Will
Smith
C · SJS · Offensive · Below average
- PAL
- 30
- WAR
- 1.6
- Value
- 44
- PTS
- 59
2025-26№ 92 / 615
Will Smith (San Jose Sharks) stats and profile: offensive production, ice time, advanced stats, WAR and PAL rating.
Will Smith
#2CPlays: Winger · 17% of faceoffs
San Jose Sharks
HEIGHT : 183 cm · WEIGHT : 82 kg · SHOOTS : R
Born : March 16, 2005 · Boston, United States
Drafted : 2023 · SJS · round 1, pick #4
Contract : $950,000 · 2024-25 → 2026-27 · Entry-Level Contract · RFA · Signing bonus $95,000
NHL record
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | San Jose Sharks | 19 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 6 |
| 2025-26 | San Jose Sharks | 69 | 24 | 35 | 59 | 16 |
| 2024-25 | San Jose Sharks | 74 | 18 | 27 | 45 | 18 |
| NHL totals | 162 | 49 | 68 | 117 | 40 | |
Will Smith: our analysis
2025-26 season: 69 GP, 24 G, 35 A, 59 PTS, +1 +/-, 18:11 TOI. WAR 1.6 (92nd of 615) · PAL 30, below average.
In 2025-26, Will Smith, 21, posts a PAL Rating of 30 out of 100 (below average), and his WAR of 1.6 ranks 92nd among 615 regulars, in the top quarter.
His strengths: offense (84, well above average), shooting (80, well above average) and creation (64, above average). On the other hand, defense (3, among the weakest in the league) and penalty kill (14, among the weakest in the league) hold him back.
Breaking down his WAR (goals above average), his biggest contribution: finishing (+6.6); his biggest cost: EV defense (-2.1).
A clear step forward: his PAL went from 17 in 2024-25 to 30; his WAR went from 1.2 to 1.6.
Contract-wise, his Value score of 44 (poor return) weighs his output against what he costs: 50 is what that salary should buy.
Will Smith's story
Growing up in Lexington, Massachusetts, Will Smith learned to skate at four and split his youth between several sports before hockey became his focus. After attending the Fessenden School and Saint Sebastian's, he joined the USA Hockey National Team Development Program at 16, living with teammates while sharpening the playmaking instincts that would define his junior years.
During his two seasons with the NTDP Smith delivered outstanding offensive totals—92 points in 99 games his first year across competitions and 169 points in 80 games in his second—finishing the program with 191 points. Those numbers helped cement his status as a top prospect and led to San Jose selecting him fourth overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. He opted to spend the 2023–24 season at Boston College, teaming up again with familiar linemates from the NTDP.
Smith's freshman year at Boston College was national in scope: he led NCAA players in both points (71) and assists (46) across 41 games, set Boston College freshman records, and produced the program's highest single-season scoring total since earlier standouts. His postseason impact was decisive—four goals and an assist in the Hockey East final propelled Boston College to the title and earned him Tournament MVP—while a run to the national championship game brought additional All-Tournament recognition.
In May 2024 he signed his entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks and made his NHL debut in October 2024. After a slow start at the pro level he closed his rookie campaign with 45 points in 74 games and continued to develop into a top contributor for the Sharks. He has shifted between centre and right wing, with a later season showing 59 points in 69 games as evidence of growing consistency. His play also earned him spots with U.S. national teams at the U18, World Junior and senior World Championship levels, collecting gold and silver medals and several individual awards at the U18 tournaments.
On the ice Smith reads plays and creates chances: his statistics in primary assists and five-on-five play underline a playmaker's profile who can finish when necessary and adapt between centre and wing duties for his NHL club.
Facts drawn from Wikipédia, told in our own words.
Advanced stats
- TOI/GP
- 19:36
- PP TOI/GP
- 4:19
- SH TOI/GP
- 0:08
- Pts/GP
- 0.68
- EV points
- 7
- Hits
- 7
- Blocks
- 5
- Takeaways
- 3
- Corsi % (SAT)
- 48.7 %
- Off. zone starts
- 38.2 %
- Faceoffs
- 45.9 %
Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)
2026-27 projection
Projected points
63between 42 and 78 (80% range)
- Goals
- 28
- Assists
- 35
- Games
- 76
So far: 13 pts in 19 games. The team has played 19 of 84 games. Projected pace: 0.88 pts per game (last season: 0.86).
The projection follows last season's pace. Tested on 2,265 player seasons (2022-23 to 2025-26): average miss of 9 points over 82 games; for players at 0.9 points per game and up, it ran 5 points high on average.
