How many goals could Cameron Schmidt get for the Vancouver Giants?

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Cameron Schmidt’s season so far comes to us from Vancouver Giants teammate Jakob Oreskovic jumping the gun on a celebration.

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One night in Everett earlier this year Schmidt was wide open in the slot when he received a pass. Oreskovic, who was on the Vancouver bench, had his arms in the air and had started cheering even before Schmidt rifled his shot home.

There’s that kind of anticipation at play when Schmidt gets the puck these days. The winger is at 17 goals through 15 games in this his NHL Draft season.

That tally total from the small, speedy Schmidt led the WHL as of Wednesday morning. The Giants (9-4-2-0) visit Schmidt’s hometown Prince George Cougars (9-4-3-2) for a pair of games starting Friday. Vancouver is three points behind Prince George for the B.C. Division lead with three games in hand, and Schmidt’s efforts are a major reason for their surge this season.

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“He gets the puck and even if it’s a 1-on-2, the whole bench knows something is going to happen,” Giants winger Tyler Thorpe says of the 5-foot-7, 161-pound Schmidt. “It’s fun. It’s fun playing with a guy like that, and it’s fun watching a guy like that. He’s a remarkable player.”

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Schmidt is fast and fearless and feisty. He goes to high-traffic areas, but he’s also capable of getting two or three breakaways in a single game. He’s going to wind up in the conversation for most entertaining Giants player ever, alongside the likes of Gilbert Brule and Brendan Gallagher.

Schmidt, 17, insists that he doesn’t have a goal total he’s aiming for this season. At the very least, he is savvy enough to not put that kind of number out there and possibly jinx himself.

Guessing where he might end in that goal column is an entertaining exercise for those of us to ponder, though.

Schmidt scored 31 times last year for Vancouver, becoming just the seventh 16-year-old to hit the 30-goal plateau in the past 30 years in the WHL. Names on that list include Patrick Marleau and Connor Bedard.

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The Giants’ record for goals in a season is 61, set by a 20-year-old Ty Ronning in 2017-18. Ronning had 12 markers by the 15-game mark during that campaign.

Before Ronning, Evander Kane had team mark with his 48 goals in his NHL Draft year of 2008-09. A 17-year-old Kane bagged 11 goals in his first 15 games that season.

Kane set the Giants’ standard for earliest NHL Draft pick that summer when he went No. 4 to the Atlanta Thrashers. Defenceman Bowen Byram tied the mark when he was picked No. 4 by the Colorado Avalanche in 2019.

Schmidt is getting some buzz as a possible mid-range first rounder for this summer, with TSN’s Craig Button slotting him at No. 12 in his most recent draft rankings, and Elite Prospects putting him at No. 13.

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This is the part of the program, of course, with the obligatory mention of how there are concerns regarding how Schmidt’s size will play out at the next level. NHL Central Scouting, for one, pegged him as a ‘B’ prospect in their preliminary players to watch list, which means that see him as a second or third rounder.

There were only three players shorter than 5-foot-10 picked in last year’s draft, and they all were selected in the fifth round or later.

“He’s strong. He’s one of the most strongest, most explosive players on our team,” said Giants coach Manny Viveiros. “You look at our testing, and he’s off the charts. There’s a load of players in the NHL at his size and he’s only going to get stronger.

“What we’re trying to teach him is that at the next level everybody is big and strong and good, so things like your play without the puck is so important. And he’s getting that. He’s really improving in that area.

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“There’s certainly room for him at the next level.”

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Schmidt is killing penalties and he is playing in the waning minutes with a one-goal lead, and Viveiros wasn’t utilizing him in either of those roles last season.

There is evidence that it’s working. In Vancouver’s 7-6 win over the Saskatoon Blades on Friday, Schmidt broke up a play in the slot that led to Adam Titlbach’s empty-net goal with with 1:13 remaining. Saskatoon added a tally with 0:19 left to cut the margin, but they couldn’t come any closer.

“He’s really understanding that his play without the puck is just as important as his play with it,” Viveiros said. “Credit him. He’s doing the work. We’re really happy with him.”

Schmidt admits he’s thinking about the draft.

“I enjoy being with our team, and as we get closer to the draft I’ll start to think about it more,” Schmidt said. “I’m talking about it with some teammates who have been through it. I’m just seeing if they have any suggestions.”

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SMALLER PLAYERS SUCCEEDING IN THE NHL

(Height, weight, 2023-24 NHL stats, draft position)

Alex DeBrincat, Red Wings RW 5-8, 180 82-27-40-67 2016 second rounder (No. 39)

Cole Caufield, Canadiens RW 5-8, 175 82-28-37-65 2019 first rounder (No. 15)

Logan Stankoven, Stars RW 5-8, 165 24-6-8-14 2021 second rounder (No. 47)

Brad Marchand, Bruins LW 5-9, 176 82-29-38-67 2006 third rounder (No. 71)

sewen@postmedia.com

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