Former Oilers Captain Named Head Coach of WHL Team

It's pretty common for former NHL players to try their hands at coaching after their careers come to an end, but getting to coach in the same city they spent most of their playing days in is a privilege only a few get to experience.

Now, former Edmonton Oilers captain Jason Smith gets to join that exclusive club.

On Thursday, the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League announced Smith, 51, as their new head coach. The Oilers' captain from 2001-07, Smith most recently worked as an assistant coach with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the Philadelphia Flyers' AHL affiliate. He previously served as head coach of the WHL's Kelowna Rockets from 2016-19 and as an assisstant coach with the Ottawa Senators from 2014-16.

“The Edmonton Oil Kings organization is very excited to announce the hiring of Jason Smith as our new head coach,” said Oil Kings president and general manager Kirt Hill, per the Oilers' website. “Jason is a proven leader and will be a great cultural fit for our staff and players. He brings a wealth of knowledge as not only a coach but through his years of playing experience, and we’re excited for this next chapter of Oil Kings hockey. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Jason, Wendy, and his family to Edmonton.”

Smith added: “I am extremely excited to join one of the elite organizations in the CHL. Edmonton has been home to me before as a player and I can’t wait to get back and be a part of the city again.”

As a player, Smith gained a reputation for his physical style of play. In 1,008 NHL games with the New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, Oilers, Flyers and Senators, he scored 41 goals and 169 points with 1,099 penalty minutes while averaging 20:12 of ice time. He also helped the Oilers reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2006, though they lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in seven games.