Trend
Trending up
- Points per game: 0.61 in 24-25, 0.86 in 25-26
- PAL Rating: 17 → 30
Outlook, age included
↑ Trending upAge 21: usually still improving
This is only a projection. It knows nothing about injuries, trades or role changes; one player in five finishes outside the range.
Player ratings, 2025-26
All ratings →Fourteen ratings from 0 to 100 drawn from data, never by hand: 75 = established NHL player, 95+ = elite.
OV · OverallConfidence 69 %
66
Depth
- SK
- Skating
- 67
- Confidence 57 %
- ST
- Strength
- 45
- Confidence 74 %
- EN
- Endurance
- 81
- Confidence 67 %
- DU
- Durability
- 76
- Confidence 57 %
- CK
- Checking
- 56
- Confidence 74 %
- FG
- Fighting
- 71
- Confidence 47 %
- DI
- Discipline
- 73
- Confidence 74 %
- FO
- Faceoffs
- 59
- Confidence 36 %
- PA
- Passing
- 85
- Confidence 69 %
- SC
- Scoring
- 81
- Confidence 69 %
- DF
- Defense
- 54
- Confidence 65 %
- PS
- Penalty shot
- 50
- Confidence 43 %
- EX
- Experience
- 49
- Confidence 100 %
Why these ratings?Hide details
SK — Skating67
- Top speed (35 %)35.5 · 66
- Bursts > 20 mph /60 (30 %)4.827 · 70
- Distance /60 (20 %)16.2 · 72
- Speed consistency (15 %)35 · 68
ST — Strength45
- Contact absorbed /60 (50 %)2.356 · 50
- Body mass (50 %)-1.217 · 60
EN — Endurance81
- Ice time per game (45 %)16.2 · 79
- Total ice time (20 %)1,212 · 79
- Shift length (15 %)51.1 · 88
- Lowest recent ice time per game (15 %)14.7 · 78
- Special-teams time per game (5 %)2.767 · 78
DU — Durability76
- Share of games played (100 %)0.825 · 76
CK — Checking56
- Hits /60 (70 %)1.699 · 55
- Lowest seasonal rate (20 %)1.813 · 64
- Season volume (10 %)2.833 · 56
FG — Fighting71
- Fights per 82 games (100 %)0.763 · 71
DI — Discipline73
- Net penalty value /60 (50 %)0.009 · 71
- Penalties taken /60 (30 %)0.472 · 83
- Penalties drawn /60 (20 %)0.528 · 61
FO — Faceoffs59
- Faceoff % (85 %)46.5 · 62
- Faceoffs /60 (15 %)13.1 · 45
PA — Passing85
- Primary assists /60 (40 %)0.936 · 85
- Secondary assists /60 (20 %)0.596 · 81
- Offensive creation (RAPM) (20 %)0.081 · 79
- Power-play points /60 (10 %)4.767 · 80
- Assist consistency (10 %)0.828 · 89
SC — Scoring81
- Goals /60 (25 %)1.047 · 83
- Individual xG /60 (20 %)0.811 · 77
- Finishing (goals − xG per shot) (20 %)0.865 · 89
- High-danger chances /60 (15 %)1.145 · 70
- xG per shot (10 %)0.079 · 61
- Shot attempts /60 (10 %)14.8 · 84
DF — Defense54
- RAPM defense /60 (35 %)-0.081 · 62
- Relative xG against (20 %)0.309 · 57
- On-ice xG against /60 (15 %)2.914 · 55
- Penalty kill /60 (10 %)-0.024 · 76
- Takeaways − giveaways /60 (10 %)-2.832 · 45
- Shot attempts against /60 (5 %)59.7 · 66
- Blocked shots /60 (5 %)1.223 · 37
PS — Penalty shot50
- Shootouts (60 %)28.8 · 47
- Penalty shots (40 %)26.7 · 76
EX — Experience49
- Career regular-season games (65 %)70
- Career playoff games (25 %)0
- NHL seasons (10 %)37
OV — Overall66
- SC · Scoring (20 %)81
- PA · Passing (20 %)85
- DF · Defense (20 %)54
- SK · Skating (12 %)67
- FO · Faceoffs (10 %)59
- EN · Endurance (8 %)81
- DI · Discipline (5 %)73
- ST · Strength (3 %)45
- CK · Checking (2 %)56
| Season | OV | SK | SC | DF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 66 | 67 | 81 | 54 |
| 2024-25 | 64 | 69 | 76 | 60 |
The bars show confidence (sample size), not player quality. — : not enough data, not a zero. Engine version 1.0.
