Craig Smith (ice hockey)
American forward who played 14 NHL seasons for six teams.
Craig Smith (born September 5, 1989) is an American former professional ice hockey forward who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Nashville Predators in the fourth round, 98th overall, of the 2009 NHL entry draft, and also played for the Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackhawks, and Detroit Red Wings.
Smith started playing hockey at age three. He attended La Follette High School in Madison, Wisconsin, where he led the team in scoring as a freshman under head coach Jeff Weum. During his junior year, he was drafted by the Waterloo Black Hawks of the USHL. He played three seasons with the Black Hawks in Waterloo, Iowa, from 2006–07 through 2008–09, recording 49 goals and 68 assists (117 points) in 157 regular-season games. He was named to the USHL First All-Star Team for the 2008–09 season.
After his USHL career, Smith played two seasons for the University of Wisconsin–Madison men’s hockey team, serving as captain during the 2010–11 season. In 82 regular-season games with the Badgers, he totaled 27 goals and 49 assists (159 points). He also represented the United States at the 2011 IIHF World Championship.
Drafted 98th overall by Nashville in 2009, Smith made his NHL debut on October 7, 2011, against the Columbus Blue Jackets and scored his first NHL goal on goaltender Steve Mason. He spent ten seasons with the Predators (2012–2020), including four games with their AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, during the 2012–13 season. At the start of that season, due to the 2012 NHL lockout, he played for KalPa in Finland’s SM-liiga. After the 2014–15 season, Smith became a restricted free agent. The Predators made a qualifying offer, and on July 5, 2015, he filed for salary arbitration. On July 20, before his scheduled hearing, he signed a five-year, $21.25 million contract with Nashville.
On September 29, 2020, after nine seasons with the Predators, Smith informed the team he would not sign a new contract and would become a free agent. On October 10, he signed a three-year, $9.3 million contract with the Boston Bruins. He played two and a half seasons in Boston (2020–2023). On May 19, 2021, he scored the Game 3 double-overtime winner against the Washington Capitals, giving the Bruins a 2–1 series lead in their first-round series.
Quick Facts
- Height
- 6 ft 1 in
- Weight
- 203 lb
- Born
- 5 September 1989
- Birthplace
- Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
- Position
- Forward
- Shoots
- Right
- Played for
- Nashville Predators; KalPa; Boston Bruins; Washington Capitals; Dallas Stars; Chicago Blackhawks; Detroit Red Wings
- Draft
- 98th overall
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Smith began playing hockey at age three and attended La Follette High School in Madison, Wisconsin, where he led the team in scoring as a freshman. He was drafted by the Waterloo Black Hawks of the USHL during his junior year of high school and played three seasons with them, earning a spot on the USHL First All-Star Team for 2008–09. He then played two seasons at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, serving as captain for the 2010–11 season, and participated in the 2011 IIHF World Championship for the United States.
Smith made his NHL debut on October 7, 2011, against the Columbus Blue Jackets, scoring his first NHL goal against goaltender Steve Mason. He spent the beginning of the 2012–13 season playing for KalPa of the SM-liiga in Finland due to the 2012 NHL lockout. After nine seasons with Nashville, he signed a three-year, $9.3 million contract with the Boston Bruins on October 10, 2020.
On May 19, 2021, Smith scored the double-overtime winner in Game 3 of the first-round playoff series against the Washington Capitals, giving the Bruins a 2–1 series lead. The goal came after Capitals goaltender Ilya Samsonov misplayed the puck behind the net; Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin visibly scolded him in Russian after the game. The Bruins won the series in five games. On February 23, 2023, Smith was traded to the Capitals along with three draft picks in exchange for Garnet Hathaway and Dmitry Orlov.
Reader's Guide
Smith's career is notable for its longevity across 14 NHL seasons and six teams, beginning as a fourth-round draft pick who developed through the USHL and NCAA. His time with the Washington Capitals was brief, arriving via trade from Boston during the 2022–23 season and departing as a free agent afterward. The most memorable moment involving the Capitals came when he scored a double-overtime playoff goal against them while playing for Boston, a goal that led to a visible on-ice reaction from Alex Ovechkin. After leaving Washington, Smith signed one-year contracts with the Dallas Stars and Chicago Blackhawks, then was traded to the Detroit Red Wings on March 7, 2025. He announced his retirement on December 8, 2025, after going unsigned through the 2025 offseason and first two months of the 2025–26 season. His career statistics include 117 points in 157 USHL regular-season games and 159 points in 82 NCAA games at Wisconsin.
Did You Know?
- Smith scored his first NHL goal on October 7, 2011, against goaltender Steve Mason of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
- He served as captain of the University of Wisconsin men's hockey team during the 2010–11 season.
- Smith's favorite TV show is Friends, favorite video game is Mario Kart, and favorite music artist is the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
- He was traded to the Washington Capitals on February 23, 2023, along with three draft picks, for Garnet Hathaway and Dmitry Orlov.
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