In addition to his game on the ice, Smith took his time in a classroom just as seriously. He earned the Daryl K. Seaman Memorial Trophy as the WHL Scholastic Player of the Year award.
"It means a lot," Smith told SpokaneChiefs.com of the honor. "Growing up as a kid, my family was pretty strict with me on school and hockey. I knew the better I did in school and the faster I got stuff done, the more time I'd have on the ice."
After his WHL season ended, Smith was named to Team Canada's roster for the IIHF U-18 World Championship. During the round-robin play, the Canadian defense held opposing teams to a tournament-low 13 goals en route to a first-place finish in Group A during the preliminary round.
It was not the first time the D-man represented his native country as he served as an alternate captain and helped Canada win gold at the 2017 U-18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup. Smith also filled the role of captain at the 2016 Youth Winter Olympic Games, where he recorded two goals and three assists and Canada earned the silver medal.
Although the average height and weight in the NHL is a little over 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, Smith is out to prove that size isn't everything.
He is expected to be taken in the first round of this year's NHL draft and what the burgeoning blueliner may lack in brawn, he makes up for in brain, play on the ice and his natural leadership ability.