HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Zachary Smith (born April 5, 1988) is a
Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...
former professional
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
player. He played for the
Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. The Senators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Di ...
, who drafted him 79th overall in the
2008 NHL Entry Draft The 2008 NHL entry draft was the 46th entry draft for the National Hockey League. It was hosted by the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Ontario, on June 20–21, 2008. The Senators were originally awarded the 2005 NHL entry draft ...
, and the
Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (N ...
of the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
(NHL).


Playing career


Junior

Born in
Maple Creek, Saskatchewan Maple Creek is a town in the Cypress Hills of southwest Saskatchewan, Canada. It is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Maple Creek No. 111. The population was 2,176 at the 2021 Census. The town is southeast of Medicine Hat, Alberta, an ...
, Smith was drafted in the third round, 79th overall, of the
2008 NHL Entry Draft The 2008 NHL entry draft was the 46th entry draft for the National Hockey League. It was hosted by the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Ontario, on June 20–21, 2008. The Senators were originally awarded the 2005 NHL entry draft ...
by the
Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. The Senators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Di ...
. He was rated 108th among North American skaters by the
NHL Central Scouting Bureau The NHL Central Scouting Services (CSS) is a department within the National Hockey League (NHL) that ranks prospects for the NHL entry draft at specific times during the hockey season. Players are ranked based on how well they will translate t ...
. After playing four seasons in the
Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior hocke ...
(WHL) with the
Swift Current Broncos The Swift Current Broncos are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. Founded in 1967, the Broncos relocated to Lethbridge, Alberta in 1974, and were known as the Lethbridge Broncos, before returning to S ...
, Smith was offered an amateur tryout contract with the
Manitoba Moose The Manitoba Moose are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). The team plays its home games at Canada Life Centre. The fran ...
of the
American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
(AHL). He appeared in six playoff games with the Moose during the 2008 AHL playoffs, recording one assist.


Professional


Ottawa Senators

In the 2008–09 season, Smith signed an entry-level contract with the Ottawa Senators and attended the team's training camp. He played with the team until September 21, when he was demoted to Ottawa's AHL affiliate, the
Binghamton Senators The Binghamton Senators were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that played from 2002 to 2017. Nicknamed the B-Sens, they played in Binghamton, New York, at the Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena. The B-Sens w ...
. He was the final cut made by the Senators in the pre-season. He made his NHL debut as an emergency call-up for a November 29, 2008, game against the
New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (N ...
, registering no points. On January 16, 2010, he scored his first NHL goal, against
Carey Price Carey Price (born August 16, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently under contract with the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). Considered one of the best goaltenders in the world during his career, ...
of the
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens (), officially ' ( Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic D ...
. Smith would play in all six of Ottawa's 2010 Stanley Cup playoff games as the Senators were defeated by the defending Stanley Cup champion and fourth-seeded
Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...
. On May 20, 2011, Ottawa signed Smith to a two-year, one-way contract. He spent the 2011–12 season with Ottawa, registering 14 goals and 26 points in 81 games, while also appearing in all seven of Ottawa's 2012 playoff games, registering one assist before as the Senators were eliminated by the top-seeded
New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City. The Rangers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team plays ...
in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal. On 5 September 2012, it was announced Smith signed a four-year contract with the Senators worth an average annual value of $1,887,500. Smith would appear in all 48 games of the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, scoring 4 goals and 11 assists, and would score a goal and an assist in all 10 games during the 2013 playoffs before Ottawa was eliminated by the top-seeded Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Semifinal. Smith appeared in all 82 games of the 2013–14 season, scoring 13 goals and nine assists as Ottawa failed to qualify for the 2014 playoffs. Smith missed most of the 2014–15 season due to dislocating a wrist after a collision with the
Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...
' Brad Marchand on December 13, 2014. He would return to the ice later in the season and was moved across the lines by then head coach Paul MacLean to try to improve Smith's performance, including switching Smith from a winger to a
centre Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentricity ...
. He would end the season with 2 goals and 1 assist in 37 games. He would also appear in three games during the 2015 playoffs in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal against the
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens (), officially ' ( Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic D ...
, which the Senators lost in six games. Smith's performance drastically improved during the 2015–16 season, where he appeared in 81 games and achieved career highs in goals (25) and points (36). Early in the season, he anticipated having a productive season due to improving his skating during his off time from his wrist injury that occurred in the previous season. Smith also believed his improved performance was due to playing on the top line with Mark Stone and Jean-Gabriel Pageau and by new head coach Dave Cameron's decision to move Smith from the fourth line centre to the first line left winger. Smith was also nominated for the 2015–16
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. It is named after Bill Masterton, the only player in NHL ...
for his "perseverance and dedication to hockey".


Chicago Blackhawks

Having completed his 11th season with the Senators organization in the 2018–19 season, Smith's tenure with Ottawa ended after he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Artem Anisimov on July 16, 2019. In his first season away from the Senators, Smith began the 2019–20 season on the Blackhawks' fourth-line, making his debut on opening night against the
Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team play ...
on October 4, 2019. He was scoreless in his first 10 games with Chicago before collecting two assists on goals by Kirby Dach and Calvin de Haan against the
Vegas Golden Knights The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas Valley, Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Golden Knights compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division ...
on November 13. Smith made 50 appearances with the Blackhawks, posting four goals and 11 points, before suffering a cut from a skate blade to his hand against the
Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. The Canucks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conferenc ...
on February 12, 2020. It was later announced that Smith would miss the remainder of the season, due to a back injury requiring surgery on March 6. Smith announced his retirement from the NHL on September 17, 2021.


Personal life

Smith is the nephew of former NHL player Barry Dean.Hartsburg reminisces about NHL, WHA debuts
/ref>


Career statistics


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Zack 1988 births Living people Binghamton Senators players Canadian ice hockey centres Chicago Blackhawks players Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States Ice hockey people from Saskatchewan Manitoba Moose players Ottawa Senators draft picks Ottawa Senators players Ice hockey people from Medicine Hat Swift Current Broncos players 21st-century Canadian sportsmen