Alberts Šmits poised to become highest‑drafted Latvian in 2026 NHL draft

The 2026 NHL Entry Draft will be held on 27 June in Buffalo, New York. 18‑year‑old Latvian defenseman Alberts Šmits, who has played at the U‑20 World Championship, senior World Championship and Olympic Games and spent the previous season in Sweden’s SHL (33 points) and Germany’s DEL with Red Bull München (7 points in 16 games), is projected to be selected in the first round, most likely with the fifth overall pick by the New York Rangers. Some analysts also see him joining the Seattle Kraken at the seventh spot. If drafted, Šmits would become the highest‑drafted Latvian in NHL history, surpassing Zemgus Girgensons (14th overall in 2012) and Sandi Ozoliņš (30th overall in 1991). The draft will be broadcast live on Go3’s “Extra Sports” channel. Latvia has previously had five players drafted in 1992, 2002, 2015, 2022 and 2024, but none in the most recent 2025 draft.