The Columbus Blue Jackets drafted Jackson Smith No. 14 overall. Penn State men's hockey is welcoming the defenseman in the 2025-26 season to start his NCAA career. He most recently played for the Tri-City Americans of the Western Hockey League.
At the end of his juniors career, Smith worked on improving and strengthening his shot. He's become an explosive player on defense and is looking forward to developing at Penn State as a stepping stone to his NHL career.
The future Nittany Lion had 83 points on 18 goals and 65 assists in his last season with Tri-City. Smith also played for Team Canada in the U18 tournament, placing gold. He had four goals and one assist over the span of seven games.
Defenseman Jackson Smith is selected No. 14 overall in the 2025 NHL Draft
The defenseman was originally expected to be drafted slightly earlier around Pittsburgh's back-to-back picks, but the Penguins traded their No. 12 pick away. Two selections later, Meredith Gadreau announced the Blue Jackets' selection.
Smith is the kind of player who will withstand a professional career for a long time, especially with a six-foot-four-inch frame. When combining his developing shot and the speed he has on the sheet, he's definitely a threat to have on the backend.
Especially at his age, it's traditional for big body prospects to have either the aggression and strength or the puck handling skills. For an 18-year-old to already showcase smooth skating and an ability to quickly turn the puck around, this is something Penn State can help strengthen and benefit from for the amount of time he's a Nittany Lion.
FloHockey's Chris Peters described the defenseman as:
"A tall, rangey defenseman who has produced points as a strong puck mover . . . he adds a different element to the Columbus blue line. Smith is going to Penn State next year, which I think will be very good for his development. He needs to work on making tougher decisions under pressure and being a bit more accurate with some of the plays he tries to make. He was my No. 4 defenseman in this class, but I see so much upside in the player due to his athletic profile."
Even with the offensive progress Smith has made, the NCAA will be a good spot for him — no matter how many seasons he spends — to light more fire on the scoring side of his game. It'll be about combining the sharp skills he has with improved puck decision-making.
This tends to be the area that underclassmen NCAA defensemen tend to have. Two-way defensemen is now a necessary asset to teams, so having that mindset is something NCAA helps control and stabilize. When Smith joins the Nittany Lions, it won't be long before he shows the skill needed at the next level. The Blue Jackets drafted four defensemen in the 2024 NHL Draft to enhance their blue line, and Smith is just another addition to that.