Arizona Coyotes right wing Clayton Keller in the third period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Denver. SAN JOSE – On Sunday, San Jose Sharks coach David Quinn again saw firsthand Arizona Coyotes all-star Clayton Keller, the dynamic forward he coached at Boston University in 2016-17.
In the season after he was drafted seventh overall by the Coyotes, Keller had 45 points in 32 games for BU, which advanced to the Division I quarterfinals. The 6-foot, 181-pound Smith leads Division I in both points and points per game as Boston College carries a 33-5-1 record into this week’s Frozen Four at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minn.
Whatever happens, if either Boston College loses on Thursday or its season ends on Saturday, Smith will have to decide whether to turn pro and join the Sharks right away, or commit to returning to Chestnut Hill for his sophomore season.