Cole Smith (born October 28, 1995) is an American professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
player currently playing with the
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators (commonly referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and ha ...
of the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL).
Early life
Smith was born on October 28, 1995, in
Brainerd, Minnesota
Brainerd is a city in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, United States. Its population was 14,395 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Crow Wing County. Brainerd straddles the Mississippi River several miles upstream from its confluence with ...
,
to Tom and Kris Smith.
He was born into an athletic family as his mother, father, sister, uncle, and numerous cousins all participated in sports at the college level.
His father played football at
St. Cloud State University
St. Cloud State University (SCSU) is a public university in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Founded in 1869, the university is one of the largest institutions in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. Its enrollment in 2020 was approximately ...
and mother ran track at
Concordia College-Moorhead.
His youngest sister Gabbie plays ice hockey for
Bemidji State University
Bemidji State University (BSU) is a public university in Bemidji, Minnesota. Founded as a preparatory institution for teachers in 1919, it provides higher education to north-central Minnesota. It is part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Univ ...
(BSU) while his middle sister Allyson played soccer for BSU. His uncle Sandy also played collegiate hockey and played professionally for
Eisbären Berlin
Eisbären Berlin (; English: ''Berlin Polar Bears'') is a professional ice hockey team based in Berlin, Germany. The team competes in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), the highest level of play in professional German ice hockey, and is also one ...
in the
Deutsche Eishockey Liga
The Deutsche Eishockey Liga (for sponsorship reasons called "PENNY Deutsche Eishockey Liga") (; English: ''German Ice Hockey League'') or DEL, is a German professional ice hockey league and the highest division in German ice hockey. Founded in ...
. In 2009, his mother Kris was inducted into the Concordia College Athletics Department Hall of Fame as she had set program records for indoor and outdoor long jump. Numerous members of his family were inducted into the Warrior Athletic Hall of Fame and named Brainerd Athletes of the Year.
Career
Amateur
Growing up in Brainerd, Minnesota, Smith became good friends with future
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...
teammate
Mitch McLain.
Despite their two-year age difference, they played youth baseball together and participated in the U10 Little League World Series.
While attending
Brainerd High School from 2011 to 2014, Smith participated in three sports; ice hockey, football, and track.
Smith excelled in all three sports while attending Brainerd High School. In football, he played defensive back, wide receiver, and played on
special teams
In American football, the specific role that a player takes on the field is referred to as their "position". Under the modern rules of American football, both teams are allowed 11 players on the field at one time and have "unlimited free substitu ...
. During the 2013 season, Smith helped the Brainerd Warriors finish with a 12–1 record and was named to the Minnesota Vikings All-State High School Team, All-Section and All-Conference teams, and the Warriors Defensive Player of the Year. His coach Ron Stolski described him as "a player with a great work ethic, a quiet leader who leads by example, and a difference-maker." He was also three-year starter for the Brainerd ice hockey team and finished his career ninth on the Warriors’ all-time scoring list with 110 total points. In track, Smith won the triple jump for Brainerd's only first-place finish in the 2014 Wayzata Invitational. After graduating, Smith was selected in the 10th round of the United States Hockey League Draft by the
Sioux Falls Stampede
The Sioux Falls Stampede are a Tier I junior ice hockey team based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The Stampede are members of the Western Conference of the United States Hockey League (USHL). The team plays home games at the Denny Sanford Premier ...
.
Manitoba Junior Hockey League
Smith participated in the Stampede's tryout sessions before the 2014–15 season but was cut before the roster was finalized. He subsequently joined the
Steinbach Pistons
The Steinbach Pistons are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada. They are members of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, which is a member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League.
History Southeast Thunderbirds/T-Birds/Bl ...
in the Canadian-based
Manitoba Junior Hockey League
The Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) is a Junior 'A' ice hockey league operating in the Canadian province of Manitoba and one of nine member leagues of the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL).
The MJHL consists of thirteen teams all based ...
(MJHL) due to a family connection to the head coach.
