Denis Joseph "D. J." Smith (born May 13, 1977) is a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

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 ...

coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the

Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...

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). As a player, Smith played 45 NHL games with the

Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...

and

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 ...

as a

defenceman Defence or defense (in American English) in ice hockey is a player position that is primarily responsible for preventing the opposing team from Goal (ice hockey), scoring. They are often referred to as defencemen, D, D-men or blueliners (the la ...

. As a coach, Smith won the Memorial Cup in 2015, and spent four years as an assistant with the Maple Leafs before joining Ottawa.

Playing career

Junior hockey

As a youth, Smith played in the 1991

Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament The Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament (french: Tournoi international de hockey pee-wee de Québec) is an annual minor ice hockey event in Quebec City. The tournament was founded in 1960 to coincide with the Quebec Winter Carnival, ...

with a

minor ice hockey Minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body contact, vary from cla ...

team from

Windsor, Ontario Windsor is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, on the south bank of the Detroit River directly across from Detroit, Michigan, United States. Geographically located within but administratively independent of Essex County, it is the souther ...

Windsor Spitfires (1994–1997)

Smith was drafted by the

Windsor Spitfires The Windsor Spitfires are a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). The team is based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1971, the franchise was promoted to the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League for the 1975� ...

of the

Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; french: Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario (LHO)) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 16–19. There are exceptions for overag ...

in the second round, 20th overall, in the 1994 OHL Draft Priority. Smith appeared in 61 games with the Spitfires during his rookie season in 1994-95, scoring four goals and 17 points, while accumulating 201 penalty minutes, the second most on the club. In 10 playoff games, Smith scored a goal and four points, as the Spitfires defeated the

Sarnia Sting Sarnia is a city in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada. It had a 2021 population of 72,047, and is the largest city on Lake Huron. Sarnia is located on the eastern bank of the junction between the Upper and Lower Great Lakes where Lake Huron flo ...

in the first round of the playoffs, before falling to the

Sudbury Wolves The Sudbury Wolves are an Ontario Hockey League (OHL) ice hockey team based in Greater Sudbury, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. Sudbury has had various hockey teams competing at the Junior ice hockey, junior and senior ice hockey levels of the game k ...

in the OHL quarter-finals. Smith saw a big increase in his offensive production during his second season with the Spitfires in 1995-96. In 64 games, Smith scored 14 goals and 59 points, tying him for fourth in team scoring. Smith led the team with 260 penalty minutes. In seven playoff games, Smith scored one goal and eight points, as the Spitfires lost to the

Detroit Whalers The Detroit Whalers were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League for two seasons from 1995 to 1997. The Whalers were based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. History The creation of the Detroit Whalers resulted after a failed takeover bi ...

in the first round of the post-season. The Spitfires named Smith the

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

of the team for the 1996-97. In 63 games, Smith led the defence in scoring, as he had 15 goals and 67 points, as he finished fifth in overall team scoring. In the post-season, Smith scored a goal and eight points in five games, as Windsor lost to the

in the first round of the OHL playoffs.

Professional career

New York Islanders (1995–1996)

Smith was drafted by the

New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...

of the

in the second round, 41st overall, at the

1995 NHL Entry Draft The 1995 NHL Entry Draft was the 33rd NHL Entry Draft. It was held at Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton, Alberta. The drafting order was now set partially by a lottery system whereby teams would not be guaranteed first pick if they finished last. I ...

. Smith's stay with the Islanders did not last long, as on March 15, 1996, Smith was traded to the

in a trade that included Wendel Clark and Mathieu Schneider going to Toronto, while the Islanders received Darby Hendrickson,

Sean Haggerty Sean F. Haggerty (born February 11, 1976) is a former professional ice hockey left winger. Biography Haggerty was born in Rye, New York. As a youth, he played in the 1989 and 1990 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with a minor ice h ...

Kenny Jonsson Kenny is a surname, a given name, and a diminutive of several different given names. In Ireland, the surname is an Anglicisation of the Irish ''Ó Cionnaith'', also spelt ''Ó Cionnaoith'' and ''Ó Cionaodha'', meaning "descendant of Cionnaith" ...

, and Toronto's first round draft pick in the

1997 NHL Entry Draft The 1997 NHL Entry Draft was the 35th NHL Entry Draft. It was held at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on June 21, 1997. As of 2022, the only remaining active player in the NHL from the 1997 draft class is Joe Thornton. Selections ...

, in which the Islanders would select

Roberto Luongo Roberto Luongo (, , ; born April 4, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers and the Vancouver Canucks. Luongo is a two ...

Toronto Maple Leafs (1996–2002)

Smith appeared in one game with the

St. John's Maple Leafs The St. John's Maple Leafs were a minor ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, at Memorial Stadium from 1991 to 2001, and at Mile One Stadium from 2001 to 2005. The team was a ...

