Highly touted offseason addition D-man Tarin Smith is set to make his Gophers debut Thursday night against North Dakota. He suffered an injury at the end of his WHL season with the Everett Silvertips in the spring, but he’s now set to make his college debut.
Home opener lineup, featuring a new face to watch. 👀#PrideOnIcepic.twitter.com/omslICgqDr
— Minnesota Men’s Hockey (@GopherHockey) October 22, 2026
Hailing from Porcupine Plain, Saskatchewan, Canada, Smith was selected in the third round of the 2024 NHL Draft by the Anaheim Ducks with the 79th overall pick. He has developed in the WHL since the 2021-22 season. The WHL is the top junior hockey league in Canada.
Last season, as the captain of the Everett Silvertips, the 6-foot-2 defenseman had 71 points (16 goals and 55 assists) in 65 games. He opted to make the jump to NCAA hockey at 20 years old, and he was one of Brett Larson’s marquee additions this offseason.
Smith was listed as the seventh defenseman on Minnesota’s lineup sheet for Thursday’s game against North Dakota. As a freshman, it might take a little while for him to work his way into a bigger role, but his potential is sky-high.
The Gophers and North Dakota square off at 7 p.m. CT Thursday in Minneapolis, followed by a 6 p.m. series finale Friday night at 3M Arena at Mariucci.
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This story was originally published by Bring Me The Sports on Oct 22, 2026, where it first appeared in the MN Gophers section. Add Bring Me The Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.