Panthers players praise their Olympic teammate who's trending top-10 in 2026

The talk coming out of Latvia isn't subtle anymore.

Two Panthers-linked Latvians, Vilmanis and Uvis Balinskis, just poured praise on the 18-year-old defenseman.

That matters, because they've seen him up close.

Balinskis even shared a blue line with Smits for much of the Olympics, and called him unusually polished for his age.

Smits is already being framed as a potential 2026 top-10 pick, and the word «safe» keeps popping up around his game.

He plays like a kid who hates turnovers more than he loves highlights.

The best compliment is the simplest one, he looks calm when the pace turns nasty.

Panthers fans have lived a messy, grindy season, and it's hard not to appreciate any young guy who can step in and survive it.

Vilmanis did more than survive.

He's 22, drafted in 2022 in the fifth round by Florida, and he's already chipped in 2-2-4 in 14 NHL games while filling holes when the lineup gets banged up.

That kind of call-up production isn't loud, but it's useful, especially when the schedule gets heavy and the legs get tired.

There's also a Latvia angle here that feels real.

When Balinskis talks up a defense partner from the Olympics, it's not a generic quote, it's a player telling you he trusted the kid in tough minutes.

For Smits, that's the breadcrumb scouts love.

For Florida, it's a reminder that depth and development still matter, even for a team stuck fighting for points.

The Panthers are 29-25-3, and they've needed every ounce of «next man up» energy.

If Vilmanis can keep giving them honest shifts now, and Smits keeps rising toward the 2026 draft, Latvia's pipeline suddenly looks a lot less like a long shot.