In his first season with the Pistons, Smith accumulated 12 goals and 11 assists for 23 points over 38 games.
He also gained the attention of scouts from the
University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota (also known as UND or North Dakota) is a public research university in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It was established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of ...
(UND),
Bemidji State University
Bemidji State University (BSU) is a public university in Bemidji, Minnesota. Founded as a preparatory institution for teachers in 1919, it provides higher education to north-central Minnesota. It is part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Univ ...
, and the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
.
During his second season with the team, Smith greatly improved on his rookie season and led the team in scoring with 26 goals and ranked second with 61 points. His offensive efforts helped the Pistons qualify for the MJHL's Turnbull Cup where he scored seven goals and 11 assists in 15 playoff games.
Smith was recognized with the MJHL's Player of the Month of April honor after recording four goals and six assists through eight playoff games. Although numerous colleges had been interested in him, only UND extended him a 20 percent scholarship.
He officially committed to join UND for the 2016–17 season after visiting the school in March.
College
Smith played
college hockey
College ice hockey is played principally in the United States and Canada, though leagues exist outside North America.
In the United States, competitive "college hockey" refers to ice hockey played between colleges and universities within the g ...
for the
North Dakota Fighting Hawks
The North Dakota Fighting Hawks (formerly known as the Fighting Sioux) are the athletic teams that represent the University of North Dakota (UND), located in the city of Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Originally in the Division II North Central Con ...
at the University of North Dakota from 2016 to 2020 while majoring in
kinesiology
Kinesiology () is the scientific study of human body movement. Kinesiology addresses physiological, anatomical, biomechanical, pathological, neuropsychological principles and mechanisms of movement. Applications of kinesiology to human health ...
.
Although he struggled to earn playing time at the start of his freshman season, Smith became a regular in the lineup by the end of the season.
He scored his first collegiate goal in his college debut against
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute () (RPI) is a private research university in Troy, New York, with an additional campus in Hartford, Connecticut. A third campus in Groton, Connecticut closed in 2018. RPI was established in 1824 by Stephen Van ...
on October 15. As the Fighting Hawks qualified for the
National Collegiate Hockey Conference
The National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) is an NCAA men's Division I hockey conference formed on July 9, 2011. The league began playing for the 2013–14 season, the same season that the Big Ten Conference began competition, as a combina ...
(NCHC) Quarterfinals, Smith assisted on the game-tying and game-winning goals in their 6–5 overtime win over St. Cloud State in Game 2.
He skated in the final 12 games of the
2016–17 regular season and finished with three goals and four assists in 29 games.
Although he was scratched for the Fighting Hawks
2017–18 season opener, Smith became a key player for the team as the season continued.
Over the final six games of November, Smith was tied for the team lead in assists and led the team with a
plus-6 rating. On December 2, Smith tied
Ben Cherski
Ben Cherski (October 29, 1929 – May 19, 2017) was a Canadian ice hockey player. He played from 1951 to 1955 at the University of North Dakota. He was three times an All-American in ice hockey and holds a record of seven hat tricks in one se ...
's school record for fastest goal to start the third period after he scored seven seconds into the third period of a game against Western Michigan.
He quickly became a mainstay on the Fighting Hawks' third line with Johnny Simonson and Trevor Olson. In the nine games leading up to the Christmas break, Smith led all UND forwards with six points and scored in three consecutive games. On January 26, Smith was suspended one game following an illegal hit to the head of
University of Denver
The University of Denver (DU) is a private university, private research university in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1864, it is the oldest independent private university in the Mountain States, Rocky Mountain Region of the United States. It is ...
defenseman Adam Plant. Smith finished his sophomore season with a career-high five goals and five assists for 10 points.
During his junior season, Smith consistently played alongside Gavin Hain and Mark Senden. The trio finished in the top three amongst team scorers and registering a combined plus-45. Smith finished his junior season with five goals and a career-high 11 assists for 16 points.
