San Jose Sharks General Manager Mike Grier announced today that the team has signed center Will Smith to a standard, entry-level contract.
“Will is a dynamic and exciting young center, and we are thrilled to have him join the organization after an impressive season with Boston College,” said Grier. “We think that this is the ideal next step in his growth to play in the NHL full-time, and we’re excited to watch him compete at the greatest level. of hockey.”
Smith, 19, was named the 2023-24 Sharks Prospect of the Year, presented by Kaiser Permanente, after an outstanding freshman season at Boston College. He led the nation with 71 points and 46 assists and tied for sixth in the country with 25 goals in 41 games. He set Boston College’s freshman scoring record and matched the most points by an NCAA U-19 skater since the 1993-94 season. Smith was instrumental in Boston College’s Hockey East Tournament run, scoring 10 points across three games, including nine in the final two games. He had a five-point, four-goal game in the Hockey East Final, helping capture the conference championship. He was the first player to score four goals in the championship game and the first rookie to score three goals or more in the match. Smith also led BC to the NCAA Championship game against Denver, scoring four points (two goals, two assists) in four tournament games.
By season’s end, Smith set new BC records for points and assists by a freshman, and his 25 goals were the fifth-most among first-year players. His 46 assists tied for third all-time in a single season for the college, and his 71 points ranked 10th best in the program’s history. He was the first Boston College player to reach 70 points since Johnny Gaudreau’s 80 in the 2013-14 season.
Smith earned numerous accolades in his first collegiate campaign, including being a Hobey Baker Memorial Award Finalist, making the Frozen Four All-Tournament Team, and being named the Hockey East All-Tournament MVP. He also earned a spot on the AHCA First Team East All-American and the Hockey East First All-Star Team. He was also chosen four times this year as the Kaiser Permanente-sponsored Sharks Prospect of the Week.
Smith mostly participated in basketball for the US National program before to attending Boston College; in the 2022–2023 season, he was a member of the U–18 National squad. In 60 games, he registered 127 points (51 goals, 76 assists), the second-best single-season scoring output in the program’s history. Over his career with the U.S. National squad, he ranks second in all-time points (191), behind only Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils.
Internationally, Smith represented Team USA at the 2024 World Championship and the 2024 World Junior Championship, where he helped lead the team to a Gold Medal. During the competition, he scored nine points (four goals and five assists), including two in the Gold Medal Game versus Sweden, the host nation. Smith found the score sheet in each of the final six games of the tournament, finishing tied for fourth on the team in scoring.
He also represented the USA at the U-18 WJC in 2022 (silver medal) and 2023. He scored 20 points in seven games (2023) (nine goals, 11 assists), helping the squad win a gold medal. He led all skaters in goals and points at the conclusion of the competition, earning the titles of 2023 WJC Most Valuable Player and Best Forward. He was also chosen to the WJC All-Star Team as a Top-3 Player on the USA squad.
San Jose selected the six-foot, eighty-one-pound product of Lexington, Massachusetts with the fourth overall pick in the first round of the 2023 NHL Draft.
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