, Toronto's

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 ...

affiliate, following the conclusion to Smith's junior hockey season with the

. Smith had no points in his lone appearance during the 1995-96 season. Smith joined the

at the conclusion of his junior season in Windsor in 1996-97. On March 26, 1997, Smith played in his first NHL game, earning an assist on a goal scored by

Brandon Convery Brandon William Convery (born February 4, 1974) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played briefly in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, and Los Angeles Kings. He played center and shot right-handed ...

, as the Maple Leafs defeated 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 ...

2-1. On March 29, Smith had his first career NHL fight, against Rene Corbet of the

. Overall, in eight games with Toronto, Smith had one assist, and seven penalty minutes. Following the Leafs season, Smith was assigned to the

, where in one post-season game, he had no points. Smith was assigned to St. John's for the 1997-98 season. In 65 games with St. John's, Smith scored four goals and 15 points, while earning 237 penalty minutes, ranking him third on the team. In four post-season games, Smith had no points, as the Maple Leafs lost to the

Saint John Flames The Saint John Flames were a Canadian ice hockey team in the American Hockey League from 1993 to 2003 in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. The Calgary Flames bought and relocated the Utica Devils, to be their AHL affiliate. History The Saint J ...

in the Atlantic Division semi-finals. In 1998-99, Smith saw his offensive production increase in St. John's, as he scored seven goals and 35 points in 79 games, as he was the highest-scoring defenceman on the team. Smith's 216 penalty minutes ranked second on the club. In the post-season, Smith earned an assist in five games, as St. John's lost to the Fredericton Canadiens in the Atlantic Division semi-finals. Smith returned to St. John's for the 1999-2000 season, as in 74 games, he scored six goals and 28 points, while ranking second on the team with 197 penalty minutes. As St. John's failed to qualify for the post-season, Smith earned a promotion to Toronto late in the 1999-2000 season. In three games with Toronto, Smith had no points in three games. Smith spent the entire 2000-01 season with St. John's. Injuries limited Smith to 59 games, where he scored seven goals and 19 points. In the post-season, Smith had no points in four games, as St. John's lost to the

Quebec Citadelles The Quebec Citadelles (French: ''Citadelles de Québec'') were a Minor ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada at the Colisée Pepsi. The name refers to the Citadelle of Quebec, a landmark fortific ...

in the Canadian Division semi-finals. In 2001-02, Smith began the season with St. John's. In 59 games with the Maple Leafs in the AHL, Smith scored six goals and 16 points. On March 1, 2002, Smith was traded to the

in a three-way trade that saw

Marc Moro Marc Moro (born July 17, 1977) is a Canadian former professional hockey player who was the first captain for the Toronto Maple Leafs' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate team, the Toronto Marlies. He was drafted in the second round, 27th over ...

traded to the

, and a ninth round draft pick acquired by 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 ...

Colorado Avalanche (2002–2004)

Smith joined the

Hershey Bears The Hershey Bears are a professional ice hockey team based in Hershey, Pennsylvania, a town located 14 miles east of the state capital of Harrisburg Harrisburg is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the c ...

, the

affiliate of the

, for the rest of the 2001-02, following his trade by the

. In 14 games with the Bears, Smith earned three assists. In the post-season, Smith appeared in eight games, scoring one goal, his first career AHL playoff goal, as the Bears defeated the

Norfolk Admirals Norfolk Admirals has been the name of two professional ice hockey franchises: *Norfolk Admirals (AHL), a team which played in the American Hockey League from 2000 to 2015 *Norfolk Admirals (ECHL) The Norfolk Admirals are a professional ice hocke ...

in the Western Conference quarter-finals, before losing to the Houston Aeros in the Western Conference semi-finals. Smith spent the majority of the 2002-03 season with the

. On October 17, 2002, Smith played in his first game with the Avalanche, as he had no points, and a fight with

Ian Laperriere Ian or Iain is a name of Scottish Gaelic origin, derived from the Hebrew given name (Yohanan, ') and corresponding to the English name John. The spelling Ian is an Anglicization of the Scottish Gaelic forename ''Iain''. It is a popular name in Sc ...

, in a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings. On January 23, 2003, Smith scored his first career NHL goal, as he scored against Marc Denis of 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, ...

in a 5-0 victory. This point was Smith's first in the NHL since March 26, 1997. Overall, in 34 games with Colorado, Smith scored one goal and accumulated 55 penalty minutes. In the AHL, Smith played in two games with the

, earning no points. Smith was re-assigned to the

for the 2003-04 season. In 35 games with Hershey, Smith scored seven goals and 14 points. On January 14, 2004, Smith suffered a knee injury in a game against the

, causing Smith to miss the remainder of the season. Smith announced his retirement as a player on June 14, 2005.

