Top 100 Oilers: No. 79 — Mike Smith

Notable

Mike Smith wrapped up a splendid 16-year NHL career in Edmonton, following the 2022 Western Conference Final defeat to the Colorado Avalanche. He joined the organisation in 2019 as a free agent, after two years with provincial rivals: the Calgary Flames.

Considering he was 37 when he signed, Smith had a strong three seasons in Edmonton, posting a 0.913 save percentage along with a 2.70 goals against average in the regular season. He finished seventh in Vezina voting in 2021 with two third-place votes. It was the postseason results that left fans unhappy, with disappointing showings against Chicago in the Stanley Cup Play-In series and then getting swept by the Winnipeg Jets the year after. Smith was decent against the Jets, with a 0.912SV%, but wasn’t able to secure a win.

The 2022 playoff run was much better for Smith and the Oilers, making it to the Conference Final, defeating LA and Calgary in the process. A trip to the Stanley Cup Final wasn’t meant to be, as Edmonton was eliminated in four games by the eventual champions, the Colorado Avalanche.

Smith joined the Oilers team in 2019, seeking out a replacement for Cam Talbot and stability in the playoffs. He left them in a great spot after three straight trips to the playoffs and on the verge of great things to come.

The Story

Drafted by the Dallas Stars in 2001, Smith played 670 regular-season games and a further 45 in the playoffs. He never won the prize but did win a gold medal with Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and at the 2015 World Championships in the Czech Republic, at the time.

He served as the backup to Marty Turco in the early portion of his career in Dallas until he was traded to Tampa Bay in the Brad Richards deal. Smith made regular appearances for the Lightning during their tough patch in the organisation’s history. It wasn’t until he signed with the Phoenix Coyotes in 2011 that his career took off.

Smith was a member of the 2012 Coyotes team that went to the Western Conference Final. Smith had an outstanding 0.944SV% in 16 games before Phoenix was eliminated by Chicago, the future champions. That 0.944SV% combined with a 0.930SV% in the regular season were both career highs for the former Oiler.

He didn’t reach a conference final, again, until his time in Edmonton, which is when he wrapped up his career. With 670 games played for four different teams, Smith finished his career with 2.70 GAA, 0.912SV%, and 299 wins, along with two international gold medals.

What Brownlee Said

If there’s one thing Mike Smith has proven time and again over all the years he’s spent in the goal crease, it’s that he’ll fight you. And if you put him on the floor, you better find a way to keep him there because he’s going to come up swinging if you don’t.

I’m not sure how many times Edmonton Oilers’ coach Dave Tippett has seen Smith do exactly that during the seasons they’ve spent together in the NHL, but when the Oilers staggered to the dressing room for the first intermission last night down 3-1 to the Vancouver Canucks, Tippett never once thought about giving his grizzled goaltender the hook.

Beaten for three goals on the first nine shots he faced in 15:17 against the struggling Canucks, some coaches might have stapled Smith’s backside to the bench then and there. “Not your night, Smitty.” Tippett instead left him in. Smith picked himself up, dusted himself off and stopped the next 24 shots the Canucks directed his way as the Oilers responded with four consecutive goals on the way to a 4-3 win.

Smith can be red hot in stretches, as he had been coming into this game, and ice cold during others. That much we know. The one thing Smith is all the time is ready to battle. So, after clearing his throat in the first intermission at Rogers Arena – we don’t know what he said, who he said it to, and the coach isn’t telling – Smith slammed the door shut on the Canucks.

The Last 10

• No. 89 — Mark Napier
• No. 88 — Igor Ulanov
• No. 87 — Zdeno Ciger
• No. 86 — Devan Dubnyk
• No. 85 — Jaroslav Pouzar
• No. 84 — Jarret Stoll
• No. 83 — Bernie Nicholls
• No. 82 — Georges Laraque
• No. 81 — Rem Murray
• No. 80 — Steve Staios