# Greg Smith (ice hockey)

Gregory James Smith (born July 18, 1955) is a Canadian former ice hockey player. He played for five teams in the National Hockey League between 1976 and 1988. Internationally Smith represented the Canadian national team at the 1977 and 1979 World Championships.

## Career

A stay-at-home defenceman who was selected by the California Golden Seals in the 1975 NHL Draft, Smith followed the franchise when it relocated to Cleveland in 1976, and when it folded in 1978 and merged with the Minnesota North Stars, where his rights were protected by the North Stars in the 1978 Cleveland-Minnesota Dispersal Draft. He played for Minnesota for three seasons, and his solid defensive play would help guide them to the finals in 1981.
Smith was traded to the Detroit Red Wings where he played for parts of five seasons until he was traded to the Washington Capitals at the trade deadline of the 1985–86 NHL season. He played for the Capitals until his retirement at the end of the 1987–88 NHL season.

## Retirement

Smith spent much of his retirement in Billings, Montana, raising his family and coaching hockey. He has helped several players get into various Junior hockey leagues in both the US and Canada.

## Family life

Smith currently resides in Billings, Montana with his wife.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1972–73 | Calgary Canucks | AJHL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1973–74 | Colorado College | WCHA | 31 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 80 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1974–75 | Colorado College | WCHA | 36 | 10 | 24 | 34 | 75 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1975–76 | Colorado College | WCHA | 34 | 18 | 19 | 37 | 123 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1975–76 | California Golden Seals | NHL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1975–76 | Salt Lake Golden Eagles | CHL | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 1976–77 | Cleveland Barons | NHL | 74 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 65 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1977–78 | Cleveland Barons | NHL | 80 | 7 | 30 | 37 | 92 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1978–79 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 80 | 5 | 27 | 32 | 147 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1979–80 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 55 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 103 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| 1980–81 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 74 | 5 | 21 | 26 | 126 | 19 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 39 |
| 1981–82 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 69 | 10 | 22 | 32 | 79 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1982–83 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 73 | 4 | 26 | 30 | 79 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1983–84 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 75 | 3 | 20 | 23 | 108 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| 1984–85 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 73 | 2 | 18 | 20 | 117 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 1985–86 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 62 | 5 | 19 | 24 | 84 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1985–86 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 14 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 |
| 1986–87 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 45 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 31 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| 1987–88 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 54 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 67 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 829 | 56 | 232 | 288 | 1110 | 63 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 106 |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1977 | Canada | WC | | 10 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 1979 | Canada | WC | | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | 15 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 16 |