Gary Smith (ice hockey)

Gary Edward Smith[1] (born February 4, 1944) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Gary is a son of Des Smith and brother of Brian Smith, both former National Hockey League (NHL) players. Smith played for numerous clubs, including the Chicago Black Hawks, Oakland Seals, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets. He was the co-winner of the Vezina Trophy in the 1971–72 NHL season.

Gary Smith
with the Toronto St. Michael's Majors, c. 1962
Born	February 4, 1944 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight	205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Left
Played for	Toronto Maple Leafs Oakland Seals California Golden Seasls Chicago Black Hawks Vancouver Canucks Minnesota North Stars Washington Capitals Indianapolis Racers Winnipeg Jets
Playing career	1965–1980

Playing career

Smith played his junior hockey with the Toronto St. Michael's Majors, Toronto Neil McNeil Maroons and the Toronto Marlboros. He won a Memorial Cup with the junior Toronto Marlboros in 1964. In 1965, Gary Smith entered the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and was one of five goalies who played for the Maple Leafs during the 1966–67 regular season, their last Stanley Cup season.[2]

He eventually earned the nickname "Suitcase" Smith because of the large number of teams he played for. After playing with the dismal California Golden Seals from 1967–71, where he set records in 1970–71 for both the most games played in a single season and most losses in a single season, his first success was sharing the 1971–72 Vezina Trophy with Tony Esposito while with the Chicago Black Hawks. One year later, Smith and Esposito would help the Black Hawks to the Stanley Cup final where they would lose to the Montreal Canadiens in 6 games.

In 1974–75, he also had a fine season with the Vancouver Canucks, with 72 games played and six shutouts. Smith finished 5th place in balloting for the 1975 Hart Trophy, which goes to the player judged most valuable to his team in the NHL. The 1975 Hart Trophy winner, Bobby Clarke, said in his acceptance speech that Smith was more deserving of the award.

Smith later played in the World Hockey Association, and was a teammate of Wayne Gretzky while playing for the Indianapolis Racers.[3] He would be part of the Winnipeg Jets' 1979 Avco World Trophy championship.

Smith's last coach in Winnipeg was Tom McVie, who coached Smith the previous season while both were with the Washington Capitals.[4]

The Jets played the Edmonton Oilers, led by Wayne Gretzky. Ironically, when Wayne Gretzky went to his first game at Maple Leaf Gardens, Smith was one of the goalies in the game.[5] The Maple Leafs played the California Golden Seals and Smith was the Seals goalie.

Smith gave up the last goal in WHA history to Dave Semenko.[5]

Miscellaneous

Smith was noted for his between periods ritual of removing his entire uniform and goaltending gear and putting it all back on again. His explanation was the need to tighten his skate boots which stretched in size, forcing him to wear as many as 13 pairs of socks at times. He performed his undressing routine throughout his career as an active player, even after resolving his skate boot issues.[6]

Smith has had many other claims to fame, according to an interview in the Vancouver Province in 1997. In his first NHL game, Smith left his crease in an attempt to score a goal. He got to the Canadiens' blueline but then JC Tremblay came along. "He nailed me," said Smith. As a result of his tendency to skate past the blue line the NHL introduced a rule preventing the goaltender from crossing the center red line.

In another game Smith punted the puck in Maple Leaf Gardens, almost hitting the clock.

Another time he left the Vancouver Pacific Coliseum still wearing his goaltender uniform. "It's tough driving in your skates," he said in the same 1997 interview.

As of 1997 he was living in Vancouver and managing the racehorses he owned, including one named Broadcaster, named after his brother Brian, an Ottawa broadcaster who was murdered. Gary currently resides in Del Mar, California and continues to manage his horses.

Awards and achievements

• Memorial Cup championship in 1964.
• Vezina Trophy winner in 1972 (shared with Tony Esposito).
• Played in 1975 NHL All-Star Game.
• Avco World Trophy championship in 1979.
• Holds NHL record for most losses in a season (48 in 1971).

