Givani Smith facts for kids

Givani Smith is a Canadian ice hockey player. He was born on February 27, 1998. He plays as a right winger. He recently played for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. This team is part of the American Hockey League (AHL). He was also under contract with the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Givani Smith's Hockey Journey

Smith's Early Hockey Days

Givani Smith played in a league called the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He played for four seasons before becoming a professional. He was part of the Barrie Colts, Guelph Storm, and Kitchener Rangers teams. In 236 games, he scored 73 goals and made 62 assists. He also spent a lot of time in the penalty box. He led the OHL in penalty minutes in both the 2015–16 and 2016–17 seasons.

In his first year as a professional, the 2018–19 season, he played for the Grand Rapids Griffins. This team is in the American Hockey League (AHL). He scored six goals and had seven assists in 64 games.

Making it to the NHL

On October 25, 2019, Givani Smith was called up to the Detroit Red Wings. This is a team in the National Hockey League (NHL). Before this, he had scored two goals and two assists for the Griffins. He played his first NHL game that same night against the Buffalo Sabres. He had two shots on goal and one hit in about 11 minutes of play.

He was sent back to the Griffins a few days later. He played three games for the Red Wings during that time. On December 31, 2019, he was called up to the Red Wings again. He had already scored four goals and made nine assists for the Griffins. On January 14, 2020, Givani Smith scored his very first NHL goal. It was against Thomas Greiss of the New York Islanders.

In February 2021, he was sent back to the Griffins. He had played eight games for the Red Wings that season. He scored one goal and had three assists.

Moving to New Teams

On December 19, 2022, the Red Wings traded Smith to the Florida Panthers. He had scored two goals and three assists for the Griffins that season. He also played in two games for the Red Wings.

On July 1, 2023, Smith became a free agent. He then signed a two-year contract with the San Jose Sharks. He scored his first goal for the Sharks on November 16 against the St. Louis Blues. This made him the 300th player to score a goal for the Sharks team. He played 36 games for the Sharks that season. He matched his best season total with 3 assists.

In the 2024–25 season, Smith did not play much for the Sharks. He was often a healthy scratch, meaning he was ready to play but not chosen. He only played in 6 games. On December 8, 2024, the Sharks put him on waivers. This means other teams could claim him.

Joining the Avalanche and Flyers

After clearing waivers, Smith was traded to the Colorado Avalanche on December 9, 2024. The Avalanche also received Mackenzie Blackwood and a 2027 draft pick. In return, the Sharks got Alexandar Georgiev, Nikolai Kovalenko, and two other draft picks. Smith played his first game for the Avalanche the next day. He helped them win 6–2 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He played 7 games for the Avalanche without scoring any points. He was then sent to their AHL team, the Colorado Eagles, on December 28, 2024.

Smith stayed with the Eagles until the NHL trade deadline. On March 7, 2025, he was traded again. The Avalanche sent him to the Philadelphia Flyers for Erik Johnson. He was immediately sent to play for the Flyers' AHL team, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Personal Life

Givani Smith's family comes from Jamaica. He also has an older brother, Gemel Smith, who is an NHL player.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International