Derek Smith (ice hockey, born 1954)

For the player born 1965, see Derrick Smith (ice hockey). For the player born 1984, see Derek Smith (ice hockey, born 1984).

Derek Robert Smith (born July 31, 1954) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League with the Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings between 1975 and 1983. He was selected by the Sabres in the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft.

Derek Smith
Smith with the Buffalo Sabres Alumni Hockey Team in 2011
Born	(1954-07-31) July 31, 1954 Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position	Centre/Left wing
Shot	Left
Played for	Buffalo Sabres Detroit Red Wings
NHL draft	168th overall, 1974 Buffalo Sabres
WHA draft	89th overall, 1974 Houston Aeros
Playing career	1974–1984

Playing career

Smith was born in Quebec City, Quebec, but grew up in Ottawa, Ontario.

Smith played his junior hockey for the Ottawa 67's and scored an impressive 52 goals in the 1972–73 campaign. He backed up the performance with a 47-goal season the next year and this was enough to garner the attention of the Buffalo Sabres who drafted him in the 10th round of the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft.

He spent three seasons with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League including a playoff effort in 1975 where he scored seven goals in eleven games. Smith also scored nearly a point a game for the Bears in 1976–77. This is also the year when he made his regular season debut in the NHL, playing in 5 games for the Sabres, after appearing in one playoff game for the Sabres the year before.

In 1977, he became an NHL regular appearing in 36 regular season games and an additional eight playoff games. Smith broke out in the 1979–80 season when he recorded career high 24 goals to go with 39 assists. He also scored 12 points in 13 games. He was a 20-goal scorer the next season. Smith also set a career high with 43 assists in 69 games.

On December 2, 1981, Smith was part of a blockbuster trade that sent him to the Detroit Red Wings, along with Danny Gare and Jim Schoenfeld, in exchange for Dale McCourt, Mike Foligno and Brent Peterson. Smith scored thirteen goals playing for Detroit. He retired from professional hockey in 1984 after scoring 78 goals and 194 points in the NHL.

Smith still resides in the Western New York area and is an active member of the Buffalo Sabres Alumni Association.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1970–71	Ottawa M&W Rangers	CJHL		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1971–72	Ottawa 67's	OHA		53	6	11	17	10		18	2	4	6	22
1972–73	Ottawa 67's	OHA		53	52	46	98	32		9	3	4	7	6
1973–74	Ottawa 67's	OHA		69	47	45	92	40		7	0	5	5	0
1974–75	Charlotte Checkers	SHL		4	4	3	7	0		—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	Hershey Bears	AHL		64	11	16	27	10		11	7	3	10	0
1975–76	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		—	—	—	—	—		1	0	0	0	0
1975–76	Hershey Bears	AHL		67	28	32	60	14		10	4	5	9	4
1976–77	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		5	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1976–77	Hershey Bears	AHL		65	31	31	62	20		6	3	1	4	2
1977–78	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		36	3	3	6	0		8	3	3	6	7
1977–78	Hershey Bears	AHL		5	2	2	4	2		—	—	—	—	—
1978–79	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		43	14	12	26	8		—	—	—	—	—
1979–80	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		79	24	39	63	16		13	5	7	12	4
1980–81	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		69	21	43	64	12		8	1	4	5	2
1981–82	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		12	3	1	4	2		—	—	—	—	—
1981–82	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		49	6	14	20	10		—	—	—	—	—
1982–83	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		42	7	4	11	12		—	—	—	—	—
1982–83	Adirondack Red Wings	AHL		11	6	4	10	2		6	1	2	3	0
1983–84	Adirondack Red Wings	AHL		61	16	29	45	10		10	1	0	1	0
NHL totals				335	78	116	194	60		30	9	14	23	13

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
• Sports Illustrated article
• Buffalo Sabres alumni page