Ben Smith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ben Smith |
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Smith with the Blackhawks in 2014
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| Born | July 11, 1988 Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S. |
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| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 198 lb (90 kg; 14 st 2 lb) | ||
| Position | Right wing | ||
| Shoots | Right | ||
| DEL team Former teams |
Adler Mannheim Chicago Blackhawks San Jose Sharks Toronto Maple Leafs Colorado Avalanche |
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| National team |  United States |
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| NHL Draft | 169th overall, 2008 Chicago Blackhawks |
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| Playing career | 2010–present | ||
Benjamin Alexander Smith (born July 11, 1988) is an American professional ice hockey player. He currently plays for Adler Mannheim in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) in Germany. Ben has also played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for several teams. These include the Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Colorado Avalanche.
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Ben Smith's Hockey Journey
Starting Out in Hockey
Ben Smith played college ice hockey for Boston College. He was part of their team, known as the Eagles. He made his first appearance in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks. This happened on October 29, 2010, against the Edmonton Oilers.
In his second NHL playoff game, Ben scored two goals. This was on April 15, 2011, against the Vancouver Canucks. A few days later, on April 24, 2011, Smith scored an important goal in overtime. This goal helped his team force a Game 7 against the Canucks.
Winning the Stanley Cup
On June 24, 2013, Ben Smith achieved a huge dream for any hockey player. He won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks! His team defeated the Boston Bruins in the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals. The Blackhawks won the series by four games to two.
Moving Between Teams
After his time with the Blackhawks, Ben Smith moved to other teams. On March 2, 2015, the Blackhawks traded him to the San Jose Sharks. In return, the Sharks sent Andrew Desjardins to Chicago.
About a year later, on February 27, 2016, Ben was traded again. The Sharks sent him, Alex Stalock, and a draft pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs. In exchange, the Maple Leafs traded James Reimer and Jeremy Morin to the Sharks.
Even though he played well for the Maple Leafs, Ben was placed on waivers. This happened on March 30, 2016. The next day, he was sent to the Toronto Marlies, which is a team in the AHL. The Marlies were expected to win the Calder Cup that year. However, they were eliminated in the third round of the playoffs. Ben contributed nine points during their fifteen-game playoff run.
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On August 16, 2016, Ben signed a one-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche. He started the 2016–17 season playing for the Avalanche. His first game with them was a 6–5 win against the Dallas Stars on October 15, 2016. Ben played in four games for the Avalanche without scoring any points. Then, on October 24, 2016, the Toronto Maple Leafs claimed him off waivers. The Maple Leafs wanted him back because he was very good at playing on the penalty kill.
Captain and Calder Cup Win
On May 2, 2017, Ben Smith agreed to stay with the Maple Leafs for another year. In the 2017–18 season, he became the captain of the Toronto Marlies. As captain, he led his team to win the Calder Cup! This was another big championship win for Ben.
After his success in North America, Ben decided to play in Europe. On June 15, 2018, he signed a contract with Adler Mannheim. This team plays in the German DEL.
