James Stephen Smith

Infobox Ice Hockey Player
position = Defence
shot = Left
height_ft = 6
height_in = 3
weight_lb = 210
played_for = Edmonton Oilers
Chicago Blackhawks
Calgary Flames
nationality = CAN
nationality_2 = GBR
birth_date = Birth date and age|1963|4|30|mf=y
birth_place = Glasgow, Scotland
career_start = 1984
career_end = 2000
draft = 111th overall
draft_year = 1981
draft_team = Edmonton Oilers


image_size =

James Stephen Smith, [cite web |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=461 |title=NHL – Steve Smith – Calgary Flames Player Card |publisher=ESPN.com |accessdate=2007-04-11] better known as Steve Smith, (born April 30, 1963, in Glasgow, Scotland) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League from 1984-85 to 2000-01. He was an NHL All-Star who is also remembered for a gaffe he made during the 1986 Smythe Division Finals.

Playing career

Smith was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft in the 6th round, 111th overall. He is perhaps most known for accidentally scoring on his own team, the Edmonton Oilers in the 1986 playoffs. In the third period of game seven against the rival Calgary Flames, with the score tied at two, he made a pass from behind his own net that bounced off of goaltender Grant Fuhr into his own net. That goal was the difference in the game and it cost the Oilers the series. Calgary went on to the Stanley Cup finals that year but lost to the Montreal Canadiens. The day was also Steve Smith's birthday. Following that, many hockey fans in Calgary and Edmonton yelled "Shoot!" whenever Smith had the puck behind his own net, a tradition that continued into Smith's later seasons playing for the Flames.

Despite this infamous incident, he became one of the best defencemen in the league and was a key player in Edmonton, winning 3 Stanley Cups (1987, 1988, 1990), as well as playing in the 42nd NHL All-Star Game. The season following the infamous goal, the Edmonton Oilers stormed back and won the Stanley Cup. When the Cup was handed to team captain Wayne Gretzky, Gretzky promptly handed it over to Smith to start the traditional skate around the rink with the Cup.

Smith played in Edmonton until the end of the 1990-91 NHL season. After Edmonton, he played for the Chicago Blackhawks until he retired following the 1996-97 NHL season. In another infamous moment early in the 1995-96 season Smith took then superstar Pavel Bure down hard behind the net and into the boards tearing Bure's ACL, an injury that the Russian superstar would never recover from. After one year of retirement, he came back and played three seasons for the Calgary Flames. He retired again in December 2000.

Off the ice

During Smith's one year of retirement as a player in 1997-98, he joined the Calgary Flames coaching staff as an assistant coach.

Awards

*Played in NHL All-Star Game - 1991

Career statistics

International play

Played for Canada in:

*1991 Canada Cup (gold medal)

International statistics

ee also

*Steve Smith (ice hockey)
*List of NHL seasons
*List of NHL players

References

External links

*hockeydb|5923