Massachusetts natives Will Smith, Ryan Leonard chosen in prime 10 of 2023 NHL Draft

NHL

Each Smith and Leonard will play collectively at Boston School within the fall.

Will Smith scored 51 targets in 60 video games final season with the U.S. Nationwide Crew Improvement Program. (AP Photograph/George Walker IV)

It didn’t take very lengthy for Lexington’s Will Smith and Amherst’s Ryan Leonard to listen to their names referred to as on the 2023 NHL Draft on Wednesday night time.

Smith and Leonard had been each taken within the prime 10 of the primary spherical of the draft, held at Nashville’s Bridgestone Enviornment.

Smith was taken fourth general by the San Jose Sharks, whereas Leonard was chosen eighth by the Washington Capitals.

It’s the following step in each 18-year-old gamers’ eventual street to the NHL, with the 2 forwards elevating their inventory as premier, blue-chip prospects throughout their time collectively within the U.S. Nationwide Crew Improvement Program (NTDP).

After Sharks legend Patrick Marleau introduced Smith as San Jose’s first decide, Smith made his method as much as the stage because the theme tune from “The Contemporary Prince of Bel-Air” blared over the audio system at Bridgestone Enviornment.

“I really feel like I form of needed to,” Smith said of his song choice. “I’m attempting to personal it and I like the tune, too.”

Smith, an uber-skilled playmaking middle, scored 51 targets and posted 127 complete factors in simply 60 video games with the NTDP’s U-18 crew in 2022-23. He beforehand performed with each the Boston Junior Eagles and at St. Sebastian’s College in Needham earlier than transferring to Plymouth, Michigan to affix the NTDP.

The winner of the 2022-23 Bob Johnson Award for excellence in worldwide hockey competitors, Smith took house event MVP honors on the U-18 Males’s World Championship after scoring 20 factors (9 targets, 11 assists) in simply seven video games.

Leonard, a proper wing who skated subsequent to Smith on the NTDP’s prime line, additionally decimated defenses in his draft yr.

Leonard scored 51 targets and racked up 94 complete factors in simply 57 video games final season, establishing himself as a two-way ahead with a pro-ready launch.

A product of Western Massachusetts hockey packages, Leonard performed for each the Springfield Rifles and Pope Francis Excessive College earlier than making the bounce over to Michigan. Leonard’s older brother, John, performed three seasons at UMass Amherst and is presently within the Nashville Predators group.

Smith’s playmaking and Leonard’s shot helped type some of the productive strains in NTDP historical past — a formidable feat, provided that earlier gamers hailing from this system embrace Auston Matthews, Jack Hughes, Patrick Kane, Quinn Hughes, Clayton Keller, Phil Kessel, and plenty of others.

Each Smith and Leonard will finally play on totally different coasts up on the NHL stage. However the promising forwards are sticking collectively for a minimum of one other season. Smith, Leonard and their fellow NTDP linemate in Gabe Perreault will all play at Boston School this fall.

Originally posted 2023-06-29 01:00:43.