Career statistics

Coaching career

Windsor Spitfires (2005–2012)

Smith joined the

as an assistant coach, working under newly hired head coach Moe Mantha. In 2005-06, the Spitfires finished the season with a 32-26-7 record, earning 71 points and seventh place in the Western Conference. In the post-season, Windsor lost in the Western Conference quarter-finals to the Plymouth Whalers. In 2006-07, the Spitfires replaced Mantha with

Bob Boughner Robert Douglas Boughner ( ; born March 8, 1971), nicknamed "The Boogieman", is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is currently an associate coach for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). As head c ...

as the new head coach, as Smith remained with the club as an assistant. The rebuilding Spitfires struggled to a record of 18-43-7, earning 43 points and ninth place in the Western Conference, as the club failed to reach the post-season. The Spitfires rebounded in 2007-08 season, as the club finished with a 41-15-12 record, earning 94 points, which represented a 51 point improvement from the previous season, as the club finished in third place in the Western Conference. In the playoffs, Windsor was upset by the

in the Western Conference quarter-finals. Windsor continued to improve during the 2008-09 season, as the Spitfires finished with a 57-10-1 record, earning 115 points and winning the Hamilton Spectator Trophy as the top regular season team in the OHL. In the post-season, the Spitfires swept the

Owen Sound Attack The Owen Sound Attack are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League based in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada. Based in Owen Sound since 1989, and operating under the current name since 2000, the Attack play their home games at the J.D. M ...

in the Western Conference quarter-finals. In the Western Conference semi-finals, Windsor defeated the Plymouth Whalers in six games. In the Western Conference finals against the second place

London Knights The London Knights are a junior ice hockey team from London, Ontario, Canada, playing in the Ontario Hockey League, one of the leagues of the Canadian Hockey League. The Knights started out in 1965 as the London Nationals but changed to their cu ...

, Windsor easily defeated them in five games, advancing to the OHL finals. In the final round, the Spitfires defeated the

Brampton Battalion The Brampton Battalion were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team was based in Brampton, Ontario, Canada and started playing in 1998. As a result of consistently having among the lowest attendance in the OHL (last place ...

in five games, winning the J. Ross Robertson Cup and advancing to the

2009 Memorial Cup The 2009 Memorial Cup was a four-team round-robin format ice hockey tournament played during May 2009 in Rimouski, Quebec. It was the 91st annual Memorial Cup competition and determined the major junior ice hockey champion of the Canadian Hockey L ...

. At the Memorial Cup, Windsor defeated the Kelowna Rockets in the final game to win the Memorial Cup. The Spitfires remained a top club in the OHL during the 2009-10, as the club earned a record of 50-12-6, earning 106 points, and first place in the Western Conference. In the post-season, Windsor swept the Erie Otters in the Western Conference quarter-finals, followed by a second consecutive sweep in the Western Conference semi-finals, as Windsor defeated the Plymouth Whalers. In the Western Conference finals, the Spitfires lost their first three games to the

Kitchener Rangers The Kitchener Rangers are a major junior ice hockey team based in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Midwest Division of the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League. The Rangers have won the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL ...

before winning four in a row to win the series and advance to the J. Ross Robertson Cup for the second consecutive season. In the OHL finals, Windsor swept the top ranked

Barrie Colts The Barrie Colts are a junior ice hockey team in Ontario Hockey League, based in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. Pre-OHL history There were two previous Barrie Colts teams which played Junior A & B hockey in the Ontario Hockey Association, one from 1 ...

in four games to win the OHL Championship and advance to the

2010 Memorial Cup The 2010 Memorial Cup was a four-team round-robin format tournament played during May 14–23, 2010 in Brandon, Manitoba. It was the 92nd annual Memorial Cup competition and determined the major junior ice hockey champion of the Canadian Hockey Le ...

. At the tournament, Windsor put up a perfect record of 4-0, including a 9-1 win over the Brandon Wheat Kings in the final game, to clinch their second consecutive Memorial Cup championship. In 2010-11, Smith was promoted to become an associate coach of the Spitfires, as head coach

left the club and Bob Jones took over head coaching duties. Windsor remained a good team during the season, earning a solid 39-23-6 record, earning 84 points, and fourth place in the Western Conference. In the post-season, the Spitfires defeated the Erie Otters in seven games in the Western Conference quarter-finals. In the Western Conference semi-finals, the Spitfires upset the Saginaw Spirit, as the club reached the Western Conference finals for the third consecutive season. In the conference finals against the

, the Spitfires lost in five games.

returned to the Spitfires in 2011-12 as head coach, as Smith remained with the club as an assistant. Windsor began to rebuild during this season, as the club struggled to a 29-32-7 record, earning 65 points, and eighth place in the Western Conference. In the post-season, the Spitfires were swept by the

in four games in the Western Conference quarter-finals. Following the 2011-12 season, Smith resigned from his position with the Spitfires, as he was hired to become the head coach of the

Oshawa Generals The Oshawa Generals are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They are based in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. The team is named for General Motors, an early sponsor (commercial), sponsor which has its Canadian headquarters in Oshawa. ...

