Selected by the Dallas Stars in the 2001 NHL draft, Smith played in the American Hockey League (AHL) for the Utah Grizzlies, Houston Aeros, and the Iowa Stars. Smith also played for the Lexington Men O'War of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) in 2002–03.[4] After playing five seasons in the minors, Smith had his NHL debut on October 21, 2006, playing for the Dallas Stars against the Arizona Coyotes putting up a 22-save shutout, making him the first goalie in Dallas Stars history to have a shutout in his first NHL game.[5] Smith was named to the 2006–07 NHL All-Rookie Team.[6]
After the start of the 2000–01 season, Smith moved to the Sudbury Wolves, where he played 43 games, registering a 2.52 goals against average (GAA) and 0.913 save percentage in the regular season. The Wolves made it to the second round of the playoffs that year with Smith in net.
Dallas Stars
In the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, Smith was drafted by the Dallas Stars in the fifth round (161st overall), and continued to play in Sudbury, again taking the Wolves into the post-season. Their playoff run ended in four games, however, as the Barrie Colts won the series 4–0.
Smith made his professional debut on October 26, 2002, against the Dayton Bombers, scoring a statistically unlikely goal during a shutout in his first win, scoring on an empty net at 19:04 in the third period. Smith is the youngest goaltender ever to score in a professional game, doing so at 20 years of age.[7]
Smith played only 11 games in Utah, backing up Jason Bacashihua and Corey Hirsch. For 2003–04, Utah added Dan Ellis to their roster, with whom Smith split back up duties, again to Bacashihua. Smith went to play for the Houston Aeros in 2004–05, sharing the net almost equally with Josh Harding, putting up a 0.915 save percentage and 2.42 GAA.
Smith joined the Iowa Stars for their inaugural season in 2005–06. The Stars played Smith and Dan Ellis back and forth for much of the season until Smith appeared to take much of the netminding responsibilities late in the season. A Stars rally in the stretch secured the final Western Conference playoff spot. Smith started in every game of the seven-game series against the Milwaukee Admirals, which Milwaukee ultimately won.
Smith underwent shoulder surgery during the off-season for an injury he sustained during Iowa's 2005–06 season. After a faster-than-expected recovery, Smith attended the Dallas Stars' training camp in the fall of 2006, and was awarded the backup goaltender position behind Marty Turco. In his first-ever regulation NHL game on October 21, 2006, Smith stopped 22 shots to post a shutout against the Phoenix Coyotes.[8]
On January 4, 2007, Smith was hit in the mask by a slap shot, causing him to miss a few weeks with a concussion. He came back strong, however, winning two games in which Turco was pulled. He then registered a 32-save shutout over the Anaheim Ducks on February 10.
Smith also started the year living with Marty Turco's family. However, he eventually moved out and then signed a two-year, $950,000 per year contract with the Stars.
Smith with the Coyotes during the 2011–12 NHL season.
On March 15, Smith recorded a 3–0 shutout victory over the New York Rangers. He became only the third rookie goaltender in NHL history to record a shutout for two different teams in the same season, and the first to do so in 79 years.[9] Smith recorded 14 wins for the Lightning during the 2008–09 season before suffering a concussion that kept him out of action for the remainder of the season. On February 2, 2011, the Lightning placed Smith on waivers, where he cleared the next day and was subsequently assigned to the Lightning's AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals.[10] He returned to Tampa Bay later in the season, however, and, backing up Dwayne Roloson during the Lightning's 2011 playoff run, made his playoff debut in place of Roloson in the third period of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Bruins.
Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes
On July 1, 2011, Smith signed a two-year contract worth $2 million with the Phoenix Coyotes.[11] Smith set the NHL record for the most saves in a regulation shutout victory, as he stopped all 54 shots he faced in a 2–0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on April 3, 2012.[12] However, his record was later surpassed on January 29, 2014, when Ben Scrivens stopped 59 shots in a 3–0 win for the Edmonton Oilers over the San Jose Sharks. He went on to record an impressive 38 wins in his first season in Phoenix, as the Coyotes qualified for their third consecutive playoff berth, and finished fourth in voting for the Vezina Trophy, awarded to the league's top goaltender.
In the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs, Smith led the Coyotes to their first playoff series win since 1987, beating the Chicago Blackhawks 4–2 in the series. Smith and the Coyotes went on to defeat the Nashville Predators in the Western conference semi-finals, winning the series 4–1. The Coyotes then faced the eventual Stanley Cup champions Los Angeles Kings in the Western Conference Finals, losing the series 4–1.[13] He posted a superb 1.99 GAA and a .944 save percentage, some of the best numbers for starting goaltenders in the playoffs.
On July 5, 2013, Smith signed a six-year contract extension with the Coyotes worth $34 million.
