Craig Smith

Craig Smith is an American ice hockey right-winger playing with the Dallas Stars in the National Hockey League. His hockey journey started in the United States Hockey League (USHL) where he caught the attention of NHL scouts, leading to his selection by the Nashville Predators in the fourth round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. However, he still continued with the University of Wisconsin's Badgers ice hockey team.

Interestingly, Smith left college two years early and made his debut on October 7, 2011, against the Columbus Blue Jackets. This also made him the first player since Colin Wilson to play for the Predators without first playing with the team's AHL affiliate.

Smith's association with the Predators ended after he joined the Boston Bruins in 2020 before getting traded to the Washington Capitals in exchange for Garnet Hathaway and Dmitry Orlov. Smith is currently plying his trade for the Dallas Stars after signing a contract with them in 2023.

Craig Smith’s Personal Information

Craig Smith's Early Days

Craig Smith began his junior hockey journey in the United States Hockey League (USHL) with the Waterloo Black Hawks where he showcased his talent and earned a spot in the USHL First All-Star Team for the 2008-09 season. Notably, during his three years with the Black Hawks, he collected 49 goals and 117 points while leading the team to the Anderson Cup triumph in 2007.

Smith's talent was evident even on the international stage, representing the USA in the men's national ice hockey team at the IIHF World Championship. Smith continued his hockey journey and committed to play for the University of Wisconsin's Badgers ice hockey team. Notably, during his tenure with the Badgers, he contributed 27 goals across his two-season stay. Remarkably, the Nashville Predators took notice of his talents and signed him, with Smith leaving college earlier than expected.

Craig Smith's Personal Life

Craig Smith's personal life is marked by his parents, his sister, and his wife.

Moreover, he learned the value of hard work and responsibility from his parents and by doing household chores with his sister. At the age of 16, he took a job at the construction site while still pursuing his passion for ice hockey. Interestingly, his favourite subject in school was maths, while his favourite movie is “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”, he also loves Mighty Mouse and loves playing Mario Kart. Lastly, he dreamt of having an Audi TT Coupe during his time at University.

Craig Smith's Family Background

Craig Smith was born to parents Kevin and Dawn Smith in Madison, Wisconsin and attended La Follette High School there. Notably, Smith started loving the ice after his father, Kevin introduced it to him. He soon dreamt of playing hockey, with Kevin and Dawn taking him to all his games and practice sessions.

“I never had to wait on them,” Craig Smith recalled. “I was never late. That’s how I got to college. They said, ‘That’s 80 percent of life, really — just being there and showing up.’” Smith said in an interview with the Athletic. He also thinks of his dad as his childhood hero

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Craig Smith's Wife

Craig Smith is married to Aleah Smith.

Aleah is a professional with a background in public relations. Native of Muskego, Wisconsin, she attended the University of Wisconsin in 2014. Moving forward, Aleah found her passion in PR and is presently working as a staff associate, providing support for various client teams.

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Craig Smith's Net Worth

Craig Smith has an estimated net worth of $16 million, as of April 2024. Moreover, he has earned $36,763,171 in cash earnings throughout his hockey career. For the 2023-24 season, Smith is set to earn a salary of $1,000,000 from the Dallas Stars.

Craig Smith's Career Stats

The entirety of Craig Smith's career stats are presented below in a table:

Regular Season

Playoffs

Craig Smith's Contracts

Selected in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators, Craig Smith has signed five contracts in his NHL career worth a total value of $37,350,000.

His first contract was a two-year, entry level contract with the Nashville Predators for $1,800,000 in 2011. Next, Smith signed a two-year extension with the same team for a total value of $4,000,000. He again signed a contract extension with the Predators in 2015. The value of the contract this time around was $21,250,000

Moving forward, he signed with the Boston Bruins for $9,300,000 in 2020 for a duration of three years and as of April 2024, Smith is under a one-year contract with the Dallas Stars for $1,000,000

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Craig Smith's Achievements

During his time in the USHL, Craig Smith earned a spot at the USHL All-Star Game in 2009 and was named to the First All-Star Team in the same year. Moving forward, Smith was named to the WCHA Rookie Team while with the Badgers ice hockey team in 2010. Unfortunately, he hasn't been able to replicate that success in the NHL as of yet.

Although internationally he has been able to secure golds at the World Junior A Challenge, an annual under-20 international ice hockey tournament in 2008 and in 2009. Moreover, he secured a bronze medal at the 2013 World Championships.

Craig Smith House

Craig Smith lives in Madison, Wisconsin with his wife Aleah.