Tommy Smith (hockey player)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Joseph Smith was a Canadian
professional
ice hockey
forward
, who played from 1905 until 1920 for 16 teams in his career. He was a member of two Stanley Cup
-winning teams, the Ottawa Silver Seven of 1906 and the Quebec Bulldogs of 1913. His two brothers Alf Smith
and Harry Smith
also played ice hockey.
(FAHL) in 1905-06 and also played for the Stanley Cup
champion Ottawa Hockey Club
, aka the "Silver Seven" that year. He moved to Pittsburgh to become a professional with the Pittsburgh Professionals
in 1906, playing three seasons in Pittsburgh before returning to Canada with the Brantford Indians of the Ontario Professional Hockey League
(OPHL) where he played two seasons. In 1910-11 he moved over to Galt of the OPHL helping Galt win the OPHL championship. Smith, along with most of the Galt team bolted to Moncton Victorias the following season, helping Moncton win the Maritime championship. The Galt and Moncton teams Smith played for played consecutive Stanley Cup challenges, Galt against Ottawa in 1911 and Moncton against Quebec in 1912, both times unsuccessfully. Smith then joined the Quebec Bulldogs after the challenge, and played in five seasons for the Bulldogs until 1920. During the 1910s, he also played for the Montreal Canadiens
and Toronto Shamrocks in the National Hockey Association
(NHA). While with the Canadiens, he played in the 1917 Stanley Cup Finals
against Seattle.
After the 1913–14 season in Quebec, he was traded (twice) to Toronto Shamrocks. This caused a dispute with the Pacific Coast Hockey Association
. At that time, the NHA and PCHA had an agreement whereby the PCHA teams could draft one player from 3 of the 6 teams of the NHA. He was traded away from Quebec, which was eligible to lose a player. He started play for Shamrocks, though he had been drafted by Victoria of the PCHA. It was found that the initial trade was not allowed, and Quebec re-traded him to Toronto during the season, disregarding the PCHA efforts to get him. After the 1914–15 season, he was traded back to Quebec, avoiding the PCHA draft again.
While skating for the Ottawa Vics in 1906, Smith led the FAHL with 12 goals (including eight goals in a game against Brockville
on February 23, 1906). In future years, he was the leading goal-scorer in the OPHL (1908–09) and the NHA (1910–11, 1913–14, 1914–15).
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
forward
Forward (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in...
, who played from 1905 until 1920 for 16 teams in his career. He was a member of two Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
-winning teams, the Ottawa Silver Seven of 1906 and the Quebec Bulldogs of 1913. His two brothers Alf Smith
Alf Smith
Alfred Edward Smith was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Ottawa Senators, and Kenora Thistles. He had two brothers who played senior-level hockey Harry Smith and Tommy Smith...
and Harry Smith
Harry Smith (ice hockey)
Harold Henry "Harry" Smith was a professional Canadian ice hockey player who played 98 games in various professional and amateur leagues, including the National Hockey Association and Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association...
also played ice hockey.
Playing career
Smith first played senior-level hockey when the sport was amateur. Smith first played senior for the Ottawa Emmetts from 1903 until 1905. He moved to the Ottawa Victorias of the Federal Amateur Hockey LeagueFederal Amateur Hockey League
The Federal Amateur Hockey League was a Canadian men's senior-level ice hockey league that played six seasons from 1904 to 1909. The league was formed initially to provide a league for teams not accepted by the rival Canadian Amateur Hockey League . One team, the Montreal Le National, was the first...
(FAHL) in 1905-06 and also played for the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
champion Ottawa Hockey Club
Ottawa Senators (original)
The Ottawa Senators were an amateur, and later, professional, ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Canada which existed from 1883 to 1954. The club was the first hockey club in Ontario, a founding member of the National Hockey League and played in the NHL from 1917 until 1934...
, aka the "Silver Seven" that year. He moved to Pittsburgh to become a professional with the Pittsburgh Professionals
Pittsburgh Professionals
The Pittsburgh Professionals also called the Pittsburgh Pros were a professional ice hockey team that participated in the International Professional Hockey League from 1904 until 1907. The team was based in the Duquesne Gardens and was the first inter-city professional hockey team in the city of...
in 1906, playing three seasons in Pittsburgh before returning to Canada with the Brantford Indians of the Ontario Professional Hockey League
Ontario Professional Hockey League
-External links:*...
(OPHL) where he played two seasons. In 1910-11 he moved over to Galt of the OPHL helping Galt win the OPHL championship. Smith, along with most of the Galt team bolted to Moncton Victorias the following season, helping Moncton win the Maritime championship. The Galt and Moncton teams Smith played for played consecutive Stanley Cup challenges, Galt against Ottawa in 1911 and Moncton against Quebec in 1912, both times unsuccessfully. Smith then joined the Quebec Bulldogs after the challenge, and played in five seasons for the Bulldogs until 1920. During the 1910s, he also played for the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
and Toronto Shamrocks in the National Hockey Association
National Hockey Association
The National Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey organization with teams in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. It is the direct predecessor organization to today's National Hockey League...
(NHA). While with the Canadiens, he played in the 1917 Stanley Cup Finals
1917 Stanley Cup Finals
-See also:* 1916–17 NHA season* 1916–17 PCHA season...
against Seattle.
After the 1913–14 season in Quebec, he was traded (twice) to Toronto Shamrocks. This caused a dispute with the Pacific Coast Hockey Association
Pacific Coast Hockey Association
The Pacific Coast Hockey Association was a professional men's ice hockey league in western Canada and the western United States, which operated from 1911 to 1924 when it then merged with the Western Canada Hockey League...
. At that time, the NHA and PCHA had an agreement whereby the PCHA teams could draft one player from 3 of the 6 teams of the NHA. He was traded away from Quebec, which was eligible to lose a player. He started play for Shamrocks, though he had been drafted by Victoria of the PCHA. It was found that the initial trade was not allowed, and Quebec re-traded him to Toronto during the season, disregarding the PCHA efforts to get him. After the 1914–15 season, he was traded back to Quebec, avoiding the PCHA draft again.
While skating for the Ottawa Vics in 1906, Smith led the FAHL with 12 goals (including eight goals in a game against Brockville
Brockville, Ontario
Brockville is a city in Eastern Ontario, Canada, in the Thousand Islands region. Though it serves as the seat of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, Brockville is politically independent and is grouped with Leeds and Grenville for census purposes only.Known as the "City of the 1000...
on February 23, 1906). In future years, he was the leading goal-scorer in the OPHL (1908–09) and the NHA (1910–11, 1913–14, 1914–15).
Awards & achievements
- 1906 - Member of Stanley Cup champion Ottawa Silver Seven
- 1913 - Stanley CupStanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
Champion (Quebec BulldogsQuebec BulldogsThe Quebec Bulldogs were a men's senior-level ice hockey team officially known as the Quebec Hockey Club, later as the Quebec Athletic Club. Their recorded play goes back as far as the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada in 1889, although the Quebec Hockey Club is known to have played since 1880...
) - 1973 - Inducted into the Hockey Hall of FameHockey Hall of FameThe Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...