Evening Notes: Smits, Babcock, Cossa

Latvian defenseman Alberts Smits has been named the winner of the 2026 E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence, NHL Central Scouting’s annual honor for the draft prospect who best exemplifies character, competitiveness, and athleticism. The 18-year-old sits second among international skaters on Central Scouting’s final ranking and is expected to go inside the top 10 at the draft in Buffalo later this month, a slot that would make him the highest-selected Latvia-born player in NHL history, surpassing Zemgus Girgensons, whom Buffalo took 14th in 2012.

Smits has built that case against older competition. The 6-foot-3 left shot put up 13 points in 38 games for Jukurit in Finland’s Liiga before a February loan to München of Germany’s DEL, and he was the youngest player at the 2026 Winter Olympics, averaging nearly 19 minutes a night for Latvia. He also led Latvia in ice time at both the World Juniors and the World Championship. “I’m the only one who’s playing in a men’s league right now,” Smits said when asked what separates him from a deep class of draft-eligible defensemen, pointing to the pro experience he believes gives him an edge. He models his game after Miro Heiskanen and Moritz Seider, as reported by Mike G. Morreale at NHL.com.

Additional Notes

• The Babcock situation in Edmonton has escalated. Building on Darren Dreger’s report, Frank Seravalli reports that the NHLPA has asked the NHL to move forward with a formal investigation into the allegations that Mike Babcock invaded players’ privacy during his time in Columbus, and, per sources, has specifically requested that the league delay Babcock’s hiring by the Oilers until that investigation can be completed.
• Kevin Weekes with ESPN reported that Red Wings goaltending prospect Sebastian Cossa could be on the move, with the Utah Mammoth among the interested clubs. Cossa, the 15th pick in the 2021 draft, would give Utah a younger option behind starter Karel Vejmelka, with backup Vitek Vanecek headed to free agency. In 2025-26 with AHL Grand Rapids, Cossa finished 26-8-4 with a 2.33 GAA and a .915 save percentage across 39 games.