He received the team's Cliff 'Fido' Purpur Award as a player who exemplifies hard work and determination and was named an
American Hockey Coaches Association
The American Hockey Coaches Association was formed in 1947 in Boston. The founding members coached college ice hockey but membership has grown to include coaches at every level of the sport from youth hockey to professional ice hockey, although ...
Division I All American Scholar.
Prior to the start of his senior year, Smith was named an assistant captain for the Fighting Hawks.
In his senior year, Smith was a key component of a Fighting Hawks team that posted the top regular season record in the NCHC,
including setting a record for most consecutive home wins at the
Ralph Engelstad Arena
Ralph Engelstad Arena (REA), commonly called the Ralph, is an indoor arena located on the campus of the University of North Dakota (UND) in Grand Forks, North Dakota and serves as the home of UND men's ice hockey. The arena was built by controvers ...
. Although the Fighting Hawks finished with the conference's regular-season title, they were unable to compete for the conference and national championships because of the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
.
Smith finished the regular season with a career-high 11 goals and 18 points over 34 games
and was named as a finalist for the
NCHC Defensive Forward of the Year award.
Nashville Predators
Smith officially concluded his collegiate career on March 19, 2020, after signing a one-year contract with the
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators (commonly referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and ha ...
of the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
.
Ahead of the delayed
2020–21 season, Smith was given the jersey number 36 after he made his original number 15 available for veteran
Brad Richardson
Bradley Benjamin Stanley Richardson (born February 4, 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He last played with the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Colorado Avalanche, Los A ...
. Before joining the Predators' training camp for the pandemic-shortened, Smith was re-assigned to their
ECHL
The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada. It is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL).
The E ...
affiliate, the
Florida Everblades
The Florida Everblades are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Estero, Florida, in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers metropolitan area. They play in the ECHL and are affiliated with the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (N ...
. He played five games with the Everblades in December 2020, tallying three points, before being recalled to join the Predators' training camp. Due to the unique nature of the season, Smith was named to the Predators "
taxi squad
In sports, the practice squad, also called the taxi squad or practice roster, is a group of players signed by a team but not part of their main roster. Frequently used in gridiron football, they serve as extra players during the team's practices, ...
," a group of players who travelled with the team to enable swift call-ups in the event of positive COVID-19 cases. One day into the regular season, Smith was recalled to the active roster and made his NHL debut on January 14, against the
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...
. He recorded one shot on goal in 5:57 minutes of ice time in the Predators' 3–1 win. By making his NHL debut, Smith became the first former Pistons player to ever appear in an NHL game. This would be his only NHL game of the season as he was shortly thereafter assigned to the Predators
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...
(AHL) affiliate, the
Chicago Wolves
The Chicago Wolves are a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League and are the top minor-league affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the C ...
, on January 21. Smith recorded his first career AHL points, a goal and assist, on February 20 in a 10–2 win over the
Iowa Wild
The Iowa Wild are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, that began play for the 2013–14 season. The team plays at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, as the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.
The team was f ...
.
He later recorded his first professional two-goal game on April 17 against the
Rockford IceHogs
The Rockford IceHogs are a professional ice hockey team based in Rockford, Illinois. They are members of the American Hockey League (AHL), having begun play in the League starting in the 2007–08 season. The team plays their home games at the ...
, although the team would lose in a shootout. He finished the regular season with five goals and five assists for 10 points and 16 penalty minutes over 23 games.
Upon concluding his rookie season with the Wolves, the Predators signed Smith to a one-year, two-way contract extension worth $750,000 at the NHL level and $70,000 at the AHL level on July 15, 2021.
After attending the Predators 2021 training camp, Smith was re-assigned to their new AHL affiliate, the
Milwaukee Admirals
The Milwaukee Admirals are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). They play in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States, at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Panther Arena. They are affiliated with the NHL's Nashvil ...