WAR and PAL ratings, 2025-26
How we rate →PAL Rating scores performance from 0 to 100 against players at the same position (50 = average player), starting from the player's strength, offensive or defensive. Value Rating compares that performance with what the player costs: 50 means paid what the play is worth.
WAR
1.6
wins above replacement
92 of 615
PAL Rating
30/ 100
Performance · Below average
319 of 476 at the position
Value Rating
44/ 100
Poor return
0.95 M$ · expected PAL 36
ProfileOffensiveValue comes mostly from offense
- Offense
- 70
- Defense
- 4
See full detailsHide details
- Offense
- 84
- Creation
- 64
- Shooting
- 80
- Possession
- 21
- Defense
- 3
- Discipline
- 48
- Power play
- 44
- Penalty kill
- 14
From 0 to 100; 50 is the average player at the same position, adjusted for ice time.
| Season | Team | WAR | PAL | Value | Cap hit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | SJS | 1.6 | 30 | 44 | 0.95 M$ |
| 2024-25 | SJS | 1.2 | 17 | 30 | 0.95 M$ |
Hockey IQ, 2025-26
Rankings and method →The quality of the player's decisions with and against the puck at 5-on-5, against regulars at the same position (50 = average). PAL measures output; IQ measures how the player plays.
Overall IQ
47/ 100
Average
better than 47% of forwards, offense and defense combined
Offensive IQ
17/ 100
Low
passing, shots, puck
Defensive IQ
78/ 100
Very good
takeaways, discipline, own zone
Overall IQ isn't an average of the two scores: it's the player's rank with offense and defense combined, 223 of 424 forwards.
See full detailsHide details
Offense
- Playmaking passes
- 94
- Shot selection
- 21
- Penalties drawn
- 19
- Puck management
- 9
Defense
- Takeaways
- 41
- Discipline
- 91
- Safe zone exits
- 52
Percentiles: 80 means better than 80% of regulars at the same position. Play without the puck (positioning, coverage) isn't measured: the NHL doesn't publish that data.
| Season | Team | IQ | Off. | Def. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | SJS | 47 | 17 | 78 |
| 2024-25 | SJS | 24 | 11 | 52 |
WAR, 2025-26
How it's calculated →Wins added to the team, compared with a replacement-level player called up from the AHL.
1.6
wins above replacement
0.3 to 2.6 — 90% interval
92 of 615 forwards
+8.4 goals above replacement
Full leaderboard →See full detailsHide details
- EV offense
- +1.5
- EV defense
- -2.1
- Power play
- -1.1
- Penalty kill
- 0.0
- Shooting
- +6.6
- Penalties
- +0.3
- Average → replacement
- +3.2
In goals.
| Season | Team | GP | WAR | 90% interval | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | SJS | 70 | 1.6 | 0.3 to 2.6 | 92/615 |
| 2024-25 | SJS | 70 | 1.2 | -0.2 to 2.7 | 130/596 |
Player tracking (NHL EDGE)
League EDGE leaderboards →Speed, shot power, distance covered, time by zone: measured by chips in the puck and shoulder pads. 90th percentile = better than 90% of players.
- Hardest shot
- 140.7 km/h82nd percentileleague avg. 130.1 km/h
- Top skating speed
- 35.2 km/h52nd percentileleague avg. 35.2 km/h
- Bursts over 20 mph, season
- 2466th percentileleague avg. 21
- Offensive zone time
- 45.4 %83rd percentileleague avg. 43.1 %
See full detailsHide details
- Total distance, season
- 94.0 km97th percentileleague avg. 52.2 km
- Distance, single-game high
- 5.93 km89th percentileleague avg. 4.52 km
- Offensive zone at 5v5
- 41.4 %57th percentileleague avg. 42.4 %
- Neutral zone time
- 18.1 %50th percentileleague avg. 16.8 %
- Defensive zone time
- 36.5 %87th percentileleague avg. 40.1 %
Shooting
| Shots on goal | Goals | Shooting % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 4894th percentile | 791st percentile | 14.6 %57th percentile |
| High danger | 1382nd percentile | 274th percentile | 15.4 %37th percentile |
| Mid range | 2598th percentile | 498th percentile | 16.0 %61st percentile |
| Long range | 383rd percentile | 092nd percentile | 0.0 %87th percentile |
Shots on goal by zone
2026-2027 regular season. Measured by puck and player tracking chips; the percentile ranks the player within the league.