On October 19, 2013, Smith became the seventh NHL goalie to score a goal with a shot on goal (four other goaltenders have been credited based on own-goals by the opposition). Smith scored with 0.1 seconds left in regulation on an empty net during a win against the Detroit Red Wings.[14] Two months later, Smith would score on himself when, as a result of the hockey puck getting lodged into his waistband, he inadvertently backed into his own net and scored an own goal. The "butt goal" handed the game to the Buffalo Sabres, as the game was in overtime.[15]
Calgary Flames
On June 17, 2017, Smith was traded to the Calgary Flames in exchange for goalie Chad Johnson, prospect Brandon Hickey, and a conditional third-round pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.[16]
Smith played his 500th career NHL game on December 9, 2017.[17] This made him the 11th active goalie to reach the milestone and tied him with Jeff Hackett for 69th place on the all-time list.[18]
After being glanced over for the 2018 NHL All-Star Game, Smith was invited as a replacement for Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick, who declined his invitation due to a nagging injury.[19][20]
Edmonton Oilers
On July 1, 2019, Smith was signed by the Edmonton Oilers to a one-year, $2-million contract.[21]
On October 10, 2020, the Oilers re-signed Smith to a one-year, $2 million contract.
On July 21, 2021, the Oilers re-signed Smith to a two-year, $4.4 million extension.
Smith won a gold medal with Canada's 2014 Winter Olympic team, dressing as a backup for one of Canada's group games. He did not see any ice time and was primarily the third choice goaltender. He also won gold at the 2015 world championships as Canada's starting goalie, going 8–0 through the tournament and recording a shutout streak of 190:03 in the medal round (the final three games).[22]
Nikolai Alexandrovich Khabibulin is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Known by the nickname "The Bulin Wall", he spent the majority of his playing career in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Winnipeg Jets, Phoenix Coyotes, Chicago Blackhawks, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Edmonton Oilers.
The 1996–97 NHL season was the 80th regular season of the National Hockey League. The Stanley Cup winners were the Detroit Red Wings, who swept the Philadelphia Flyers in four games and won the Stanley Cup for the first time in 42 years.
Niklas Oskar Bäckström is a Finnish former professional ice hockey goaltender and current goaltending coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets. He played ten seasons for the Minnesota Wild and Calgary Flames in the National Hockey League (NHL), during which he won both the William M. Jennings Trophy and Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award. He also has won both Urpo Ylönen trophy and Jari Kurri trophy twice. Bäckström is a Swedish-speaking Finn, but also speaks Finnish.
Benjamin Manning Bishop III is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender under contract to the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League (NHL). Bishop previously played for the St. Louis Blues, Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning, Los Angeles Kings, and Dallas Stars of the NHL. Nicknamed "Big Ben", Bishop is the tallest goaltender ever to play in the NHL, along with Mikko Koskinen and Mads Søgaard at a height of 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m). He was a three-time Vezina Trophy finalist as the NHL's top goaltender.
Robert Curtis McElhinney is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He previously played in the NHL with the Calgary Flames, Anaheim Ducks, Ottawa Senators, Phoenix Coyotes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning. McElhinney was drafted in the sixth-round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by the Flames, and won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021.
The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League (NHL). It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the other conference. It began on October 4, with the regular season ending on April 12. The Stanley Cup playoffs ended on June 12, with the Pittsburgh Penguins taking the championship. The Montreal Canadiens hosted the 57th NHL All-Star Game at the Bell Centre on January 25, 2009, as part of the Canadiens' 100th season celebration.
Brian "Moose" Elliott is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the ninth round, 291st overall, of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. A two-time NHL All-Star in 2012 and 2015, Elliott has also played in the NHL for the Senators, Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues, Philadelphia Flyers and Calgary Flames.
Jonathan Douglas Quick is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Quick was selected in the third round, 72nd overall, by the Los Angeles Kings at the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.
Mike McKenna is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender. McKenna was selected in the 6th round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators and played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Tampa Bay Lightning, New Jersey Devils, Columbus Blue Jackets, Arizona Coyotes, Dallas Stars, Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers.
Chad Terry Johnson is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He most recently played for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the fifth round, 125th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.
Justin Peters is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former professional ice hockey goaltender. He was selected in the second round, 38th overall, by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He is currently the goaltending coach for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League.
Cameron Talbot is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has also played for the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames, Minnesota Wild and the Ottawa Senators.
The 2013–14 NHL season was the 97th season of operation of the National Hockey League (NHL). This season features a realignment of the league's 30 teams from a six to a four division format. The regular season began October 1, and concluded April 13. The Stanley Cup playoffs began April 16.
Laurent Brossoit is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League. Brossoit won the Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023.
Andrei Andreyevich Vasilevskiy is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the first round, 19th overall, by the Lightning at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, and is widely regarded as one of the best goaltenders in the NHL.
Louis Boileau-Domingue is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Hartford Wolf Pack in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL).
The 2016–17 Calgary Flames season was their 37th season in Calgary, and the 45th season for the National Hockey League franchise that was established on June 6, 1972.
Adin Hill is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hill was selected by the Arizona Coyotes, 76th overall, in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. He has also played with the San Jose Sharks. As their starting goaltender, Hill won the Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights in 2023.
Connor Brent Ingram is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the third round, 88th overall, by the Tampa Bay Lightning at the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
Canada 