, prior to the start of the
2021–22 season. On November 5, Smith scored his first goal as a member of the Admirals to help the team clinch a 2–1 win over the
Manitoba Moose
The Manitoba Moose are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and a member of the American Hockey League (AHL). The team plays its home games at Canada Life Centre, the home arena of its parent club, Winnipeg Jets o ...
and snap a four-game losing streak. Following this game, Smith added two-assist against the Iowa Wild for his first multi-point contest of the season. After tallying three goals and three assists over nine games with the Admirals, Smith was recalled to the NHL level on November 13. He was returned to the Admirals on November 20 after
Nick Cousins
Brian Nicholas Cousins (born July 20, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Cousins was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the third round (68th overall) of the 2011 ...
was activated from injured reserve. Upon returning to the AHL, Smith added two goals and four assists over the next 11 games for 12 total points before being recalled back to the NHL on December 16. He played that night against the
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Avalanche play thei ...
and the following night against the
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division i ...
before being reassigned on December 18. Smith added five more points with the Admirals before earning his third NHL recall of the season on January 11.
After going pointless in the next three games, Smith was reassigned to the Predators "taxi squad." In his first game back with the Admirals on January 31, Smith scored twice to help lead the team to a 5–0 win over the
Grand Rapids Griffins
The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional ice hockey, hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and play home games at Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of the National H ...
. Leading up to his fourth NHL recall on February 14, Smith became the fifth member of the Admirals to reach double-digits in goals and ranked sixth on the team in points with 22. Smith's efforts with the Admirals helped lift them from last place in the Central division to third place. He scored his 20th goal of the season, and second in the game, on April 16 to help the Admirals qualify for the
Calder Cup
The Calder Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the playoff champions of the American Hockey League. It was first presented in 1937 to the Syracuse Stars.
The cup is made of sterling silver mounted on a base of Brazilian mahogany. In its curr ...
playoffs for the first time since the 2018–19 season. Over his eight NHL games of the season, Smith recorded 21 hits while averaging 8:50 minutes of ice time. He finished the AHL regular season with 21 goals and 20 assists for 41 points over 59 games, the fourth most on the team. As a result of his play, Smith signed a one-year, two-way contract extension with the Predators on July 14, 2022.
Smith began the
2022–23 season on the Predators opening night roster for the first time in his professional career. On October 7, Smith recorded his first career NHL point, an assist, in a 4–1 win over the
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainm ...
. On January 21, 2023, in his 49th NHL game, Smith scored his first career goal to lift the Predators 5–3 over the
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
. Smith missed the final two weeks of the regular season to recover from the concussion, finishing with four goals and 13 assists for 17 points over 69 games. In his absence, the Predators fell three points shy of qualifying for the
2023 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs is the forthcoming playoff tournament of the National Hockey League (NHL). The playoffs are scheduled to begin on April 17, 2023, a few days after the 2022–23 NHL season, and will end in June 2023 with the 2023 St ...
.
Smith began the
2023–24 season on the fourth line but was quickly bumped up onto a line with
Cody Glass
Cody Glass (born April 1, 1999) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL). Glass was the first-ever draft selection in Vegas Golden Knights franchise history, after he was draft ...
and
Gustav Nyquist
Gustav Nyquist (born 1 September 1989) is a Swedish professional ice hockey forward and alternate captain for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nyquist was drafted 121st overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2008 N ...
. In his first game on this line, Smith recorded an assist, two shots on goal, and four hits to lift the Predators over the
Seattle Kraken
The Seattle Kraken are a professional ice hockey team based in Seattle. The Kraken compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and began play during the league's 2021–22 season. ...
on October 12. On December 21, 2023, Smith scored his first career short handed goal against the
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Wells ...
. On January 24, Smith signed a two-year, $2 million contract extension with the Predators. At the time, he had accumulated a career-high five goals and 13 assists for 17 points over 46 games.
Career statistics
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Cole
1995 births
Living people
American ice hockey forwards
Chicago Wolves players
Florida Everblades players
Ice hockey players from Minnesota
Milwaukee Admirals players
Nashville Predators players
North Dakota Fighting Hawks men's ice hockey players
Steinbach Pistons players
People from Brainerd, Minnesota
Undrafted National Hockey League players