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season										Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	T	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%		GP	W	L	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
1961–62	Toronto St. Michael's Majors	OHA-Jr.		31	24	6	1	1860	83	3	2.68	—		12	—	—	720	36	0	3.00	—
1961–62	Toronto St. Michael's Majors	M-Cup		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		4	0	3	182	20	0	6.59	—
1962–63	Neil McNeil Maroons	MetJHL		28	—	—	—	1660	65	3	2.25	—		10	—	—	600	40	0	4.00	—
1962–63	Neil McNeil Maroons	M-Cup		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		6	2	4	360	27	0	4.50	—
1963–64	Toronto Marlboros	OHA-Jr.		55	40	8	7	3270	186	3	3.41	—		9	—	—	540	26	1	2.89	—
1963–64	Toronto Marlboros	M-Cup		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		12	11	1	720	38	0	3.17	—
1964–65	Rochester Americans	AHL		1	0	0	0	2	0	0	0.00	—		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1964–65	Tulsa Oilers	CPHL		1	0	1	0	60	5	0	5.00	—		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1964–65	Victoria Maple Leafs	WHL		8	1	5	0	411	30	0	4.38	—		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1965–66	Rochester Americans	AHL		37	20	11	4	2038	97	2	2.86	—		4	2	2	188	12	0	3.83	—
1965–66	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		3	0	2	0	118	7	0	3.56	.896		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1966–67	Rochester Americans	AHL		17	6	5	4	871	38	1	2.62	—		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1966–67	Victoria Maple Leafs	WHL		17	6	8	3	1029	51	2	2.97	—		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1966–67	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		2	0	2	0	115	7	0	3.65	.892		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1967–68	Oakland Seals	NHL		21	2	13	4	1129	60	1	3.19	.907		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1968–69	Oakland Seals	NHL		54	21	24	7	2993	148	4	2.97	.905		7	3	4	420	23	0	3.29	.899
1969–70	Oakland Seals	NHL		65	19	34	12	3762	195	2	3.11	.913		4	0	4	248	13	0	3.15	.903
1970–71	California Golden Seals	NHL		71	19	48	4	3975	256	2	3.86	.884		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1971–72	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		28	14	5	6	1540	62	5	2.42	.911		2	1	1	120	3	1	1.50	.957
1972–73	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		23	10	10	2	1340	79	0	3.54	.887		2	0	1	65	5	0	4.62	.884
1973–74	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		66	20	33	8	3632	208	3	3.44	.894		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		72	32	24	9	3823	197	6	3.09	.895		4	1	3	257	14	0	3.27	.905
1975–76	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		51	20	24	6	2864	167	2	3.50	.882		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1976–77	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		36	10	17	8	2090	139	1	3.99	.881		1	0	0	43	4	0	5.58	.733
1977–78	Washington Capitals	NHL		17	2	12	3	980	68	2	4.16	.864		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1977–78	Hershey Bears	AHL		1	0	0	1	65	4	0	3.69	—		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1977–78	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		3	0	2	1	180	9	0	3.00	.907		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1977–78	Fort Worth Texans	CHL		13	8	3	1	765	38	1	2.98	—		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1978–79	Indianapolis Racers	WHA		11	0	10	1	664	61	0	5.51	.848		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1978–79	Winnipeg Jets	WHA		11	7	3	0	626	31	0	2.97	.889		10	8	2	563	35	0	3.73	—
1979–80	Winnipeg Jets	NHL		20	4	11	4	1073	73	0	4.08	.873		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1979–80	Tulsa Oilers	CHL		22	7	11	4	1324	73	0	3.31	—		1	0	1	60	6	0	6.00	—
WHA totals				22	7	13	4	1290	92	0	4.28	.865		10	8	2	563	35	0	3.73	.873
NHL totals				532	173	261	74	29619	1675	26	3.39	.894		20	5	13	1153	62	1	3.23	.902

"Smith's stats". The Goaltender Home Page. Retrieved 2017-08-07.

References

• Cox, Damien; Stellick, Gord (2004). 67: The Maple Leafs, Their Sensational Victory, and the End of an Empire. John Wiley and Sons. ISBN 0-470-83400-5.
• Willes, Ed (2004). The Rebel League: The Short and Unruly Life of the World Hockey Association. Toronto, ON: McLelland and Stewart. ISBN 0-7710-8947-3.
• A horse of a different color is Smith: Goalie Suitcase Gary takes a run at owning a race horse; David Banks. The Province. Vancouver, B.C.: Jul 18, 1997. pg. A.56

1. "Gary Edward Smith".
2. [Cox]
3. [Cox], pg. 79
4. [Willes], pg.240
5. [Willes], pg. 241
6. Kirshenbaum, Jerry. "Reincarnation and 13 Pairs of Socks," Sports Illustrated, March 28, 1977. Retrieved November 17, 2020

External links

• Gary Smith career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database