| Zack Smith | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Smith with theOttawa Senators in May 2013 | |||
| Born | (1988-04-05)April 5, 1988 (age 37) Maple Creek,Saskatchewan, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 202 lb (92 kg; 14 st 6 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre/Left wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Ottawa Senators Chicago Blackhawks | ||
| NHL draft | 79th overall,2008 Ottawa Senators | ||
| Playing career | 2008–2020 | ||
Zachary Smith (born April 5, 1988) is aCanadian former professionalice hockey player. He played for theOttawa Senators, who drafted him 79th overall in the2008 NHL Entry Draft, and theChicago Blackhawks of theNational Hockey League (NHL).
Born inMaple Creek, Saskatchewan, Smith was drafted in the third round, 79th overall, of the2008 NHL Entry Draft by theOttawa Senators.[1] He was rated 108th among North American skaters by theNHL Central Scouting Bureau.[2]
After playing four seasons in theWestern Hockey League (WHL) with theSwift Current Broncos, Smith was offered an amateur tryout contract with theManitoba Moose of theAmerican Hockey League (AHL). He appeared in six playoff games with the Moose during the2008 AHL playoffs, recording one assist.
In the2008–09 season, Smith signed an entry-level contract with the Ottawa Senators[3] and attended the team's training camp. He played with the team until September 21, when he was demoted to Ottawa's AHL affiliate, theBinghamton Senators. He was the final cut made by the Senators in the pre-season. He made his NHL debut as an emergency call-up for a November 29, 2008, game against theNew York Islanders, registering no points.
On January 16, 2010, he scored his first NHL goal, againstCarey Price of theMontreal Canadiens. Smith would play in all six of Ottawa's2010 Stanley Cup playoff games as the Senators were defeated by the defending Stanley Cup champion and fourth-seededPittsburgh Penguins.
On May 20, 2011, Ottawa signed Smith to a two-year,one-way contract.[4] He spent the2011–12 season with Ottawa, registering 14 goals and 26 points in 81 games, while also appearing in all seven of Ottawa's2012 playoff games, registering one assist before as the Senators were eliminated by the top-seededNew York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal.
On 5 September 2012, it was announced Smith signed a four-year contract with the Senators worth an average annual value of $1,887,500.[5] Smith would appear in all 48 games of thelockout-shortened2012–13 season, scoring 4 goals and 11 assists, and would score a goal and an assist in all 10 games during the2013 playoffs before Ottawa was eliminated by the top-seeded Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Semifinal.
Smith appeared in all 82 games of the2013–14 season, scoring 13 goals and nine assists as Ottawa failed to qualify for the2014 playoffs.
Smith missed most of the2014–15 season due to dislocating a wrist after a collision with theBoston Bruins'Brad Marchand on December 13, 2014.[6] He would return to the ice later in the season and was moved across thelines by then head coachPaul MacLean to try to improve Smith's performance, including switching Smith from awinger to acentre.[7] He would end the season with 2 goals and 1 assist in 37 games. He would also appear in three games during the2015 playoffs in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal against theMontreal Canadiens, which the Senators lost in six games.[8]
Smith's performance drastically improved during the2015–16 season, where he appeared in 81 games and achieved career highs in goals (25) and points (36). Early in the season, he anticipated having a productive season due to improving his skating during his off time from his wrist injury that occurred in the previous season.[8] Smith also believed his improved performance was due to playing on the top line withMark Stone andJean-Gabriel Pageau and by new head coachDave Cameron's decision to move Smith from the fourth line centre to the first line left winger.[9] Smith was also nominated for the 2015–16Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for his "perseverance and dedication to hockey".[10]
Having completed his 11th season with the Senators organization in the2018–19 season, Smith's tenure with Ottawa ended after he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange forArtem Anisimov on July 16, 2019.[11]
In his first season away from the Senators, Smith began the2019–20 season on the Blackhawks' fourth-line, making his debut on opening night against thePhiladelphia Flyers on October 4, 2019. He was scoreless in his first 10 games with Chicago before collecting two assists on goals byKirby Dach andCalvin de Haan against theVegas Golden Knights on November 13. Smith made 50 appearances with the Blackhawks, posting four goals and 11 points, before suffering a cut from a skate blade to his hand against theVancouver Canucks on February 12, 2020. It was later announced that Smith would miss the remainder of the season, due to a back injury requiring surgery on March 6.[12]
Smith announced his retirement from the NHL on September 17, 2021.[13]
Smith is the nephew of former NHL playerBarry Dean.[14]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2004–05 | Swift Current Broncos | WHL | 14 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Swift Current Broncos | WHL | 64 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 78 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | ||
| 2006–07 | Swift Current Broncos | WHL | 71 | 16 | 15 | 31 | 130 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 11 | ||
| 2007–08 | Swift Current Broncos | WHL | 72 | 22 | 48 | 70 | 136 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 29 | ||
| 2007–08 | Manitoba Moose | AHL | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2008–09 | Binghamton Senators | AHL | 79 | 24 | 24 | 48 | 132 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Binghamton Senators | AHL | 68 | 14 | 27 | 41 | 100 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 15 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | ||
| 2010–11 | Binghamton Senators | AHL | 22 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 32 | 23 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 36 | ||
| 2010–11 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 55 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 120 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 81 | 14 | 12 | 26 | 98 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||
| 2012–13 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 48 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 56 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 31 | ||
| 2013–14 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 82 | 13 | 9 | 22 | 111 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 37 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15 | Binghamton Senators | AHL | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 81 | 25 | 11 | 36 | 80 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 74 | 16 | 16 | 32 | 61 | 19 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 12 | ||
| 2017–18 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 68 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 70 | 9 | 19 | 28 | 81 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 50 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 662 | 98 | 106 | 204 | 722 | 45 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 58 | ||||