Casey DeSmith

Lore & Background

DeSmith played junior hockey for Berwick Academy and Deerfield Academy before joining the Indiana Ice of the USHL, where he posted a .911 save percentage and three shutouts in 64 games. He studied business at the University of New Hampshire and played for the Wildcats from 2011 to 2014, earning a .926 save percentage in his first season and being named to the Hockey East All-Rookie team.

In September 2014, he was arrested for assaulting a woman who either was or had formerly been his girlfriend; he was suspended from the team and eventually permanently dismissed. He accepted a plea bargain in December 2014, pleading not guilty to all charges except one count of disorderly conduct, and was sentenced to a $124 fine and 12 months of probation. The NCAA denied his request for a transfer waiver to play elsewhere.

The Undrafted Path to Professional Hockey

Casey DeSmith's journey into professional ice hockey defies the conventional narrative of a polished prospect rising through the ranks. Born on August 13, 1991, he went undrafted and was widely regarded as undersized for a goaltender, two characteristics that typically close doors in the sport. His college career at the University of New Hampshire was cut short by a legal incident in 2014, and the NCAA denied his request for a waiver transfer to another school. With his playing eligibility effectively exhausted, DeSmith found himself at a crossroads.

In June 2015, he signed with the Wheeling Nailers, the ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, as a last-chance opportunity. He appeared in 13 games for Wheeling's Eastern Conference championship team, posting a 2.55 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage. A loan to the American Hockey League's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in January 2016 allowed him to showcase his talent at a higher level. His strong performances in both organizations earned him a direct AHL contract in the summer of 2016, marking the true beginning of his professional career.

AHL Breakout Season & Franchise Records

DeSmith's 2016–17 campaign with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins stands as the statistical high-water mark of his career to date. Playing in 29 regular-season games, he finished atop the entire American Hockey League with a 2.01 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage, numbers that announced him as one of the league's elite netminders. His consistency earned a spot on the AHL's 2016–17 All-Rookie Team, a distinction he shared with teammate Jake Guentzel. He and fellow goaltender Tristan Jarry formed what was recognized as the best goaltending tandem in the league, and together they received the 2017 Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award for belonging to the AHL club with the lowest goals-against average.

Beyond the regular season, DeSmith etched his name into franchise history. During the 2016 Calder Cup playoffs, he set a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton record by facing 59 shots in a single game, a double-overtime victory that clinched the Penguins' fourth division crown as the top-ranked team in the Eastern Conference. He also recorded his first career professional shutout on April 1, 2017, stopping all 26 shots from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

NHL Career & Multi-Team Journey

DeSmith's ascent to the NHL came in July 2017, when he signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins after his dominant AHL season. Over the next six seasons, he appeared for the NHL club in five of them, navigating a competitive goaltending landscape. Initially, he vied for playing time alongside Tristan Jarry and Matt Murray, a depth chart that limited his opportunities. The 2019–20 season found him spending time in the AHL, but the landscape shifted dramatically when Murray was traded away in 2020, elevating DeSmith to a permanent role in Pittsburgh's goaltending rotation.

His tenure with the Penguins ultimately ended during the 2023 off-season, when he was involved in two separate trades. He suited up for the Vancouver Canucks during the 2023–24 campaign, and after his contract expired at the end of that season, he signed with the Dallas Stars, where he currently serves as a goaltender in the National Hockey League. His path from an undrafted ECHL signing to a multi-team NHL career underscores a remarkable trajectory of persistence.

College Years & The Legal Turning Point

Before his professional career, DeSmith played collegiate hockey for the University of New Hampshire Wildcats from 2011 to 2014. His freshman season was strong, yielding a 9–10–1 overall record, a 2.33 goals-against average, and a .926 save percentage. He earned his first career shutout on January 11, 2011, and recorded 30 or more saves on ten occasions.

His performances drew weekly recognition, including Hockey East Rookie of the Week, Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week, and two Service Credit Union Student-Athlete of the Week honors. In the Hockey East quarterfinals against Boston University on March 11, 2012, he posted a career-high 50 saves and was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie team. His college career ended in September 2014 when he was arrested for assaulting a woman who was or had been his girlfriend.

UNH suspended and then permanently dismissed him from the team. He accepted a plea bargain in December 2014, pleading not guilty to all charges except a single count of disorderly conduct, receiving a $124 fine and 12 months of probation with community service. The NCAA denied his waiver transfer application, and although he remained enrolled as a student, he was never reinstated as a player.