The Calgary Flames have plenty of needs heading into the 2026 NHL Draft, and with their rebuild going along slowly, they will have plenty options when they walk to the podium with the No. 6 overall draft pick.
There's the popular picks, the good picks and the very overlooked possible picks, and today, we'll look into the latter with Latvian star Alberts Smits, who has been a name to watch heading into this draft for a number of years now.
Sure, he may not be the pick that fans are expecting, but with good experience and a game that's ready built for the professional level, he could be a great selection for the Flames, and now, we'll look more into his potential.
Pre-Draft Production
Year | Team | League | Games Played | Goals | Assists | Points | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024/25 | Jukurit Mikkeli | SM-Liiga | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -3 |
2025/26 | Jukurit Mikkeli | SM-Liiga | 38 | 6 | 7 | 13 | -3 |
2025/26 | Munich EHC | DEL | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
2026 | Latvia U-20 | World Juniors | 5 | 1 | 4 | 5 | -6 |
2026 | Latvia | Olympic Games | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -2 |
Obviously, one would look at the production of a player like Carson Carels, Chase Reid or Keaton Verhoeff and dismiss what Smits has done in his two pre-draft seasons, but the majority of his competition has already been fully grown men. On top of that, Smits game is his balanced, defensive strength, and while he has the talent to be a contributor offensively the numbers are never going to jump off the page.
He counters that by his pro-ready game that he's been crafting for years, and with 6 goals and 13 points across 38 games this past season, he has shown the ability to be able to score when he gets cofortable.
Strengths
At 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, it's very easy to tell that Smits biggest strength is his size and the physicality that comes along with it, as he already has experience against some of the best players in the game after representing Latvia at the 2026 Olympic Games. Coming with that is his aggressiveness at both ends of the ice, but he doesn't sacrifice responsibility in his own zone, as he's a safe, responsible defender.
The 18-year old is also very strong on the puck, and unlike some defenders in this draft, he'll be able to play both the powerplay and penalty kill immediately, and that makes him a very appealing prospect.
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