USNTDP's Will Smith moving up on Button's prospect ranking

While this year’s United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP) squad doesn’t have an individual prospect at the level of a Jack Hughes or an Auston Matthews headlining its class, centre Will Smith is making plenty of noise.

Committed to attend Boston College in 2023-24, Smith leads the USNTDP in scoring this season with 17 goals and 45 points in 24 games. He’s also climbed from No. 16 to No. 6 in TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button’s latest 2023 NHL Draft ranking.

“He’s one of those players that’s got a real subtle excellence to him,” Button said of Smith. “All of the sudden, he needs to go a little bit faster, and he does. He needs to make a pass, and he does. He needs to maneuver the puck into a shooting position, and he does. You better know where he is on the ice because if you don’t, chances are you’re about ready to get slayed.”

The USNTDP has churned out a number of star players over the years and has been well represented in recent drafts.

The program has produced five first-overall picks in Rick DiPietro (2000), Erik Johnson (2006), Patrick Kane (2007), Matthews (2016) and Hughes (2019), and had a record eight players selected in the first round of 2019. Six players heard their names called in the opening round in Montreal last year, led by centre Logan Cooley going third to the Arizona Coyotes.

While Smith has enjoyed a big rise up the draft rankings, he’s not the only USNTDP player to climb the list. Joining Smith in Button’s top 15 are centre Oliver Moore, who rises from No. 28 to No. 11, right winger Ryan Leonard at No. 13, and left winger Gabe Perreault, who jumps from No. 34 to No. 15.

Smith centres Perreault and Leonard to form the USNTDP’s top line, one that Button calls “the best line I’ve