The New York Rangers have officially signed Alberts Smits to his entry-level contract, and this is a move that was highly anticipated based on how much the team loves him as a prospect.
Officially a Blueshirt 🤝
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) July 15, 2026
We've agreed to terms with defenseman Alberts Smits on a three-year, entry-level contract → https://t.co/cEtYc31oSJ pic.twitter.com/vQXaz4eJNE
Rangers take care of easy business and have options with how they can deploy Smits
The decision to sign Smits hints at the fact that he will play some role in the NHL this season, but still gives the Rangers to take their time if they want to.
If the Rangers truly want to slow walk things with Smits, highly unlikely, him signing this deal doesn't automatically start the clock on his NHL future. He could appear in 10 games this season, and then spend the rest of the year in the AHL and have the start of his ELC delayed by one year.
I would imagine the Rangers would ideally want to have Smits on the roster as long as they can, as his league readiness was a key part of why he was selected with the No. 5 overall pick. On draft night Director of Amateur Scouting John Lilley talked about the Rangers' decision, something that was questioned at the time because of who was on the board.
Lilley was quick to say, Smits was the best player available, and that the Rangers have a process that they go through and build a list throughout the year. There were a lot of great options, and he was picked for a reason.
Lilley on Šmits' NHL readiness: "That’ll take care of itself. That’s not up to me. That’s something that (Chris Drury) and (Mike Sullivan) will figure out as we move forward. But he’s an excellent prospect and we’re thrilled to get him."#NYR
— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) June 27, 2026
Smits had a busy year prior to being drafted, and how he reacted to the challenges he faced speaks to the Rangers' level of trust in him. On draft night Lilley said, "His body of work this year at every level — the pro league in Finland, right through — he played against men. Handling himself as well as he did and thriving in hostile environments against NHL-type players, or older professional players in Europe with NHL and AHL experience in North America, certainly helped his cause."
At this point the only interesting thing to be announced is the structure of his contract. There's a few different ways the Rangers could have built it out with bonuses, and that structure will tell fans everything they need to know about his immediate NHL future. Stay tuned for more information on that front.
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