Liam Smith grew up playing for his hometown Flagstaff Northstars organization and Flagstaff Avalanche high school team.

Once his youth hockey days ended, Smith wanted to play junior hockey and started looking for the right fit.

Enter the Metro Jets.

The Jets, based out of the Detroit suburb of Mount Clemens, field three teams at two levels of the USPHL – Premier and Elite – and will have two Premier teams and an NCDC squad in 2026-27.

Last summer, Smith loved what he saw in the Jets and signed shortly thereafter.

“I was looking to play juniors somewhere this year and I had a buddy (Oka Forsberg) who played on the team a couple years ago,” Smith said. “He got me in contact with Coach (Justin) Quenneville and we talked for a bit before I signed. The three-team system was very interesting for me. I thought about it like no matter what team I would be on, I would have the opportunity to advance. The fact that the Jets don’t carry a ton of scratches appealed to me because that would mean I would get to play more. And then finally, just hearing from people who played juniors about how good all of the coaches and staff were at Metro, that really made my decision easy.

Smith added that since he’s been away from home, he’s found success. He began the season on the Elite team and has since moved up to the Metro Jets Development Program (MJDP) on the Premier side.

“I love that all of the coaches are on the same page with the same goals in mind,” said Smith. “You can talk to each coach about something and they all have the same approach. The biggest adjustment I’ve made this year is I have become more positionally aware and focused more on the defensive side of the game.”

Looking back, Smith said hockey has been a part of his life for as long as he can remember.

“A few of my friends from school started talking about hockey and I asked my parents if I could try it out,” said Smith. “The Coyotes definitely played a part in my interest of the sport, too. I went to a game when I was just getting into hockey and that really made me a fan of the game. Kyle Palmer has been a coach of mine for most of high school and youth and he really made the game fun for me and has become someone I reach out to regularly for advice.

“I think that Arizona hockey has always been a little underestimated and has and will continue to move kids to other junior and college programs.”

Moving forward, Smith said he’s focused on achieving his dreams, at and away from the rink.

“My short-term goals are to become more confident with the puck and making smarter decisions,” Smith said. “Off the ice, I am focused on maintaining good recovery habits and following a gym schedule consistently. Some long-term goals of mine are playing hockey in college and also being able to balance school and sports. Although I am not sure what I want to study yet, I know I want to do something sports related.”

Photo/Sara Vasseur

— Matt Mackinder

(December 31, 2025)