HabsWorld.net -- 

The NCAA’s transfer portal has been quite busy in recent weeks with 260 college players entering it.  One of those is Habs prospect Jack Smith who has now transferred to Minnesota State (Mankato) for next season.

The 22-year-old was picked by Montreal in the fourth round back in 2020, going 102nd overall.  He was coming off an impressive year at the U.S. High School level, notching 48 points in just 27 games.  Between that and the fact he’s a natural centre, the scouts felt he was worth a mid-draft dart throw as a longer-term project pick.

Things haven’t gone particularly well for Smith since then, however.  He spent two years in the USHL with Sioux Falls and after putting up just 13 points in 47 games in the first year, injuries limited him to just 10 games before he joined the University of Minnesota-Duluth for the 2022-23 campaign.

After a very quiet freshman year, Smith had a more respectable second season, picking up a dozen points in 34 games.  That was enough to move him up three spots in our preseason Prospect Rankings though he still slotted in 40th overall.  This season saw him take a step back offensively instead of a step forward as he was limited to just nine points in 33 outings and slipped down the depth chart, making the decision to transfer an understandable one as he’s going to a school that, at the moment, doesn’t have any other NHL-drafted prospects but has a top-10 Hobey Baker finalist in goal Alex Tracy.

Smith has one year left in his college eligibility and while more than four years have passed since he was drafted, the Habs will retain his rights through August 15, 2026 unless they elect to relinquish his rights beforehand.  At this point, he’s going to need a much-improved senior year to get back on the prospect radar so suffice it to say, next season will be a critical one for Smith.