C. J. Smith (ice hockey)

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| name = C. J. Smith

| image = C.J. Smith (26105552508) (cropped2).jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Smith at the 2018 AHL All-Star Game

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|12|1}}

| birth_place = Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.

| height_ft = 5

| height_in = 11

| weight_lb = 185

| position = Forward

| shoots = Left

| league = AHL

| team = Charlotte Checkers

| prospect_team =

| prospect_league =

| former_teams = Buffalo Sabres
Carolina Hurricanes
JYP Jyväskylä
Barys Astana

| ntl_team =

| draft = Undrafted

| career_start = 2017

}}

Connor Jeffrey Smith (born December 1, 1994) is an American professional ice hockey forward who is currently under contract with the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Playing career

=Amateur=

Smith grew up playing hockey in Des Moines before moving with his family to Minnesota when he was 14.{{cite web | url=https://eu.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/hockey/2019/02/25/cj-smith-buffalo-sabres-nhl-des-moines-iowa-johnston-first-score-goal-hockey-reference-ahl-rochester/2952833002/ | title=C.J. Smith, central Iowa's first NHL goal-scorer, hopes to take his pro game another step further }}

He played college hockey for UMass Lowell of Hockey East for three seasons while majoring in chemistry.{{cite web |title=C.J. SMITH |url=https://goriverhawks.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=4309 |website=goriverhawks.com |accessdate=January 9, 2019}}

In his freshman season at UMass, Smith was named to the All Hockey East Rookie Team after he led the team with 16 goals, 19 assists for a total of 35 points. He also became the first River Hawk rookie since Scott Wilson in 2011 to score 30 points in a season.{{cite web |title=C.J. SMITH NAMED TO HOCKEY EAST ALL-ROOKIE TEAM |url=https://goriverhawks.com/news/2015/3/18/mice_0318150103.aspx |website=goriverhawks.com |accessdate=January 9, 2019 |date=March 28, 2015}} On April 21, Smith and Zack Kamrass were awarded the UMass Lowell Hockey Most Valuable Player Award. Smith was also awarded the River Hawks Rookie of the Year.{{cite web |title=RIVER HAWKS NAME ZACK KAMRASS AND C.J. SMITH TEAM MVP'S |url=https://goriverhawks.com/news/2015/4/21/MICE_0421151126.aspx |website=goriverhawks.com |accessdate=January 9, 2019 |date=April 21, 2015}}

In his sophomore year, Smith was named to the Hockey East All-Tournament Team and won the River Hawks leading scorer award. He recorded his first career hat trick in an 8–1 win over Arizona State on January 30, 2016.{{cite web |title=C.J. Smith's hat trick propels Lowell to sweep of Arizona State |url=https://www.uscho.com/recaps/2016/01/30/c-j-smiths-hat-trick-propels-lowell-to-sweep-of-arizona-state/ |website=uscho.com |accessdate=January 9, 2019 |date=January 30, 2016}} In the 2016 Hockey East Men's Ice Hockey Tournament, Smith helped Massachusetts–Lowell beat Boston University in the Quarterfinals to advance to the Semifinals and eventually the Championship. UMass lost in the Championship match against Northeastern 3–2.{{cite news |author1=Kyle Gaudette |title=Scalding Northeastern wins Hockey East Championship over UMass Lowell |url=http://umlconnector.com/2016/03/scalding-northeastern-wins-hockey-east-championship-over-umass-lowell/ |accessdate=January 9, 2019 |publisher=The UMass-Lowell Connector |date=March 20, 2016}}

In his junior year, Smith was named a semi-finalist for the Walter Brown Award as the best American-born college hockey player in New England.{{cite web |title=THREE RIVER HAWKS NAMED SEMIFINALISTS FOR THE WALTER BROWN AWARD |url=https://goriverhawks.com/news/2017/2/6/mens-ice-hockey-three-river-hawks-named-semifinalists-for-the-walter-brown-award.aspx?path=mhockey |website=goriverhawks.com |accessdate=January 9, 2019 |date=February 6, 2017}} The River Hawks won the 2017 Hockey East Men's Ice Hockey Tournament and Smith was named to the All Tournament Team and Tournament MVP.{{cite web |title=WEEKLY RELEASE: UMASS LOWELL CLAIMS THIRD HOCKEY EAST TOURNAMENT TITLE |url=http://hockeyeastonline.com/men/pres1617/201703/mar20wr.php |website=hockeyeastonline.com |accessdate=January 9, 2019 |date=March 20, 2017}} On March 29, 2017, Smith chose to forgo his senior year at UMass and signed as an undrafted free agent by the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres.{{cite web |title=C.J. SMITH SIGNS WITH THE BUFFALO SABRES |url=https://goriverhawks.com/news/2017/3/29/mens-ice-hockey-c-j-smith-signs-with-the-buffalo-sabres.aspx?path=mhockey |website=goriverhawks.com |accessdate=January 9, 2019 |date=March 29, 2017}}

