Carl Smith Carl " Winky " Smith ( September 18 , 1917 in Cache Bay , Ontario – January 9 , 1967 ) was an ice hockey winger . Smith picked up his nickname when he played on the same line as Nelson " Blinky " Boyce and Ray Powell for the Omaha Knights following World War II . His brother Dalton " Nakina " Smith , played with him on many occasions throughout his career . Professional career . Minor league hockey . Smith was small in size , but more than made up for it with his stellar play on the ice . After spending time with the St . Michael ' s Majors in the junior league of the OHA he began play for the Oshawa G - Men of the senior league in the 1935 – 36 season . He continued to excel on the ice and was finally noticed after a stellar season in which he scored 30 points in just 18 games . Smith was contacted by the Detroit Red Wings on his birthday and signed as a free agent just nine days later . He was to begin play for the Wings in their farm system , starting with the Detroit Holzbaugh Ford of the Michigan - Ontario League in the 1939 – 40 season . After starting on a point per game pace for the first 31 games of the season , Smith was brought up to the Wichita Skyhawks of the American Hockey Association . However his time with the Skyhawks was short as the team was disbanded after finishing in last place and Smith ended up on the first place St . Louis Flyers and playing for the first time with his brother , Dalton . Smith and his brother helped keep the Flyers in first place for the next two years , including helping them win the Harry F . Sinclair Trophy , given to the league champions , in 1940 – 41 . For the 1942 – 43 season , Smith finally made the jump to the American Hockey League along with Dalton to begin play for the New Haven Eagles , but end the season playing for the Buffalo Bisons , all while scoring 38 points . He also helped lead the Bisons to win the AHL championship and the Calder Cup with his 9 playoff points . Playing in the NHL . Finally in 1943 , while having begun play for the Indianapolis Capitols ( again reuniting with his brother ) , the Smith brothers were called up to play for the Detroit Red Wings of the NHL . Carl contributed a goal and an assist in seven games , but still found himself back down in the minors . He finished out the season with the Capitols and ended up with another point per game season . In 1944 – 45 , Smith again joined the St . Louis Flyers and ended with 10 goals and 26 assists . For the 1945 – 46 season , Smith made the jump to the United States Hockey League ( USHL ) , after a short stint with the Capitols again , and joined play for the Omaha Knights . He was an instant success scoring 29 goals and 67 points in 54 games to lead the team in scoring . He was named to the USHL First All - Star Team . He also chipped in three goals in the Knights playoff run , losing to the Kansas City Pla - mors . The following season the Knights acquired Nelson Boyce who would befriend Smith and form a strong scoring duo that would stay together for the next two years . They spent so much time together , the pair became known as Blinky and Winky to teammates and fans . After two more successful seasons with the Knights , and two more postseason losses to the Pla - mors , Smith decided to retire from playing ice hockey at the end of the 1948 – 49 season .