Gemel Smith
Canadian forward who played for four NHL teams.
Last updated
Gemel Smith is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who has played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, and Tampa Bay Lightning. He was selected by the Stars in the fourth round, 104th overall, of the 2012 NHL entry draft.
Lore & Background
Smith began his major junior career with the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) after being selected 120th overall in the 2010 OHL Priority Selection. He later played for the London Knights before signing a three-year, entry-level contract with the Dallas Stars on May 31, 2014. He made his professional debut in the 2014–15 season with the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League (AHL), recording 10 goals and 27 points in 68 games.
Smith made his NHL debut with the Stars on October 22, 2016, in a 3–0 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, and scored his first two NHL goals on November 6, 2016, in a 4–3 overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. He was claimed on waivers by the Boston Bruins on December 6, 2018, and later signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning on July 8, 2019. Smith was one of eight players called up to the Lightning for their training camp prior to the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs.
He was claimed on waivers by the Detroit Red Wings on January 19, 2022, and then reclaimed by the Lightning on February 19, 2022. In the 2022–23 season, he played for the Syracuse Crunch and was later loaned to the Henderson Silver Knights. After a stint in the KHL with HC Dinamo Minsk and Kunlun Red Star, Smith returned to North America and signed a PTO with the Syracuse Crunch in October 2024, then a tryout with the Bridgeport Islanders in December 2024.
Reader's Guide
Gemel Smith's NHL career spanned parts of seven seasons with four teams, most notably the Dallas Stars who drafted him. He was a depth forward who often moved between the NHL and AHL, and his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning included being called up for the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs, though he did not play in the postseason.
Smith's career illustrates the journey of a player who was frequently claimed on waivers and moved between organizations, including two separate stints with the Lightning. His professional path also took him to the KHL and back to the AHL, reflecting the transient nature of a hockey career outside the NHL's top lines. Smith's younger brother Givani also plays in the NHL.
Career statistics and honours
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2010–11 | Owen Sound Attack | OHL | 66 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2011–12 | Owen Sound Attack | OHL | 68 | 21 | 39 | 60 | 51 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| 2012–13 | Owen Sound Attack | OHL | 61 | 23 | 29 | 52 | 54 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 10 |
| 2013–14 | Owen Sound Attack | OHL | 40 | 26 | 22 | 48 | 37 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2013–14 | London Knights | OHL | 29 | 11 | 16 | 27 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 9 |
| 2014–15 | Texas Stars | AHL | 68 | 10 | 17 | 27 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | Texas Stars | AHL | 65 | 13 | 13 | 26 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2015–16 | Idaho Steelheads | ECHL | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016–17 | Texas Stars | AHL | 53 | 12 | 21 | 33 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016–17 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 17 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2017–18 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 46 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 14 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | Providence Bruins | AHL | 47 | 16 | 24 | 40 | 32 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019–20 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2019–20 | Syracuse Crunch | AHL | 50 | 22 | 18 | 40 | 50 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2020–21 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2020–21 | Syracuse Crunch | AHL | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021–22 | Grand Rapids Griffins | AHL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021–22 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021–22 | Syracuse Crunch | AHL | 13 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022–23 | Syracuse Crunch | AHL | 35 | 13 | 24 | 37 | 89 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022–23 | Henderson Silver Knights | AHL | 19 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 56 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2023–24 | Dinamo Minsk | KHL | 15 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2023–24 | Kunlun Red Star | KHL | 20 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2024–25 | Syracuse Crunch | AHL | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2024–25 | Bridgeport Islanders | AHL | 23 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2025–26 | Grizzlys Wolfsburg | DEL | 19 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| NHL totals | 91 | 12 | 13 | 25 | 58 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Canada | U18 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| Junior totals | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | ||
Tables copied from the source article, totals included as the source gives them: Wikipedia: Gemel Smith (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wide tables scroll sideways.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Gemel Smith (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Statistics, medals and awards: the tables of the source article.
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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