The wait to see where Will Smith (Lexington, Mass.) would be selected in the 2023 NHL Draft didn’t take very long.
The San Jose Sharks took Smith with the fourth pick, marking the first time since 2021 that New England had a pick in the top five.
It’s no surprise that Smith went this high — the Lexington, Mass., native lit up the competition with the U.S. National Team Development Program’s 18U team this winter, scoring 51 goals and 127 points in 60 games. Then came his gold-medal performance at the World Juniors U18 where he posted a tournament-high 20 points in seven games.
Prior to heading to the program in 2021-22, Smith attended St. Sebastian’s in 2020-21. Most of his youth development took place with the Boston Jr. Eagles.