Gary Smith

Gary "Suitcase" Smith, a former professional ice hockey goaltender, was born in Ottawa, Ontario on February 4, 1944. Gary is a son of Des Smith and brother of Brian Smith, both former National Hockey League (NHL) players. Gary played for numerous clubs, including the Chicago Black Hawks, Oakland Seals, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets. He was the co-winner of the Vezina Trophy in the 1971–72 NHL season.
==Playing Career==
Gary Smith won a Memorial Cup with the junior Toronto Marlboros in 1964. Entering the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1965, and was one of five goalies who played for the Maple Leafs during the 1966–67 regular season, their last Stanley Cup season.
He eventually earned the nickname "Suitcase" Smith because of the large number of teams he played for. After playing with the dismal California Golden Seals from 1967–71, where he set records in 1970–71 for both the most games played in a single season and most losses in a single season, his first success was sharing the 1971–72 Vezina Trophy with Tony Esposito while with the Chicago Black Hawks. One year later, Smith and Esposito would help the Black Hawks to the Stanley Cup final.
In 1974–75, he also had a fine season with the Vancouver Canucks, with 72 games played and six shutouts.
Smith later played in the World Hockey Association, and was a teammate of Wayne Gretzky while playing for the Indianapolis Racers. He would be part of the Winnipeg Jets' 1979 Avco World Trophy championship.
Gary Smith’s last coach in Winnipeg was Tom McVie, who coached Smith the previous season while both were with the Washington Capitals.
The Jets played the Edmonton Oilers, led by Wayne Gretzky. Ironically, when Wayne Gretzky went to his first game at Maple Leaf Gardens, Gary Smith was one of the goalie’s in the game. The Maple Leafs played the California Seals and Smith was the Seals goalie.
Gary Smith gave up the last goal in WHA history to Dave Semenko.
Smith's had many other claims to fame, according to an interview in the Vancouver Province in 1997. In his first NHL game, Smith left his crease in an attempt to score a goal. He got to the Canadiens' blueline but then JC Tremblay came along. "He nailed me," said Smith.
In another game Smith punted the puck in Maple Leaf Gardens, almost hitting the clock.
Amother time he left the Vancouver Pacific Coliseum still wearing his goaltender uniform. "It's tough driving in your skates," he said in the same 1997 interview.
As of 1997 he was living in Vancouver and managing the racehorses he owned, including one named Broadcaster, named after his brother Brian, an Ottawa broadcaster who was murdered.
===Career Statistics===
  	  	  	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Season 	Team 	League 	 	GP 	W 	L 	T 	MIN 	GA 	SO	GAA 	SV%
1961–62 	Toronto St. Michael's Majors	OHA 	 	31 	24 	6 	1 	- 	83 	3 	2.68	?
1962–63 	Neil McNeil Maroons 	OHA 	 	28 	- 	- 	- 	- 	- 	3 	2.25	-
1963–64 	Toronto Marlboros 	OHA 	 	55 	40 	8 	7 	- 	186 	3 	3.41	-
1964–65 	Rochester Americans 	AHL 	 	1 	- 	- 	- 	- 	- 	- 	- 	-
1964–65 	Tulsa Oilers 	CPHL 	 	1 	0 	1 	0 	60 	5 	0 	5.00	?
1964–65 	Victoria Maple Leafs 	WHL 	 	8 	1 	5 	- 	- 	- 	- 	4.38	?
1965–66 	Rochester Americans 	AHL 	 	37 	20 	11 	4 	- 	- 	2 	2.86	-
1965–66 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	NHL 	 	3 	0 	2 	0 	118 	7 	0 	3.56	?
1966–67 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	NHL 	 	2 	0 	2 	0 	115 	7 	0 	3.65	?
1967–68 	Oakland Seals 	NHL 	 	21 	2 	13 	4 	1129 	60 	1 	3.19	?