=Professional=

File:C. J. Smith during the 2022 Calder Cup Finals.jpg

Smith made his Sabres debut on April 2, 2017 in a 4–2 loss to the New York Islanders, in which he also got his first NHL point with an assist on a goal by Evander Kane.{{cite web |url=https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/buffalo-sabres-new-york-islanders-recap-april-2-2017/c-288365238 |title=Smith earns point in debut as Sabres fall to Isles |publisher=Buffalo Sabres |date=2017-04-02 |accessdate=2017-04-02}} When Smith made his debut, he became one of only two players in league history to have been born in the state of Iowa, joining goaltender Scott Clemmensen.{{cite tweet |user=PR_NHL |number=848622507766800385 |date=April 2, 2017 |title=Per @EliasSports: C.J. Smith is the second Iowa-born player to appear in an NHL game, joining goaltender Scott Clemmensen (191 GP).}}

Smith played the 2017–18 season with the Sabres American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans. In his rookie season with the Americans, Smith was named to the 2018 AHL All-Star Classic on January 4, 2018.{{cite web |title=SMITH, ULLMARK NAMED TO AHL ALL-STAR ROSTER |url=https://www.amerks.com/article/SMITH,%20ULLMARK%20NAMED%20TO%20AHL%20ALL-STAR%20ROSTER |website=amerks.com |accessdate=January 9, 2019 |archive-date=November 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109025849/https://www.amerks.com/article/SMITH,%20ULLMARK%20NAMED%20TO%20AHL%20ALL-STAR%20ROSTER |url-status=dead }} On July 16, 2018, Smith signed a one-year, two way contract with the Sabres worth $874,125.{{cite web |title=Sabres, C.J. Smith agree to one-year contract |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/sabres-c-j-smith-agree-one-year-contract/ |website=sportsnet.ca |accessdate=January 9, 2019 |date=July 16, 2018}}

Smith began the following season with the Rochester Americans after being cut from the Sabres training camp.{{cite news |last1=Harrington |first1=Mike |title=Oglevie, Smith among latest cuts to Sabres' roster |url=https://buffalonews.com/2018/09/26/oglevie-smith-among-latest-sabres-cuts/ |accessdate=January 9, 2019 |newspaper=Buffalo News |date=September 26, 2018}} On January 8, 2019, Smith scored his first NHL goal in the second period against the New Jersey Devils.{{cite web |author1=Jourdon LaBarber |title=Pilut, Smith help fuel 5-goal 2nd period in win over Devils |url=https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/sabres-devils-recap-highlights-cj-smith-lawrence-pilut/c-303702994 |website=NHL.com |accessdate=January 9, 2019 |date=January 8, 2019}}

As a free agent after five seasons within the Sabres organization, Smith was signed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 28, 2021.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/hurricanes/news/canes-agree-to-terms-with-cj-smith/c-325850122 | title = Canes agree to terms with C.J. Smith | publisher = Carolina Hurricanes | date = July 28, 2021 | accessdate = July 28, 2021}}

On August 2, 2022, Smith was signed as a free agent to a one-year, two-way contract with the New York Rangers.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/rangers/news/rangers-agree-to-terms-with-cj-smith/c-335159576 | title = Rangers agree to terms with C.J. Smith | publisher = New York Rangers | date = August 2, 2022 | accessdate = August 2, 2022}}

On November 20, 2023, Smith signed a one-year contract with JYP Jyväskylä of the Finnish Liiga.{{cite web |title=JYP vahvistuu kovan luokan yhdysvaltalaishyökkääjällä |url=https://www.jypliiga.fi/2023/11/jyp-vahvistuu-kovan-luokan-yhdysvaltalaishyokkaajalla/ |website=jypliiga.fi |access-date=November 22, 2023 |language=fi-FI |date=November 20, 2023}}

In the following 2024–25 season, Smith moved to the Kontinental Hockey League, in joining Kazakh based club, Barys Astana on June 28, 2024.{{cite web| url = https://ru.hcbarys.kz/media/news/konnor-dzheffri-smit-pereshyel-v-barys/ | title = C.J. Smith joins Barys | publisher = Barys Astana | date = June 28, 2024 | accessdate = June 28, 2024 | language = Russian}} He made just 9 appearances with Barys, going scoreless, before opting to mutually terminate his contract. On January 20, 2025, Adler Mannheim of the German Ice Hockey League announced it had signed Smith to a try-out contract.{{cite web| url = https://thehockeynews.com/international/latest-news/former-sabre-hurricane-offered-try-out-with-german-club | title = Former Sabre, Hurricane Offered Try-Out With German Club | work = The Hockey News | date = January 20, 2025 | accessdate = January 20, 2025}}

