Smith_WEB

DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings today reassigned right wing Givani Smith to the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins from the team's taxi squad.

Smith, 23, is currently in his third professional season and has spent parts of the last two campaigns with the Red Wings, totaling seven points (3-4-7) and 30 penalty minutes in 36 NHL games. In 15 games with Detroit this season, Smith has registered four points (1-3-4), 21 penalty minutes, 17 shots on goal and 26 hits in 10:24 average time on ice. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound forward notched his first NHL multi-point game earlier this season, posting two points (1-1-2) on Feb. 7 at Florida, while completing the "Gordie Howe Hat Trick" by recording a fighting major in the game as well. Smith has also skated in 115 games with the Griffins since 2016-17, tallying 40 points (19-21-40) and 178 penalty minutes, including eight points (4-4-8) and 15 penalty minutes in 11 games for Grand Rapids this season.
The Toronto, Ontario, native was selected by Detroit in the second round (46th overall) of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft and spent four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League prior to turning professional. In 236 games with the Barrie Colts, Guelph Storm and Kitchener Rangers from 2014-18, Smith tallied 135 points (73-62-135) and 411 penalty minutes, leading the league in penalty minutes in consecutive seasons in 2015-16 and 2016-17. In his final OHL campaign split between Guelph and Kitchener in 2017-18, Smith picked up 30 points (17-13-30) in 46 regular-season games before racking up 18 points (11-7-18) in 18 playoff games with Kitchener.