Though he suddenly has his hands full off the ice, Colorado Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic still found the time to address the organization’s on-ice needs.
On Tuesday, the Avalanche announced the signing of right wing Ben Smith to a one-year contract. Though the financial terms were not disclosed, the two-way deal is reportedly worth $675,000 at the NHL level.
The 28-year-old Smith split last season between the San Jose Sharks and Toronto Maple Leafs, also spending time with both clubs’ AHL affiliates. In 22 NHL games during the campaign, he scored two goals and six points, also registering a plus-2 rating. In 197 career NHL games with the Chicago Blackhawks, Sharks and Maple Leafs, he has 27 goals and 50 points.
Smith is also a proven winner, having captured a Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2013 (he becomes the only forward on the Avalanche with a Stanley Cup ring). He also won two NCAA Championships with Boston College (2008 and 2010), winning the Frozen Four tournament MVP in 2010.
For the Avalanche, Smith addresses the need for more right-handed shots up front. Jarome Iginla, Nathan MacKinnon and Blake Comeau are the only right-handed shots that are locks to make the team. Of the three, only Iginla naturally plays right wing (Matt Duchene also likes playing right wing, but he a left-handed shot). The signing of Smith likely inserts him into a competition with fellow righties Rocco Grimaldi and J.T. Compher for a spot on the fourth line (both of whom are also on two-way contracts).
Smith is a great skater, who is hard to knock off the puck and has the courage to go to the tough areas of the ice, despite his small frame. That being said, he is not very physical.
