Matt Smaby

Last updated

Matt Smaby
Matt Smaby 2007.jpg
Smaby with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2007
Born (1984-10-14) October 14, 1984 (age 40)
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Height 6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Weight 240 lb (109 kg; 17 st 2 lb)
Position Defense
Shot Left
Played for Tampa Bay Lightning
EHC München
NHL draft 41st overall, 2003
Tampa Bay Lightning
Playing career 2006–2017
Coaching career
Current position
TitleAssociate Head Coach
Team North Dakota
Biographical details
Alma mater University of North Dakota
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2017–2019 North Dakota
(Student manager)
2019–2020 EC Salzburg
(Assistant coach)
2021–2025 Waterloo Black Hawks
2025–presentNorth Dakota
(Associate head coach)

Matthew Walker Smaby (born October 14, 1984) is an American coach and former professional ice hockey defenseman who is currently the associate head coach of the North Dakota Fighting Hawks men's ice hockey team.

Contents

Career

Smaby was drafted 41st overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Smaby had a three-year collegiate career with the University of North Dakota. He made his professional debut during the 2006–07 season playing for the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League (AHL). Smaby made his National Hockey League (NHL) debut in the 2007–08 season playing 14 games with the Lightning.

Smaby played five years with the Tampa Bay Lightning organization. He did not receive a qualifying offer from Tampa Bay after the 2010–11 season and became an unrestricted free agent. On July 14, 2011, Smaby signed a one-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks. [1]

On June 6, 2013, Smaby signed his first European contract on a one-year deal with EHC München of the German Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). [2] Prior to the 2014–15 season, Smaby signed a professional tryout contract with the Arizona Coyotes but was released on October 4, 2014, [3] and returned to EHC München. In 2015, München extended Smaby's contract though the 2016–17 season.

Smaby retired from playing in 2017 and returned to the University of North Dakota to earn his degree while rejoining his collegiate team, the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks, as team manager. After earning his degree in 2019, he returned to Europe as an assistant coach with EC Red Bull Salzburg of Erste Bank Eishockey Liga (EBEL). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Smaby returned to the United States in 2020 and coached youth hockey in Grand Forks, North Dakota. On July 27, 2021, he was hired as the head coach of the Waterloo Black Hawks, a Tier I junior team in the United States Hockey League (USHL). [4] On May 21, 2025 after the conclusion of the 2024–25 USHL season in which Smaby led the Waterloo Black Hawks to the Clark Cup finals, he was named North Dakota's associate head coach. [5]

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
2001–02 Shattuck–Saint Mary's HSMN 6571825134—————
2002–03Shattuck–Saint Mary'sHSMN5732023114—————
2003–04 University of North Dakota WCHA 3916781—————
2004–05 University of North DakotaWCHA4212386—————
2005–06 University of North DakotaWCHA4641519113—————
2006–07 Springfield Falcons AHL 662141643—————
2007–08 Norfolk Admirals AHL5815666—————
2007–08 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 1400012—————
2008–09 Norfolk AdmiralsAHL2524630—————
2008–09 Tampa Bay LightningNHL4304450—————
2009–10 Tampa Bay LightningNHL3302227—————
2009–10 Norfolk AdmiralsAHL70229—————
2010–11 Tampa Bay LightningNHL3200017—————
2011–12 Syracuse Crunch AHL3027946—————
2012–13 Norfolk AdmiralsAHL2604416—————
2013–14 EHC Red Bull München DEL 423131664300010
2014–15 EHC Red Bull MünchenDEL3113456400018
2015–16 EHC Red Bull MünchenDEL42077601421320
2016–17 EHC Red Bull MünchenDEL425914971401112
AHL totals21273643210—————
NHL totals122066106—————
DEL totals157932412773522460

Awards and honors

AwardYear
All-WCHA Third Team 2005–06
WCHA All-Tournament Team 2006 [6]
WCHA All-Academic Team2005-06

References

  1. ↑ "Ducks ink Smaby to One-Year deal". Anaheim Ducks. July 14, 2011. Retrieved July 14, 2011.
  2. ↑ "Munich olbigated to Matt Smaby" (in German). EHC München. June 6, 2013. Archived from the original on June 11, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Coyotes Release Smaby". Arizona Coyotes. October 4, 2014. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Smaby Next Hawks Head Coach". Waterloo Black Hawks. July 27, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Matt Smaby named UND's associate head coach". Grand Forks Herald. May 21, 2025. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  6. ↑ "WCHA Tourney History". WCHA. Archived from the original on July 2, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2014.
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