The Boston Bruins have been one of the biggest surprises in the NHL this season, as their 17-13-0 record has them sitting in second place in the Atlantic Division currently. On Monday, some news from across the league involving one of their former players, Craig Smith, caught some attention.
After spending the first nine years of his career with the Nashville Predators, Smith spent two-and-a-half years with the Bruins. During his time with the team, Smith scored 33 goals and dished out 45 assists over 170 games of action.
Smith would go on to spend time with the Washington Capitals, Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings. He failed to find a new home over the offseason, though, and on Monday, he decided to officially hang up his skates and call it a career.
“How do you wrap up 14 years of playing in the best hockey league in the world in a few paragraphs?” Smith said as part of a statement shared on social media. “I’ll start by saying how grateful I am that it even happened in the first place. 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.”
Story continues below advertisement
Smith helped the B’s emerge as a powerhouse contender in their historic 2022-23 season, although he ended up getting traded midway through the campaign. He didn’t spend a ton of time in Boston, but his contributions as a secondary scorer helped the team greatly during his time on the ice with them.
In the present, Boston has remained hot, as it has won three of its past four games after a bit of a recent lull. The Bruins will be back in action against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night, with puck drop scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
Featured image via Bob DeChiara/Imagn Images