1968–69 	Oakland Seals 	NHL 	 	54 	21 	24 	7 	2993 	148 	4 	2.97	?
1969–70 	Oakland Seals 	NHL 	 	65 	19 	34 	12	3762 	195 	2 	3.11	?
1970–71 	California Golden Seals 	NHL 	 	71 	19 	48 	4 	3975 	256 	2 	3.86	?
1971–72 	Chicago Black Hawks 	NHL 	 	28 	14 	5 	6 	1540 	62 	5 	2.42	?
1972–73 	Chicago Black Hawks 	NHL 	 	23 	10 	10 	2 	1340 	79 	0 	3.54	?
1973–74 	Vancouver Canucks 	NHL 	 	66 	20 	33 	8 	3632 	208 	3 	3.44	?
1974–75 	Vancouver Canucks 	NHL 	 	72 	32 	24 	9 	3823 	197 	6 	3.09	?
1975–76 	Vancouver Canucks 	NHL 	 	51 	20 	24 	6 	2864 	167 	2 	3.50	.884
1976–77 	Minnesota North Stars 	NHL 	 	36 	10 	17 	8 	2090 	139 	1 	3.99	?
1977–78 	Minnesota North Stars 	NHL 	 	3 	0 	2 	1 	180 	9 	0 	3.00	?
1977–78 	Washington Capitals 	NHL 	 	17 	2 	12 	3 	980 	68 	2 	4.16	?
1978–79 	Indianapolis Racers 	WHA 	 	11 	0 	10 	1 	664 	61 	0 	5.51	.848
1978–79 	Winnipeg Jets 	WHA 	 	11 	7 	3 	0 	626 	31 	0 	2.97	.889
1979–80 	Winnipeg Jets 	NHL 	 	20 	4 	11 	4 	1073 	73 	0 	4.08	?
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals	 	532	173	261	74	29,619	1675	26	3.39	—
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==Gallery==
Sanderson_goal-Christmas1967.gif|Derek Sanderson scores, Christmas 1967.
10Nov1969-Stanfield_G._Smith.jpg|Fred Stanfield and Gary Smith, November 10, 1969.
15Nov1970-Hodge_Cashman_Smith.jpg|Ken Hodge, Wayne Cashman, Seals goalie Gary Smith, November 15, 1970.
Espo_goal-10Jan1971.gif|Phil Esposito scores the winner, January 10, 1971.
Bucyk_goal-Orr-20Nov1971.gif|John Bucyk scores the game winner from Bobby Orr, November 20, 1971.
Bailey-Smith_fight-26Oct1972.gif|Gary Smith fought Garnet Bailey, October 26, 1972.
Espo_400th_from_Orr-10Oct1973.gif|Bobby Orr assists on Phil Esposito's 400th goal, October 10, 1973.
==Video==
Nearly 20 minutes of highlights of the March 16, 1975 Canucks-Black Hawks game. Gary Smith is concussed during a goal by Phil Russell and leaves the game to be replaced by Ken Lockett.
NHL Action Vancouver Canucks @ Chicago Blackhawks (Mar. 16, 1975)
==References==
* 
* 
* A horse of a different color is Smith: Goalie Suitcase Gary takes a run at owning a race horse; David Banks. The Province. Vancouver, B.C.: Jul 18, 1997. pg. A.56
==External Links==
Category:Born in 1944
Category:Canadian ice hockey players
Category:Toronto St. Michael's Majors alumni
Category:Toronto Marlboros alumni
Category:Toronto Maple Leafs players
Category:Oakland Seals players
Category:California Golden Seals players
Category:Chicago Blackhawks players
Category:Vancouver Canucks players
Category:Minnesota North Stars players
Category:Winnipeg Jets players
Category:Washington Capitals players
Category:Tulsa Oilers (CHL) players
Category:Rochester Americans players
Category:Memorial Cup winners
Category:Indianapolis Racers players
Category:Retired in 1980