Ty Smith drafted by the New Jersey Devils

The WHL saw their first player get drafted into the NHL at the entry draft in Dallas, Texas as defenseman Ty Smith was selected 17th overall by the New Jersey Devils. Smith went the entire season as the top-ranked WHL draft eligible and so it was no surprise to see him get taken first.

 

The 2000-born blue liner was drafted first overall in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft by Spokane, with a pick they got from the Saskatoon Blades as part of a trade deadline deal for forward Collin Valcourt. There was no protection for the pick, so despite Saskatoon having the top pick in the draft, it went to the Chiefs.

Smith played in two games as a 15-year-old, but was thrown into the deep end as a 16-year-old rookie. He regularly played on the top pairing, on the power play and on the penalty kill for the Chiefs. He scored five goals and added 27 assists for 32 points in 66 games. Spokane just missed out on the playoffs that year.

As a 17-year-old, Smith came off of winning the U18 Ivan Hlinka with Canada and carried even more of the load for Spokane. He scored 14 goals and added 59 assists for 73 points. He then notched seven points in Spokane’s seven-game, first round series loss to the Portland Winterhawks.

With Smith going on Friday, Spokane now has had seven players get picked in the first round since 1985. Prior to Smith, Kailer Yamamoto (Edmonton-2017-22nd overall), Jared Cowen (Ottawa-2009-ninth), Michael Grabner (2006-Vancouver-14th), Brad Ference (1997-Vancouver-10th), Ty Jones (1997-Chicago-16th) and Pat Falloon (1991-San Jose-second) were all taken in the first.

Smith is also the Chiefs’ 73rd player drafted in the NHL Entry Draft.