Oshawa Generals (2012–2015)

Smith joined the

of the

as head coach for the 2012-13 season. On September 20, 2012, Smith coached his first career OHL game, earning the victory as the Generals defeated the Peterborough Petes 5-2. Oshawa had a very strong season, earning a record of 42-22-4, getting 88 points, and finishing in third place in the Eastern Conference. In the post-season, the Generals defeated the Niagara IceDogs in five games in the Eastern Conference quarter-finals, however, the club was swept by the

in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. Oshawa improved slightly in the 2013-14 season, as the club finished the season with a 42-20-6 record, earning 90 points and first place in the Eastern Conference. In the post-season, the Generals swept the

Mississauga Steelheads The Mississauga Steelheads are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League, based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. The Steelheads play their games at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga. History The OHL originated in Missi ...

in the Eastern Conference quarter-finals, followed by a second straight sweep in the Eastern Conference semi-finals, as Oshawa defeated the Peterborough Petes in four games. In the Eastern Conference finals, the Generals were swept by the North Bay Battalion. Smith won the

Matt Leyden Trophy The Matt Leyden Trophy is awarded annually to the Ontario Hockey League Coach of the Year. The award is chosen by fellow OHL general managers. Teams were not permitted to vote for a coach from their own hockey club. Coaches receive five points for ...

as the OHL Coach of the Year in the

2013–14 OHL season The 2013–14 OHL season was the 34th season of the Ontario Hockey League. The Brampton Battalion relocated to North Bay and became the North Bay Battalion, playing at the North Bay Memorial Gardens. The first two outdoor games in OHL history we ...

. The Generals were the top team in the Eastern Conference in 2014-15, as the club earned a 51-11-6 record, earning 108 points, which was an improvement of 18 points over the previous season. In the post-season, the Generals defeated the Peterborough Petes in five games in the Eastern Conference quarter-finals, followed by defeating the Niagara IceDogs in five games in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. In the Eastern Conference finals, the Generals had a re-match against the North Bay Battalion, as Oshawa got their revenge, as they defeated the Battalion in six games. In the J. Ross Robertson Cup finals against the Erie Otters, led by Connor McDavid, the Generals won the series in five games to clinch the OHL championship and a berth into the

2015 Memorial Cup The 2015 Memorial Cup (branded as the 2015 Mastercard Memorial Cup for sponsorship reasons) was a four-team round-robin format tournament that began on 22 May and ended on 31 May, 2015. It was the 97th Memorial Cup championship and determined the ...

. At the tournament, the Generals finished with a perfect record, and defeated the Kelowna Rockets 2-1 in overtime in the final game to win the Memorial Cup. Following the 2014-15 season, Smith resigned as head coach of the Generals, as he took a job to become an assistant coach with the

Toronto Maple Leafs (2015–2019)

Smith joined the

of the

as an assistant coach to newly hired head coach Mike Babcock. In his first season with the Leafs in 2015–16, Toronto struggled to a 29–42–11 record, earning 69 points, and finishing in last place in the NHL. The rebuilding Leafs saw improvement during the 2016–17 season, as Toronto finished with a 40–27–15 record, earning 95 points, and the second wild-card seed in the Eastern Conference. In the post-season, the Maple Leafs lost to the

Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...

in six games. Toronto continued to improvement during Smith's third season with the team in 2017–18, as the Maple Leafs had a 49–26–7 record, earning 105 points, and third place in the Atlantic Division. In the first round of the post-season, the Leafs lost to the

Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...

in seven games. The Leafs saw a slight decline in the 2018–19 season, as the club finished with a 46–28–8 record, earning 100 points, five fewer than the previous season, however, Toronto once again finished in third place in the Atlantic Division. In the first round of the playoffs, the Leafs had a re-match against the

and once again lost in seven games to the Bruins. Following the season, Smith resigned from his job with the Leafs and took the job to become the head coach of the

Ottawa Senators (2019–present)

On May 23, 2019, the

announced that Smith agreed to a three-year contract to be the team's head coach. On July 28, 2021, the Senators signed Smith to a two-year contract extension, running through the 2023–24 season, with a club option for 2024–25.

Head coaching record

NHL

OHL

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, D. J. 1977 births Living people Canadian ice hockey defencemen Colorado Avalanche players Hershey Bears players Ice hockey people from Ontario New York Islanders draft picks Oshawa Generals coaches Sportspeople from Windsor, Ontario St. John's Maple Leafs players Toronto Maple Leafs coaches Toronto Maple Leafs players Windsor Spitfires coaches Canadian ice hockey coaches