A major storyline in training camp this September is going to be where their 5th overall pick starts the 2026-2027 season. Should Alberts Smits start in the AHL? Should he start in the NHL? Now that he’s inked his entry level contract, most eyes will be on him during training camp as one of the main battles in September. Smits will be ingrained in the 3LD battle with Matthew Robertson and Drew Fortescue, and there is no clear indication who has the inside track just yet.
The case to start in the NHL
Smits already has two seasons under his belt in Liiga, playing against men in Finland’s top league. That matters a lot in regards to NHL readiness, especially when considering his age. Smits played his age-16 and age-17 seasons in Liiga, where his 6’3, 205 lb frame certainly helped him adjust quickly. In theory, this should make Smits’ adjustment to the NHL much smoother.
Smits fills a lot of holes for the Rangers. He’s an elite skater who moves the puck well and is solid in all three zones and all three strengths. He plays with a mean streak, which is a nice added bonus as the Rangers certainly lack that element in the lineup right now. There’s a lot to like about Smits’ game, and remember some said he could be the best defenseman in this draft.
Smits’ role with the Rangers would likely be as the 3LD to start the season, possibly moving up in the lineup as the season progresses. There’s also a strong argument to put him with Adam Fox right away, as every player Fox has played with sees an uptick in effectiveness. Fox is simply that good, and adding another possible 1D to his pair gives the Rangers far more flexibility down the lineup.
If, for example, the Rangers go Smits-Fox, that opens up one of Vlad Gavrikov or Marcus Pettersson to play with Scott Morrow and help him adjust to the NHL while covering for his expected defensive miscues early. The other can play with Sean Durzi on the second pair and give the Rangers a truly legitimate top-four.
Smits in the NHL gives the Rangers three solid defense pairs with the potential to become one of the best defensive groups in the NHL. Morrow would be the weak link in this scenario, and even then his weaknesses would be complemented by one of Gavrikov or Pettersson, who excel in defensive zone play.
Smits’ presence makes the defense that much stronger. He’s miles better than Matthew Robertson and Drew Fortescue.
Should Alberts Smits start in the AHL, just in case?
Rangers fans have a bit of PTSD with rushing top picks to the NHL. Kaapo Kakko, Alexis Lafreniere, K’Andre Miller, and Lias Andersson all struggled when jumping straight to the NHL. Braden Schneider played a month and a half in Hartford before making the jump, and he’s plateaued as well. By the time the puck drops for the 2026-2027 season, there’s a chance only Lafreniere remains. The Rangers botched this.
This only provides more fuel to the argument that Smits should start in the AHL. The Rangers most recently went this route with Ryan McDonagh, giving him half a season in the AHL before he stuck in the NHL. McDonagh’s style of play is very similar to Smits, though Smits is a better skater and is more engaged physically.
Rushing Smits and messing up his development would set the Rangers back years in this retool and perhaps force a more traditional rebuild. They need to get this right, and rushing him could only present more risk than playing it safe. The Rangers have Robertson readily available to play 3LD minutes in the interim. Why rush Smits when the blue line is already much improved and very serviceable to start the season?
With a shortened camp and preseason, the Rangers don’t have the luxury of taking an extra week to make a decision. They will have two weeks in September to figure out what to do before the season starts. It’s a short runway, which certainly impacts where Smits should and will start the season.
Caution is good. Too much caution is not. And believe it or not, this is something the Rangers can get wrong.
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