Tri-City’s Smith has seen offensive growth through 2024-25 season
In his own words, the biggest growth in Jackson Smith’s game this season has been on the offensive side of things.
The Tri-City defenceman had a career high 11 goals but blew his previous best point total out of the water with 54, an increase 25 from the previous year.
“That scoring touch wasn’t there for me at the start of the year,” Smith said. “But once I saw one go in, I got a lot more confident shooting the puck and I started shooting the puck more and they started going in.”
His scoring flair has already translated to the U18 World Championships where in three with Canada, he has scored twice and is a +3 rating.
Goals in back-to-back games for Jackson Smith!
The @TCAmericans' #NHLDraft eligible d-man opens the scoring for 🇨🇦 with his second of the #U18MensWorlds! pic.twitter.com/s0M2fRtAYX
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) April 26, 2025
Thus far, Canada is 3-0-0 in the round-robin after wins over Slovakia, Latvia and Finland. Already winners of Group A, Canada faces Norway today in its final round-robin game.
The quarterfinals will take place April 30 while the semi-finals are May 2. The final is set for May 3 at the Comerica Center in Frisco. TSN and RDS will broadcast 16 games, including all Canada preliminary-round games, as well as the quarterfinals, semi-finals, and medal games.
26 CHL PLAYERS NAMED TO CANADA’S NATIONAL MEN’S U18 TEAM
(G) Lucas Beckman (Baie-Comeau Drakkar / QMJHL)
(G) Burke Hood (Vancouver Giants / WHL)
(G) Jack Ivankovic (Brampton Steelheads / OHL)
(D) Quinn Beauchesne (Guelph Storm / OHL)
(D) Carson Carels (Prince George Cougars / WHL)
(D) Alex Huang (Chicoutimi Saguenéens / QMJHL)
(D) Ryan Lin (Vancouver Giants / WHL)
(D) Daxon Rudolph (Prince Albert Raiders / WHL)
(D) Jackson Smith (Tri-City Americans / WHL)
(D) Keaton Verhoeff (Victoria Royals / WHL)
(D) Xavier Villeneuve (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada / QMJHL)
(F) Braeden Cootes (Seattle Thunderbirds / WHL)
(F) Ethan Czata (Niagara IceDogs / OHL)
(F) Alessandro Di Iorio (Sarnia Sting / OHL)
(F) Matthew Gard (Red Deer Rebels / WHL)
(F) Beckham Edwards (Sarnia Sting / OHL)
(F) Tyler Hopkins (Kingston Frontenacs / OHL)
(F) Lev Katzin (Guelph Storm / OHL)
(F) Liam Kilfoil (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL)
(F) Ben Kindel (Calgary Hitmen / WHL)
(F) Brady Martin (Soo Greyhounds / OHL)
(F) Jack Nesbitt (Windsor Spitfires / OHL)
(F) Cole Reschny (Victoria Royals / WHL)
(F) Ryan Roobroeck (Niagara IceDogs / OHL)
(F) Cameron Schmidt (Vancouver Giants / WHL)
(F) Lukas Sawchyn (Edmonton Oil Kings / WHL)
Michael Misa (Saginaw Spirit / OHL), Landon DuPont (Everett Silvertips / WHL), and Jake O’Brien (Brantford Bulldogs / OHL) were invited but are unable to participate
General Manager – Scott Walker (Guelph Storm / OHL)
Head Coach – Cory Stillman (Guelph Storm / OHL)
Associate Coach – Travis Crickard (Saint John Sea Dogs / QMJHL)
Assistant Coach – Mathieu Turcotte (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada / QMJHL)
Goaltending Consultant – Dan De Palma (Kamloops Blazers / WHL)
Video coach – Matthew Smith (Acadie-Bathurst Titan / QMJHL)
Athletic therapists – Andy Brown (Owen Sound Attack / OHL) and Terence Robertson (Red Deer Rebels / WHL)
Team physician – Dr. Nolan Rau (Kelowna Rockets / WHL)
Strength and Conditioning Coach – Sean Young (Ottawa 67’s / OHL)
