Dalton Smith Explained

Dalton Smith
Team:Free agent
Former Teams:Buffalo Sabres
Position:Left wing
Shoots:Left
Birth Date:1992 6, df=yes
Birth Place:Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Height Ft:6
Height In:2
Weight Lb:203
Draft:34th overall
Draft Team:Columbus Blue Jackets
Draft Year:2010
Career Start:2012

Dalton Smith (born 30 June 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played with the Colorado Eagles in the American Hockey League (AHL). Smith was selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2nd round (34th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

Smith played four seasons (20082012) of major junior hockey with the Ottawa 67's of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), scoring 50 goals and 55 assists for 105 points, and earning 328 penalty minutes, over 196 games.

On 8 August 2011, the Columbus Blue Jackets signed Smith to a three-year entry-level contract.[1]

At the 2013–14 trade deadline, the Blue Jackets traded Smith and Jonathan Marchessault, to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Dana Tyrell and Matt Taormina on 5 March 2014,.[2]

Smith spent the 2014–15 season with the Lightning's AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. When Smith's contract was not renewed, he accepted a try-out contract with the Providence Bruins of the AHL on 3 October 2015.[3]

Failing to catch on in Providence, Smith was signed to a one-year contract with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He played 11 games with the Phantoms. After not being resigned by the Phantoms Smith attended the training camp of the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL. Smith belatedly signed a one-year contract with Charlotte near the start of the 2016–17 season, moving down one tier to their ECHL affiliate, the Florida Everblades, on 9 October 2016.[4]

After playing out the season with the Everblades, recording a professional high 23 points in 60 games, Smith as a free agent the following summer attended the Rochester Americans 2017 training camp on 25 September 2017.[5]

During the 2019–20 season, his 8th professional year, on December 30, 2019, Smith signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Americans' parent NHL club, the Buffalo Sabres.[6] He was recalled to make his long-awaited NHL debut with the Sabres against the Tampa Bay Lightning on December 31, 2019, registering 2 penalty minutes in 1:26 of ice-time in a 6–4 defeat. He was placed on waivers to return to Rochester on 2 January 2020.[7]

At the conclusion of his contract, Smith was not extended by the Sabres and as a free agent opted to remain within the organization, continuing his tenure in the AHL with the Americans on a one-year deal on 12 October 2020.[8]

On 29 July 2021, Smith left Rochester after four seasons and signed to add a veteran presence on a one-year contract with the Colorado Eagles of the AHL.[9] Smith enjoyed his most productive season in the AHL since 2015 during the 2021–22 season, collecting 5 goals and 11 points in 52 regular season games.

On 28 June 2022, Smith agreed to a two-year contract extension to remain with the Eagles.[10]

Career statistics

Team League GP GP G A Pts PIM
2008–09Whitby FuryOJHL40101323109
2008–09Ottawa 67'sOHL17257870000
2009–10Ottawa 67'sOHL622123441291233627
2010–11Ottawa 67'sOHL64121729124422412
2011–12Ottawa 67'sOHL53151025671844846
2012–13Springfield FalconsAHL67369128100012
2013–14Springfield FalconsAHL5045999
2013–14Syracuse CrunchAHL1921351
2014–15Syracuse CrunchAHL62116177920004
2015–16Providence BruinsAHL1710124
2015–16Lehigh Valley PhantomsAHL1110125
2016–17Florida EverbladesECHL601013231531130322
2017–18Rochester AmericansAHL45112102
2018–19Rochester AmericansAHL4826811130002
2019–20Rochester AmericansAHL4214563
2019–20Buffalo SabresNHL10002
2020–21Rochester AmericansAHL2210145
2021–22Colorado EaglesAHL52561159500011
2022–23Colorado EaglesAHL600032
2023–24Colorado EaglesAHL4914599
NHL totals 10002

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Blue Jackets sign draft pick Smith . . 2011-08-08 . 2011-08-08.
  2. Web site: Lightning shake up Crunch with trades of Tyrell, Taormina . . 2014-03-05 . 2014-03-05.
  3. Web site: Brookbank and Smith in the lineup tonight . . 2015-10-03 . 2015-10-03 . Mark Divver.
  4. Web site: Everblades receive three players from Charlotte . . 2016-10-09 . 2016-10-09 . July 18, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180718205140/http://www.floridaeverblades.com/2016/10/everblades-receive-three-players-ahl-charlotte/ . dead .
  5. Web site: Rochester Americans 2017-18 training camp . . 2017-09-25 . 2017-09-25.
  6. Web site: Sabres sign Smith to one-year, two-way contract . . 2019-12-30 . 2019-12-30.
  7. Web site: Sabres waive Dalton Smith for assignment to the AHL . diebytheblade.com . January 2, 2020 . January 2, 2020 . November 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221117081939/https://www.diebytheblade.com/2020/1/2/21046760/buffalo-sabres-waive-dalton-smith-for-assignment-to-the-ahl . dead .
  8. Web site: Smith signs one-year deal with Amerks . . October 12, 2020 . October 12, 2020 . October 31, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201031155523/https://www.amerks.com/article/SMITH%20SIGNS%20ONE-YEAR%20DEAL%20WITH%20AMERKS . dead .
  9. Web site: Colorado signs veteran forward Dalton Smith . . 2021-07-29 . 2021-07-30.
  10. Web site: Colorado welcomes back forward Dalton Smith . . June 28, 2022 . June 28, 2022 .