His try-out with Mannheim ended after Smith opted to return to North America and sign a contract for the remainder of the season with the Charlotte Checkers, the primary affiliate to the Florida Panthers, on January 24, 2025.{{cite web| url = https://charlottecheckers.com/articles/checkers-sign-cj-smith-to-ahl-deal | title = Checkers sign C.J. Smith to AHL deal | publisher = Charlotte Checkers | date = January 24, 2025 | accessdate = January 24, 2025 }}

Career statistics

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em"

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Regular season

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Playoffs

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Season

! Team

! League

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

2010–11

| Academy of Holy Angels

| USHS

| 25

| 17

| 20

| 37

| 18

| 1

| 0

| 10

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2011–12

| Austin Bruins

| NAHL

| 53

| 13

| 14

| 27

| 20

| —

2012–13

| Austin Bruins

| NAHL

| 60

| 30

| 29

| 59

| 22

| 8

| 4

| 1

| 5

| 4

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2013–14

| Muskegon Lumberjacks

| USHL

| 13

| 4

| 1

| 5

| 6

| —

2013–14

| Chicago Steel

| USHL

| 46

| 23

| 17

| 40

| 10

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2014–15

| UMass-Lowell

| HE

| 39

| 16

| 19

| 35

| 28

| —

2015–16

| UMass-Lowell

| HE

| 40

| 17

| 22

| 39

| 50

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2016–17

| UMass-Lowell

| HE

| 41

| 23

| 28

| 51

| 46

| —

2016–17

| Buffalo Sabres

| NHL

| 2

| 0

| 1

| 0

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2017–18

| Rochester Americans

| AHL

| 57

| 17

| 27

| 44

| 16

| 3

| 0

| 2

| 0

2018–19

| Rochester Americans

| AHL

| 62

| 28

| 30

| 58

| 26

| 3

| 1

| 2

| 0

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2018–19

| Buffalo Sabres

| NHL

| 11

| 2

| 0

| 2

| 0

| —

2019–20

| Rochester Americans

| AHL

| 50

| 12

| 15

| 27

| 18

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2020–21

| Rochester Americans

| AHL

| 15

| 4

| 9

| 13

| 6

| —

2020–21

| Buffalo Sabres

| NHL

| 1

| 0

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2021–22

| Chicago Wolves

| AHL

| 60

| 24

| 34

| 58

| 18

| 16

| 3

| 6

| 9

| 4

2021–22

| Carolina Hurricanes

| NHL

| 1

| 0

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2022–23

| Hartford Wolf Pack

| AHL

| 21

| 4

| 2

| 6

| —

2023–24

| JYP Jyväskylä

| Liiga

| 33

| 8

| 12

| 20

| 10

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2024–25

| Barys Astana

| KHL

| 9

| 0

| —

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | NHL totals

! 15

! 2

! 1

! 3

! 0

! —

Awards and honors

class="wikitable" ! Award ! Year !
colspan="3"\|College
HE All-Rookie Team \| 2015 \|
HE All-Tournament Team \| 2016, 2017 \|
HE Honorable Mention All-Star Team \| 2017 \|
HE Tournament MVP \| 2017 \|
colspan="3"\|AHL
All-Star Game \| 2017–18 \|
Calder Cup champion \| 2022 \| {{cite web \| url = https://theahl.com/chicago-is-calder-city-again \| title = Chicago is Calder City again \| publisher = American Hockey League \| date = June 25, 2022 \| accessdate = June 25, 2022 \| archive-date = June 26, 2022 \| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220626182310/https://theahl.com/chicago-is-calder-city-again \| url-status = dead }}

class="wikitable"

! Award

! Year

colspan="3"|College

HE All-Rookie Team

| 2015

HE All-Tournament Team

| 2016, 2017

HE Honorable Mention All-Star Team

| 2017

HE Tournament MVP

| 2017

colspan="3"|AHL

All-Star Game

| 2017–18

Calder Cup champion

| 2022

| {{cite web | url = https://theahl.com/chicago-is-calder-city-again | title = Chicago is Calder City again | publisher = American Hockey League | date = June 25, 2022 | accessdate = June 25, 2022 | archive-date = June 26, 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220626182310/https://theahl.com/chicago-is-calder-city-again | url-status = dead }}