Jets prospect Smith achieves Olympic dream

Nathan Smith needed a minute to compose himself.
Sure, he'd seen trusted American media sources toss his name out as a possibility for the 2022 USA Men's Olympic Hockey Team roster, but the 23-year-old forward knew the depth of talent he'd be competing against for a spot.
Heck, even his head coach at the University of Minnesota-Mankato, Mike Hastings, tipped him off that he was under strong consideration for the squad. That was about as good of a source as any, especially since Hastings would be named an assistant coach shortly after that confidential conversation with Smith.
Even with all that in the back of his mind, the mentality of a hockey player took over.
Don't get too high. Don't get too low.
Well, now he was on the phone with the general manager of the USA Men's Olympic Hockey Team - John Vanbiesbrouck - and he was being offered one of the coveted 25 roster spots.

"I had to take a step back and take a deep breath real quick. Even then, I didn't know what to say," said Smith. "After that, I called my parents. My dad first, he didn't know what to say either. He was shocked and super excited for me and really proud. My mom, I called her right after that, I could hear her crying over the phone. They were both pretty excited for me."
It was a life-changing phone call. Smith, who first developed a love for the game playing roller hockey as a kid in Tampa, FL, was now an Olympian.
"I'm extremely honoured," he said. "Not many people get a chance to call themselves an Olympian. I'm extremely excited to get things going and I can't wait to get to Beijing."
It's not hard to see how Smith, drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in the third round of the 2018 NHL Draft, got on USA Hockey's radar.

The centre is having a stand-out season with the Minnesota State Mavericks in the NCAA.
His 35 points through the Jan. 17 weekend was tops in the nation, and the Mavericks as a group have been hovering around the top ranking in the country all season.
Smith's success is just a continuation of the momentum he had during the 2021 NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship tournament.
He scored four goals as Minnesota State rolled through Quinnipiac, and third-ranked Minnesota, before falling to St. Cloud State in the Frozen Four. Smith was named to the tournament All-Star team for his efforts.
He rolled right into the 2021-22 campaign, and while making the Olympic team wasn't a goal when the season started - at that time, NHL players were scheduled to go to Beijing - Smith poured all he had into his junior year.
"I knew that once the NHL was out, I knew that they were going to go to the college guys and the overseas guys, too," Smith said. "I'm really grateful that I'm getting this opportunity to go and I'm super excited."
Not bad for a kid from Tampa.
In fact, when Smith was taken 91st overall by the Jets at the 2018 NHL Draft in Dallas, he became the first player born in Tampa - and graduated from a local high school - to be drafted into the NHL.
"When I was playing, there wasn't a whole lot of ice - at least that I knew of - but it just seemed every year it was growing more and more," said Smith, who was a dominant force in the high school leagues in the area. "The (Tampa Bay) Lightning do a really good job of expanding the game and doing a lot for the younger kids who are trying to get involved with hockey. Myself, I've come a long way in pretty much every aspect. There has been a lot of hard work, but I have to give credit to a lot of people back home, and even here too. My family, my long-time coach Ralph Sowder, my coach here Hastings, and my team-mates along the way."
He remembers the leap of going from high school hockey to Cedar Rapids of the United States Hockey League. He remembers being in the gym four or five times a week, which he felt helped set him apart.
It's no surprise he grew up a fan of the Lightning and went to numerous games. He enjoyed watching Stanley Cup champion and Hall of Fame winger Martin St. Louis. Even if he plays the game differently, some of the traits St. Louis brought to the ice are key parts of Smith's game.
"He was a competitor, and he never gave up on anything and he didn't care how big other guys were," Smith said. "He battled every day, and he was just an unreal player."
Well, now Smith and St. Louis have something else in common - the Olympics.
Smith will play the next two weekends with Minnesota State, against St. Thomas and Arizona State respectively, before getting ready to head to China.
"We're supposed to head to L.A. and we're going to be testing there, and then we should be either doing some video or practice there," said Smith, adding he's happy he gets to share this experience with Hastings and a couple other familiar NCAA faces on the Olympic roster.
"I think just having him there and then me being there, that relationship, I'm hoping we'll be able to kind of lean on each other a little bit here and there, just to kind of help each other with being comfortable," Smith said. "I also know a couple of players I've played with. Marc McLaughlin in Cedar Rapids and I've played with Sam Hentges and Nick Perbix, back in the World Jr. A Challenge. So, there's a couple familiar faces that I'm going to be there with."
When Smith attended his first Jets development camp at Bell MTS IcePlex, his skill on the ice was matched by his maturity off the ice.
No doubt that's the product of his upbringing, so it's no wonder his parents were the first calls he made when he became an Olympian.
"If I have to go out of my way to do something for someone, I will. That's just what I was taught by my parents growing up," Smith said. "Before hockey, I just want to be a good person. Regardless of if I'm playing any sports, I think it's one of the main things that I was taught growing up, is just be a good person and good things will happen to you in return."