Craig Smith retires after 14-season NHL career

A longtime secondary scorer has hung up his skates.

On Monday, former NHL forward Craig Smith officially announced his retirement from pro hockey.

In a statement released through Magnuson Hockey Agency, Smith expressed his gratitude for his 14-year career in the league.

“I’ll start by saying how grateful I am that it even happened in the first place,” Smith wrote. “It was a dream come true. I’ve wanted to become a hockey player ever since I can remember. I will forever be grateful for the memories with my teammates, coaches, trainers and equipment staff, General Managers, and, most importantly, the fans. This league gave me an opportunity to change my place in life. For that, I’m forever grateful.”

Smith went on to thank his agent, Kevin Magnuson, along with his family and friends who supported him along the way. The 36-year-old also thanked all the guys he played with throughout his career.

“To my teammates — I wanted nothing more than to give you all I had, every night. I’m so grateful for the lifelong friendships I’ve made throughout the years. I’ll miss the locker room dearly.”

Smith broke into the NHL during the 2011-12 season with the Nashville Predators, the team that drafted him in the fourth round of the 2009 NHL Draft. He went on to play nine seasons in Smashville and was part of the team that made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in 2017. He signed with the Boston Bruins in 2020, spending parts of three seasons there before being traded to the Washington Capitals prior to the trade deadline in February 2023.

He played one season with the Dallas Stars in 2023-24, before signing with the Chicago Blackhawks in July 2024. He would spend most of the season in the Windy City before being traded to the Detroit Red Wings in March of last season.

In 987 regular-season games in the NHL, Smith scored 220 goals and 232 assists for 452 points. He also added 23 points in 83 postseason contests.