). College hockey will be a good environment for a player as well-rounded as Smith.

Keeping him constantly challenged and allowing him to play and problem-solve in a new environment is only going to be a good thing for his development. Decision-making and creativity were areas of his game that we noted we wanted to see more work on next season; the NCAA will be a great place to develop those.

Loose Stylistic Comparables

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