<p>Tri-City Americans defenseman Jackson Smith is a top-rated prospect to go in the 2025 NMHL Draft. The 6-foot-3 defenseman notched 11 goals and 43 assists for 54 points in 68 games this season in the WHL.</p>



<p>Smith ranks No. 8 on <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/2025-nhl-mock-draft-post-nhl-trade-deadline-edition">Steven Ellis’s latest mock draft</a>: “He’s physical, he skates so well, and he’s as mobile as it gets for a 6-foot-3 defenseman,” Ellis said. ” I also think his hockey sense is great, and it’s only a matter of time until he finds a way to explode offensively. Scouts see him as a top-four defenseman who can play a bunch of different roles. He should be an impact player on Canada’s World Junior team next year, too, which will help his overall profile. Smith will likely surpass the 50-point barrier with Tri-City this year, which only adds to his value.”</p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="141"></div>



<p>Today on Daily Faceoff Live, prospect analyst Steven Ellis talks about why Smith is one of the top rated defenders for the upcoming draft and what makes him standout.</p>



<p><strong>Frank Seravalli:</strong> When you take a look at the top ten, who are some other defensemen outside of Matthew Schaefer, though, that you’d see as fitting that criteria?</p>



<p><strong>Steven Ellis: </strong>I would look at Jackson Smith, and that was one when I went to the Hlinka Gretzky that really impressed me because he was playing all these different situations. He had 11 goals this year, which, you know, is very solid but not Carter Yakemchuck or Zane Parekh level goals. I would argue that Jackson Smith, the big thing for him, is just how defensively sound he is. </p>



<p><strong>Steven Ellis:</strong> He’s also six-foot-three, and he’s very mobile. I think next year we’re looking at him getting 75, 80 points in the WHL if everything goes right. He’s a guy that it seems like his teammates really loved to spend time with, a guy that just is making everyone laugh, he’s got a good personality, and he’s also just on the ice, just a difficult player to play against. So I’m not sure how I would rank him in a different class among defensemen because there are a lot of good blue liners, but I think this year, he’s a good number two.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="232"></div>



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