When he's playing, you can’t miss him. Standing at 6-foot-5, center Gabe Smith has the size, physicality, and grit to make himself known every time he’s on the ice. Now it’s time for Smith to bring this to his NHL team, as the forward signed his entry-level contract with the Utah Mammoth on Friday. An exciting addition to the Mammoth’s prospect pool and depth chart, Smith impressed Utah with his play this season.
“We’re just so thrilled about drafting Gabe,” Utah Mammoth General Manager Bill Armstrong shared. “He’s somebody that’s gotten better every single game he’s played this year.”
Smith has played plenty of hockey in 2024-25. Through 52 regular season games with the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL (Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League), Smith tallied 20-19-39 and averaged over a point per game during the playoffs, tallying 6-16-22 in 19 games. Smith had a point in 16 of those 19 games, including five multi-point games and two multi-goal games. In Game 6 of the QJMHL Championship Series, Smith scored two goals, including the series-clinching tally.
With their QMJHL Championship win, Moncton advanced to the Memorial Cup, something the team couldn’t have done without Smith’s strong postseason. When it comes to Utah’s 2024 fourth round draft pick, the way he plays has turned heads despite Smith being only 18-years-old.
“He’s a big rig,” Armstrong explained. “He’s someone that can hurt you in a couple of different ways. He’s got great hands, he can make plays, he can score, he plays tough in the dirty areas. He’s also a physical force, and he will do anything he has to to protect his teammates. He’s certainly somebody we’d like to add into the mix.
“He’s another big player for us that truly has an impact,” Armstrong continued. “Not only with the puck but away from the puck also.”
Smith is a player who will fight for a spot on Utah’s main roster next season. That all starts in training camp. The competition at this year’s camp will drive players to take the next step with their own games, and will help the team push for a playoff berth this year.
While it seems unlikely that Smith makes the main roster next year due to where he's at in his development, he has elevated himself to a higher tier on the club's prospect list with his play this season.
Being able to compete in the Mammoth's training camp will be extremely beneficial for Smith to get a taste of what it'll take to make an NHL roster one day.
“As I say, success in the NHL is rented and rent’s due every day,” Armstrong said. “When you want to get to higher levels, you have to pay a higher rent. We’re in the business of making training camp competitive. I would say this is going to be the most competitive training camp that we’ve ever had and it’ll be a fight.”
With a strong 2024-25 season under his belt and a QMJHL Championship as well, Smith will enter this September’s training camp poised to take the next step with his impactful play.
