This season has been tough for the San Jose Sharks, so let's look at the future. In the 2023 NHL draft, the Sharks had the fourth overall pick. With options for the talented prospects worth taking, the team in teal decided to take Will Smith, an American prospect from the US National Team Development Program. Now at Boston College, Smith is dominating the NCAA and is showing Sharks fans around the world that romorrow is brighter than today if we are all just patient with this organization.
As Smith continues to improve as a young player, the Sharks will be looking to see the Lexington, Massachusetts native continue to flex the talent that made him the fourth overall pick the San Jose Sharks wanted him to be. At the college level, he's certainly starting to prove that he is a beast that should be in the NHL before too long. He's been a monster for the Boston College Eagles.
In 17 games for the Eagles, Smith has 8 goals and 15 assists for 23 points, proving that he is a dominant force when playing against kids his own age. His unbelievable offensive firepower is a cause for optimism across the Sharks fanbase. He will have the hopes of an organization placed at his feet, so we should all be happy to see Smith flaunt his obvious talent.
Smith earned himself a call up for the World Junior Championships with team USA, and has started well. Scoring twice, Smith continues to look like a player that could be the cornerstone of an organization for a long time. He's one of the most talented offensive forward prospects the Sharks have had since Patrick Marleau broke into the NHL so many years ago. To even be comparable to a player liek that speaks volumes about this kid.
He's only got the two goals in three games with team USA, but scoring like that suggests he's going to be able to get it to transition to bigger situations. Smith holding his own in an international best-on-best tournament is proof that we are not insane to place the tag of Sharks franchise savoir on his shoulders. He's going to be a star, nd we need to welcome him into the organization with open arms.