Smith, 28, split this past season between the Rangers and Detroit Red Wings, registering three goals and six assists for nine points, along with a plus-one rating and 63 penalty minutes in 51 games. He established a career-high in average ice time in 2016-17 (19:14). Smith played 18 games with the Rangers after he was acquired from Detroit on February 28, 2017, registering one goal and three assists for four points, along with a plus-two rating and 29 penalty minutes. He averaged 20:09 of ice time per game with the Blueshirts during the past season, logging at least 20:00 of ice time in 11 of 18 regular season games with the Rangers, and he ranked second on the team in average even strength ice time in 2016-17 (18:20).
The 6-2, 211-pounder also skated in 12 games with the Rangers during the 2017 Playoffs, registering four assists, along with a plus-eight rating and 20 penalty minutes. Smith established playoff career-highs in assists (four), plus/minus rating (plus-eight), and average ice time (19:41) in the playoffs this year. In addition, he tied for 10th in the NHL - and tied for fifth among NHL defensemen - in plus/minus rating in the playoffs. Smith led the Rangers in plus/minus rating, ranked second in penalty minutes, tied for third in assists, and ranked fifth in average ice time and blocked shots (14) in the playoffs. He also ranked second among Rangers defensemen in assists and tied for third among Rangers defensemen in points (four) in the playoffs.
Smith has skated in 309 career NHL games over parts of six seasons (2011-12 - 2016-17) with the Rangers and Detroit, registering 16 goals and 55 assists for 71 points, along with a plus-two rating and 310 penalty minutes. He established career-highs in goals (five), assists (14), and points (19) with Detroit during the 2013-14 season. Smith has recorded at least 60 blocked shots in three of the last four seasons, and he established a career-high in hits with 94 during the 2015-16 season with the Red Wings. He has helped his team make the playoffs in each of his five full seasons in the NHL, and he has registered 10 points (two goals, eight assists), along with a plus-nine rating and 44 penalty minutes in 39 career NHL playoff contests.
The Mimico, Ontario, native was originally selected by Detroit in the first round (27th overall) of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.
