Steve Smith

Lore & Background

Smith played for the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League from 1980–81 to 1982–83 before being drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft in the 6th round, 111th overall. He spent his first 2 years of professional hockey (1983–84 to 1984–85) playing for the Oilers minor league affiliate teams (Moncton and Halifax). He played with the Oilers starting in the 1984–85 season. He went on to play 804 career games scoring 375 points (72-303-375) along with 2,139 penalty minutes.

Smith also played in 134 Stanley Cup Playoff games, scoring 52 points (11-41-52). Smith played for the Oilers until the end of the 1990–91 season, winning three Stanley Cups with the team. Smith remains the Oilers' single-season leader in penalty minutes with 286, which he set during the 1987–88 season. He then played for the Chicago Blackhawks until 1997.

He played in the 1991 All-Star Game in Chicago and later in the same year was part of the Canada Cup roster for Canada. He recorded an assist in eight games while recording 30 penalty minutes as Canada won over the United States. He initially retired after the end of the 1996–97 season. He served as an assistant coach to the Calgary Flames in 1997.

He made a comeback in the autumn of 1998 to play for the Flames and was even named captain in 1999. His final game came against Minnesota on November 8, 2000 when he aggravated an injury to his spinal cord (having had spinal fusion surgery the previous season). He announced his retirement on December 7.

Reader's Guide

Smith was an assistant coach with the Flames in 1997–98. He worked as a scout with the Chicago Blackhawks before spending four seasons on the Oilers coaching staff from 2010 to 2014. He was hired as an assistant coach of the Hurricanes in June 2014, and then as the assistant coach of the Sabres in July 2018. Smith, along with head coach Ralph Krueger were relieved of their duties by the Sabres on March 17, 2021. He was then hired by the New York Rangers minor league affiliate team the Hartford Wolf Pack as an assistant coach and was named their interim head coach when Kris Knoblauch was hired to be the Edmonton Oilers' head coach.

Did You Know?

• Smith scored an own goal on his 23rd birthday, April 30, 1986, in Game 7 of the Smythe Division Final against the Calgary Flames.
• Smith was the first player handed the Stanley Cup by Wayne Gretzky after the Oilers won in 1990.
• Smith's son Barron was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2009.