Game log, 2026-27
🔥 2-game point streak
DAL
MIN
LAK
CGY
OTT
VAN
BUF
BOS
MTL
TOR
DET
NSH
EDM
STL
FLAWill Smith: frequently asked questions
How many goals does Will Smith have in 2026-27?
Will Smith has 7 goals and 13 points (6 assists) in 19 games in 2026-27.
How old is Will Smith?
Will Smith is 21 years old: he was born on March 17, 2005.
How tall is Will Smith, and how much does he weigh?
Will Smith is 6'0" (183 cm) and weighs 181 lb (82 kg).
Where is Will Smith from?
United States: Will Smith was born in Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
What team does Will Smith play for?
Will Smith plays for the San Jose Sharks in the NHL, at C, wearing number 2.
Is Will Smith injured?
No: Will Smith is not on the latest NHL injury report. This answer is updated throughout the season.
How good is Will Smith?
Will Smith produced 1.6 wins above replacement (WAR) in 2025-26, 92nd of 615 players at his position in the NHL. His PAL rating is 30 out of 100: below average for his position.
How much does Will Smith make?
Will Smith earns $950K for the 2025-26 season. His Value Rating is 44 out of 100 (poor return): it measures the on-field return for that salary, compared with players at his position.
When does Will Smith's contract end?
Will Smith's contract runs through the 2026-27 season; he will then be a restricted free agent.
Is Will Smith overpaid?
Yes, his output falls short of what his salary should buy. His Value rating is 44 out of 100 (poor return), where 50 is the output expected for his salary, compared with players at his position.
Is Will Smith a top-10 player at his position?
No: by WAR, he ranks 92nd of 615 players at his position in the NHL in 2025-26. Our comparison tool puts him side by side with any other player.
Is Will Smith getting better?
Yes: his PAL rating went from 17 in 2024-25 to 30 in 2025-26 (out of 100, 50 = average player at his position).
How has Will Smith played lately?
Over his last 10 games, Will Smith has 7 points (4 goals, 3 assists).
What are Will Smith's career stats?
Over his NHL career, Will Smith has 162 games, 49 goals, 68 assists and 117 points. His best season: 2025-26, with 59 points in 69 games.
Where was Will Smith drafted?
Will Smith was drafted 4th overall (round 1) by San Jose Sharks in 2023.
Is Will Smith better at home or on the road?
At home: in 2026-27, he averages 0.75 points per game at home (6 in 8 games) and 0.64 on the road (7 in 11 games).
How does Will Smith perform in the playoffs?
Will Smith has not played in the NHL playoffs yet.
Which player is most similar to Will Smith?
Travis Konecny: he is the player at his position whose PAL profile (the 0-to-100 dimensions) is closest to his in 2025-26.
Travis Konecny's page →Is Will Smith a good fantasy pick?
Yes, a solid pick: our projection has him at 63 points in 2026-27, or 0.83 points per game.
Is Will Smith related to anyone famous?
Yes: Charles Comiskey (great-great-grandfather, founding owner of the Chicago White Sox (Major League Baseball)).
What is Will Smith's nationality?
Will Smith is American. Internationally: United States: silver medal at the 2022 IIHF U18 World Championship; gold medal and tournament MVP at the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship (leading scorer, Media All-Star Team, IIHF Directorate Award for best forward, Bob Johnson Award 2022–23); gold medal at the 2024 World Junior Championship; fifth place at the 2024 IIHF World Championship (senior debut); gold medal at the 2025 IIHF World Championship (7 assists in 10 games).
What awards has Will Smith won?
MVP of the BioSteel All-American Game ; CCM/AHCA First Team All-American (2024) ; Hockey East First All-Star Team (2024) ; Hockey East All-Rookie Team (2024) ; Top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award (2024) ; Hockey East Tournament MVP (2024) ; Named to the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team (2024) ; IIHF U18 World Championship tournament MVP (2023); and more.
How many championships has Will Smith won?
4: Hockey East Tournament championship with Boston College — 2024; Gold medal at the IIHF U18 World Championship with the United States — 2023; Gold medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship with the United States — 2024; Gold medal at the IIHF World Championship with the United States — 2025.
Where did Will Smith play before turning pro?
Boston Jr. Eagles (nine seasons of youth hockey); USA Hockey National Team Development Program (USNTDP) in 2021–22 and 2022–23; Boston College Eagles (2023–24 season)..
How many points is Will Smith projected to score in 2026-27?
Our projection has him at 63 points in 76 games in 2026-27 (42 to 78 points, 80% interval), based on his recent seasons, age and role.
See also: his San Jose Sharks teammates
Full roster →
NHL.com ↗ · Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)