Introduction
Nathan Smith (born February 9, 1982) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League with the Vancouver Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins and the Minnesota Wild.
Playing career
Smith was drafted 23rd overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks. After spending four seasons with the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League, Smith signed his first professional contract with the Canucks on May 31, 2002, a day before his rights were due to expire. He made his professional debut in the American Hockey League with the Manitoba Moose in the 2002-03 season. His time spent in the Vancouver organization was filled with injuries, including an almost-career ending knee injury suffered during his 3rd season.
Smith signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 12, 2007. On April 27, 2008, Smith was arrested and charged with indecent exposure after he was observed streaking in Scranton. He claimed he was acting on a bet. Smith played in over 13 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He also scored his first NHL goal which was later called off. Smith acted as Captain for the affiliate team, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and took his team to the Calder Cup finals, which they lost to the Chicago Wolves in game 5 of the final series.
On July 10, 2008, Smith signed a one-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche. He was assigned to affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters of the AHL, for the 2008–09 season, and played as captain, before suffering a season-ending knee injury on January 23, 2009.
On July 22, 2009, Smith signed a one-year deal with the Minnesota Wild. In the 2009–10 season, Smith made his return to the NHL on October 14, 2009, in a 3-2 defeat to the Anaheim Ducks. He played in 9 games with the Wild throughout the season, but primarily played with AHL affiliate, the Houston Aeros, to score 37 points in 67 games.
On August 6, 2010, Smith left North America and signed a one-year contract with German team, Augsburger Panther of the DEL.
He returned to the American Hockey League the following season in 2011–12 signing a one-year contract with the Syracuse Crunch on August 11, 2011. Limited to 18 games due to injury, Smith tallied just one goal and six points.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1998–99 | Swift Current Broncos | WHL | 47 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | Swift Current Broncos | WHL | 70 | 21 | 28 | 49 | 72 | 12 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 4 | ||
| 2000–01 | Swift Current Broncos | WHL | 67 | 28 | 62 | 90 | 78 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 20 | ||
| 2001–02 | Swift Current Broncos | WHL | 47 | 22 | 38 | 60 | 52 | 12 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 18 | ||
| 2002–03 | Manitoba Moose | AHL | 53 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 30 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 25 | ||
| 2003–04 | Manitoba Moose | AHL | 76 | 4 | 16 | 20 | 71 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Manitoba Moose | AHL | 72 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 67 | 14 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 20 | ||
| 2005–06 | Manitoba Moose | AHL | 20 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 57 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Manitoba Moose | AHL | 72 | 19 | 21 | 40 | 76 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 12 | ||
| 2006–07 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2007–08 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | AHL | 68 | 22 | 28 | 50 | 61 | 22 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 40 | ||
| 2007–08 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Lake Erie Monsters | AHL | 44 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Houston Aeros | AHL | 67 | 14 | 23 | 37 | 83 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Augsburger Panther | DEL | 52 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | Syracuse Crunch | AHL | 18 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||