Overview

• The contract is for 2025–26 on a two-way basis at $775,000 in the NHL and $140,000 in the AHL, with $250,000 guaranteed.
• Smith earned the deal after arriving on a professional tryout and posting two goals, one assist, and a team-high 28 penalty minutes in four preseason games.
• General manager Eric Tulsky credited Smith’s size and physicality as a fit to bolster forward depth.
• His opening-night status is not set, and he could be retained on the NHL roster or require waivers for an AHL assignment.
• A 2016 second-round pick by Detroit, Smith has 168 NHL games with 9 goals and 13 assists and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.