Carl Smith (ice hockey)

Carl David "Winky" Smith (September 18, 1917 – January 9, 1967) was an ice hockey winger who played in seven games in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings in 1943.[1] Smith picked up his nickname when he played on the same line as Ray Powell for the Omaha Knights following World War II. His brother Dalton "Nakina" Smith, played with him on many occasions throughout his career.

Carl Smith
Born (1917-09-18)September 18, 1917
Cache Bay, Ontario, Canada
Died January 9, 1967(1967-01-09) (aged 49)
Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Height 5 ft 5 in (165 cm)
Weight 150 lb (68 kg; 10 st 10 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shot Left
Played for Detroit Red Wings
Playing career 1939–1949

Professional career

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Minor league hockey

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Smith was small in size, but more than made up for it with his stellar play on the ice. After spending time with the St. Michael's Majors in the junior league of the Ontario Hockey Association he began play for the Oshawa G-Men of the senior league in the 1935–36 season. He continued to excel on the ice and was finally noticed after a stellar season in which he scored 30 points in just 18 games. Smith was contacted by the Detroit Red Wings on his birthday and signed as a free agent just nine days later. He was to begin play for the Wings in their farm system, starting with the Detroit Holzbaugh Ford of the Michigan-Ontario Hockey Association in the 1939–40 season. Smith averaged more than a point per game pace for the first 31 games of the season. Smith started the next season in the American Hockey Association with the first place St. Louis Flyers and playing for the first time with his brother, Dalton. Smith and his brother helped keep the Flyers in first place for the next two years, including helping them win the Harry F. Sinclair Trophy, given to the league champions, in 1940–41. For the 1942–43 season, Smith finally made the jump to the American Hockey League along with Dalton to begin play for the New Haven Eagles, but end the season playing for the Buffalo Bisons, all while scoring 38 points. He also helped lead the Bisons to win the AHL championship and the Calder Cup with his 9 playoff points.

Playing in the NHL

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Finally in 1943, while having begun play for the Indianapolis Capitols (again reuniting with his brother), the Smith brothers were called up to play for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. Carl contributed a goal and an assist in seven games, but still found himself back down in the minors. He finished out the season with the Capitols and ended up with another point per game season. In 1944–45, Smith again joined the St. Louis Flyers and ended with 10 goals and 26 assists.

For the 1945–46 season, Smith made the jump to the United States Hockey League (USHL), after a short stint with the Capitols again, and joined play for the Omaha Knights. He was an instant success scoring 29 goals and 67 points in 54 games to lead the team in scoring. He was named to the USHL First All-Star Team. He also scored in three goals in the Knights playoff run, losing to the Kansas City Pla-mors. The following season the Knights acquired Nelson Boyce who would befriend Smith and form a strong scoring duo that would stay together for the next two years. They spent so much time together, the pair became known as Blinky and Winky to teammates and fans. After two more successful seasons with the Knights, and two more postseason losses to the Pla-mors, Smith decided to retire from playing ice hockey at the end of the 1948–49 season.

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1933–34 St. Michael's Majors M-Cup 13 16 13 29 4
1934–35 St. Michael's Majors OHA 12 9 2 11 8 3 3 1 4 4
1935–36 Oshawa Chevies TIHL 13 4 4 8 12
1936–37 Oshawa G-Men TIHL 9 3 1 4 12
1937–38 Oshawa G-Men OHA Sr 16 14 10 24 16 2 0 0 0 4
1938–39 Oshawa G-Men OHA Sr 18 12 18 30 37 7 1 4 5 6
1939–40 Detroit Holzbaugh MOHL 31 16 16 32 14 12 3 4 7 28
1940–41 St. Louis Flyers AHA 48 21 19 40 18 9 2 3 5 6
1941–42 St. Louis Flyers AHA 50 11 17 28 43 2 1 1 2 0
1942–43 New Haven Eagles AHL 31 4 12 16 13
1942–43 Buffalo Bisons AHL 22 10 12 22 8 9 2 7 9 0
1943–44 Detroit Red Wings NHL 7 1 1 2 2
1943–44 Indianapolis Capitals AHL 45 20 26 46 20 5 1 4 5 2
1944–45 St. Louis Flyers AHL 58 10 26 36 23
1945–46 Indianapolis Capitals AHL 5 0 2 2 2
1945–46 Omaha Knights USHL 54 29 38 67 33 7 3 1 4 7
1946–47 Omaha Knights USHL 56 15 21 36 20 11 8 7 15 0
1947–48 Omaha Knights USHL 38 19 34 53 2 3 1 0 1 0
1948–49 Omaha Knights USHL 61 11 33 44 36 4 0 0 0 0
USHL totals 209 74 126 200 91 25 12 8 20 7
NHL totals 7 1 1 2 2

Awards and achievements

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  • Harry F. Sinclair Trophy winner (AHA Champion) – St. Louis Flyers (1940–41)
  • Calder Cup winner (AHL Champion) – Buffalo Bisons (1942–43)
  • USHL First All-Star Team (1946)

References

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  1. ^ "Carl Smith". Hockey Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
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