# Rick Smith (ice hockey)

Richard Allan Smith (born June 29, 1948) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played from 1968 until 1981 in the National Hockey League (NHL) and the World Hockey Association (WHA). He won the Stanley Cup in 1970 with the Boston Bruins.

## Playing career

Smith was originally drafted by the Boston Bruins in the second round (7th overall) in the 1966 NHL Amateur Draft. He played in Boston from 1968–69 to 1971–72. Boston traded him, along with Reggie Leach and Bob Stewart for Carol Vadnais and Don O'Donoghue in February 1972 to the California Golden Seals of the NHL. He played there until the end of the next season (1972–73) when he left the NHL for the World Hockey Association (WHA) and played for the Minnesota Fighting Saints. In 1975–76 Smith returned to the NHL to play for the St. Louis Blues. He would remain with the Blues until the 1976–77 NHL season when he returned to the Boston Bruins. In 1980 Rick Smith would leave Boston to play one more NHL season split between the Detroit Red Wings (11 games) and the Washington Capitals (40 games). He won the Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins in 1970. Rick Smith was a steady defenseman, not a scorer but a reliable part of talented teams. An important part of winning Bruin teams who worked hard in every game he participated in.

## 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 |
| 1965–66 | Hamilton Red Wings | OHA | 47 | 2 | 16 | 18 | 60 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1966–67 | Hamilton Red Wings | OHA | 48 | 2 | 17 | 19 | 74 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1967–68 | Hamilton Red Wings | OHA | 49 | 5 | 36 | 41 | 123 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1968–69 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 48 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 29 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1968–69 | Oklahoma City Blazers | CHL | 19 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 37 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1969–70 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 69 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 65 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 17 |
| 1970–71 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 67 | 4 | 19 | 23 | 44 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1971–72 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 61 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1971–72 | California Golden Seals | NHL | 17 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1972–73 | California Golden Seals | NHL | 64 | 9 | 24 | 33 | 77 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1973–74 | Minnesota Fighting Saints | WHA | 71 | 10 | 28 | 38 | 98 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 22 |
| 1974–75 | Minnesota Fighting Saints | WHA | 78 | 9 | 29 | 38 | 112 | 12 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 6 |
| 1975–76 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 24 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 1975–76 | Minnesota Fighting Saints | WHA | 51 | 1 | 32 | 33 | 50 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1976–77 | Kansas City Blues | CHL | 7 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1976–77 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 18 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1976–77 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 46 | 6 | 16 | 22 | 30 | 14 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 14 |
| 1977–78 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 79 | 7 | 29 | 36 | 69 | 15 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 18 |
| 1978–79 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 65 | 7 | 18 | 25 | 46 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 12 |
| 1979–80 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 78 | 8 | 18 | 26 | 62 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 1980–81 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1980–81 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 40 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — |
| WHA totals | WHA totals | WHA totals | 200 | 20 | 89 | 109 | 260 | 23 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 28 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 687 | 52 | 167 | 219 | 560 | 78 | 3 | 23 | 26 | 73 |