A smooth-skating defenceman has won the E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence.
Latvian defenceman Alberts Smits was announced as the winner on Tuesday, given annually to a draft prospect "who best exemplifies commitment to excellence through strength of character, competitiveness, and athleticism."
Smits was presented the award by Sportsnet's David Amber and Elliotte Friedman during the first intermission of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final in Las Vegas.
Smits, 18, is the top-ranked international defenceman for the upcoming draft, according to NHL Central Scouting. Sportsnet's Jason Bukala had him at No. 9 in his most recent draft rankings.
This season Smits played starring roles for multiple teams. He played pro with Jukurit in Finland's Liiga and for Munich in Germany's DEL. He also represented Latvia at the World Juniors, the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics and the men's world championships.
He could become the highest-drafted Latvian player in NHL history, a distinction currently held by Zemgus Girgensons (14th overall in 2012 by the Buffalo Sabres). He can also become the 11th player to be drafted in the first round after playing in the Olympics in the same year.
“Alberts Smits emerged as one of the standout young defensemen in the 2026 Draft class," said Dan Marr, Director of NHL Central Scouting, in a statement. "Alberts has NHL talent and the compete and character that he showed each game have earned him the 2026 E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence."
The E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence has been presented annually since 2015 in honour of McGuire, who was director of NHL Central Scouting from 2005 until his death from cancer in 2011.
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