Clint Smith (ice hockey)
Two-time Lady Byng winner and 1940 Stanley Cup champion.
Clinton James "Snuffy" Smith (December 12, 1913 – May 19, 2009) was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and head coach, best known for his NHL stints with the New York Rangers and Chicago Black Hawks. Over his ten-year NHL career, Smith won two Lady Byng Trophies and a Stanley Cup with the Rangers in 1940. He later served as both a player and coach in the USHL and AHL.
Smith began his pro career in the minor leagues in 1932–33, splitting time between the Springfield Indians (CAHL) and Saskatoon Crescents (WCHL). Moving to the Vancouver Lions of the NWHL, he led the league in scoring as a rookie with 25 goals, then topped the circuit in points the next two seasons with 44 and 53. In 1936–37, he joined the I-AHL (precursor to the AHL) with the Philadelphia Ramblers, finishing second in league scoring with 54 points and helping his team reach the inaugural Calder Cup Finals, where they lost to the Syracuse Stars in four games.
Smith debuted in the NHL with the Rangers in 1936–37, scoring a goal in a two-game call-up. By his second full season (1938–39), he led the team in scoring with 41 points and took home his first Lady Byng Trophy, having taken only one minor penalty all year. The next season, he helped the Rangers win the Stanley Cup over the Toronto Maple Leafs in six games—the franchise’s last title until 1994. His production dipped to 24 points that championship year, but he rebounded to 33 points in 1942–43 before leaving New York after six seasons.
Joining the Chicago Black Hawks in 1943–44, Smith revitalized his career on a line with future Hall of Famers Bill Mosienko and Doug Bentley. He posted 23 goals and an NHL-record 49 assists (broken the next season by Elmer Lach) for a career-high 72 points. The line’s combined 219 points also set a league record. Smith earned a second Lady Byng Trophy that season, with just four penalty minutes. In 1944–45, he tied an NHL record by scoring four goals in a single period against the Montreal Canadiens on March 4. He followed with three straight 20-goal seasons, including a personal best 26 in 1945–46, but after a 26-point campaign in 1946–47, he retired from the NHL.
Smith returned to the minors in 1947–48 as player-coach of the Tulsa Oilers in the USHL, leading the team in scoring with 71 points and winning the Herman W. Paterson Cup as league MVP.
Quick Facts
- Halloffame
- 1991
- Birth Date
- 1913-12-12
- Birth Place
- Assiniboia, Saskatchewan, Canada
- Death Date
- 2009-05-19
- Death Place
- Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Height Ft
- 5
- Height In
- 8
- Weight Lb
- 165
- Position
- Centre
- Shoots
- Left
- Played For
- Chicago Black Hawks / New York Rangers
- Career Start
- 1932
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Smith began his NHL career with the New York Rangers in 1936–37, scoring his first NHL goal in a two-game stint. He quickly became integral, leading the Rangers in scoring in 1938–39 with 41 points and winning his first Lady Byng Trophy with just one minor penalty. The following season, he helped the Rangers win the Stanley Cup, defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs in six games—the team's last Cup before a 54-year drought. After his production declined, he left the Rangers following the 1942–43 season.
Joining the Chicago Black Hawks in 1943–44, Smith rejuvenated his career on a line with future Hall of Famers Bill Mosienko and Doug Bentley. He recorded 23 goals and set an NHL record for single-season assists with 49, for a career-high 72 points. The line's combined 219 points also set an NHL record. Smith won a second Lady Byng Trophy that season with only 4 penalty minutes. The next season, he set another NHL record with a four-goal period against the Montreal Canadiens on March 4, 1945. He recorded three straight 20-goal seasons, including a personal best 26 goals in 1945–46, before retiring from the NHL after 1946–47.
After his NHL career, Smith served as both a head coach and player in the USHL and AHL. He led the Tulsa Oilers in scoring with 71 points in 1947–48 while coaching, winning the Herman W. Paterson Cup as league MVP. He later played and coached for the St. Paul Saints and finished his playing and coaching career with the Cincinnati Mohawks in 1951–52.
Reader's Guide
Smith's significance lies in his two Lady Byng Trophies, his role on the 1940 Stanley Cup-winning Rangers, and his NHL record-setting seasons with the Chicago Black Hawks. His 49-assist season in 1943–44 was an NHL record, broken the following season by Elmer Lach. His four-goal period on March 4, 1945, remains a shared NHL record. He was the last surviving member of the Rangers' 1940 Stanley Cup team. At the time of his death, he was reported to be the oldest living person to have played in the NHL, though this claim overlooked players with limited games such as Louis Holmes and Al Suomi. Smith was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991, thirty-nine years after his professional retirement. In the 2009 book '100 Ranger Greats,' he was ranked No. 35 all-time among the 901 New York Rangers who played during the team's first 82 seasons.
Did You Know?
- Smith led the North West Hockey League in scoring with 25 goals in his rookie year.
- He scored four goals in one period against the Montreal Canadiens on March 4, 1945.
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