The waiting, speculation, and debates are finally over. The San Jose Sharks took American center Will Smith with the fourth overall selection at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, adding a highly-touted prospect to their attempt to build a promising young core. Smith offers a lot of promise and potential as an 18-year-old with plenty of room to grow, but even then the pick comes with disappointment for some Sharks fans. Many of them wanted to see their team grab Matvei Michkov, the dynamic Russian forward who is perhaps the most high-risk/high-reward player in this year’s draft class. And while passing on him is certainly a difficult choice, Smith is still a great option. He has the talent to become a franchise centerpiece in the future, and his selection gives the front office significant control over both him and the direction of the team.
Smith Brings Excitement and Strong Resume
Regardless of who else was available at the fourth spot, Smith is an incredible hockey player who has gotten better every year. After recording 37 points in 35 games with the U.S. National U17 Team and 27 points in 28 games with the U18 Team in 2021-22, he exploded in 2022-23, scoring 51 goals and 127 points in just 60 games with the U18 Team. Given his age, it’s easy to think that he could become an even more dominant player as his career progresses.
Smith’s eye test is exciting as well. He is one of the draft’s most skilled players, and can fully control the action of a game just by having the puck on his stick. His elite playmaking and creativity give him an advantage and allow him to beat defenses, whether by setting up a teammate or scoring himself. He may not put his abilities to use in the NHL immediately given his upcoming plans, but his time in college will be great for his development. Whenever the Sharks add his puck skills to their lineup, they will be fulfilling one of their biggest needs.
Michkov Comes With High Potential and Uncertainty
There is a real argument to be made that Michkov was the second-most skilled player in this year’s draft class. And there were legitimate reasons for the Sharks to take him — not only did his timeline seemingly fit into theirs, but they also might have matched up better than Michkov does with any other team. His Russian contract appears to line up with San Jose’s rebuilding plan, and the Sharks being more than one season away from contention meant they could afford to wait on a risky player.
Related: San Jose Sharks and Matvei Michkov are Perfect Match
But in the upsides of a potential Michkov pick, we see the downsides as well. The fourth pick gave the Sharks an opportunity to begin turning their fortunes around. If Michkov never ends up coming to the NHL due to a multitude of potential factors, such as the current uncertain political situation in Russia, then the Sharks made a wise choice. Smith is far more likely to join the Sharks roster eventually, and may very well do so sooner than Michkov would have. Furthermore, Michkov’s time in Russia makes his development difficult for an American team to monitor and manage. Smith, on the other hand, will be attending Boston College, where Sharks general manager and Boston University alum Mike Grier should put his knowledge of New England hockey to good use.
It’s also worth noting that, even with the chance to select perhaps the second-best pure hockey player in the draft, four other front offices decided Michkov wasn’t worth the risk. He certainly could become a phenomenal NHL player one day, but Smith is a far more known quantity, and it’s logical for the Sharks to go with the more controllable player.
Sharks Look to the Future
Last night was an exciting night for the next phase of Sharks hockey. Receiving their highest pick since 1998, in a draft with one of the strongest top fives in years, they found themselves faced with two fantastic options. They took the safer route but still found a player talented enough to usher in a thrilling new age for a franchise still searching for that elusive first championship.
Any hypotheticals about who the Sharks could have chosen don’t matter anymore. The Will Smith era has arrived in San Jose, and it’s time to find out what he can contribute.
