The most exciting prospect in the Rangers system is Alberts Smits. The fifth overall pick in this year's draft has been one of the main young pieces blue shirts fans have talked about. With so much hype surrounding him, and an opening on the Rangers' bottom pairing, many have been putting him in the opening-night lineup. It would be the second straight season that a rookie has made the Rangers' opening-night lineup. But this would not be the best move for his development. It is best for the Rangers to take their time and be patient with him.
The Rangers need to make sure Alberts Smits is ready for the NHL
During the draft process, Smits was considered one of the most pro-ready players in the class. He played well for Jukurit of Liiga, racking up six goals and seven assists for 13 points in 38 games. He also put on a show for EHC München, logging seven points in 16 games between the regular season and playoffs. Being so comfortable in two different professional leagues at such a young age is why many scouts he could make the transition to the NHL quickly.
But playing professionally in Europe is a lot different from playing in North America. For starters, the skill level is vastly different. In European leagues, the talent level is much lower than that of the NHL. With how skilled these players are, the game moves at a much faster pace. The NHL also places a higher emphasis on physicality and gritty play. While Smits could probably handle it with his 6' 3", 209-pound frame, there is no guarantee.
We have seen other prospects make the jump from the European leagues to the NHL and struggle. Look at Kaapo Kakko, a player everyone expected to be a superstar, who came over during his rookie season and struggled. He was never able to adjust his skill set to the NHL game, and the fanbase got on him for it. He was criticized heavily, and it took a change of scenery for him to become a consistent middle-six forward. Still nowhere near what we thought he could be.
Now Smits hype is nowhere near the level of Kakko. No one is expecting him to be the piece the team build around. But it shows what happens when a young player does not meet expectations. If Smits comes here and struggles, the fanbase could get on him. Because he's so young, it could crush his confidence and stunt his development. That's why it's better to play him overseas and let him mature both physically and mentally.
While it stinks to be patient and wait for a player as talented as Smits to arrive, it is the best thing they can do. Allowing him to come up when he's ready will make his transition to the NHL much easier.
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