Alberts Smits to join New York Rangers opening night roster

The New York Rangers have announced that 18-year-old defenseman Alberts Smits will make the team’s opening night roster for the 2026-27 season. Smits, the fifth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, is one of only five high-ranking draft picks to secure a spot on an NHL roster before the upcoming submission deadline.

Smits impressed during the preseason, recording an assist and a +2 rating in three outings. He is the first Rangers draft pick to break camp in his post-draft season since Alexis Lafrenière in 2020, and potentially the first 18-year-old defenseman to play for the franchise in 52 years. Before joining the Rangers, the Latvian defender gained professional experience playing in the Finnish pro league with Jukurit and in Germany with EHC Munich.

The roster decision comes amid a modified NHL preseason schedule, which has been shortened to four games due to the regular season expanding from 82 to 84 games. Rangers Head Coach Mike Sullivan noted that the accelerated timeline requires the team to instill concepts immediately while providing players opportunities to demonstrate their abilities.