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Normie Smith
Born (1908-03-18)March 18, 1908
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Died February 2, 1988(1988-02-02) (aged 79)
Stuart, Florida, U.S.
Height 5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Weight 165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for Detroit Red Wings
Montreal Maroons
Playing career 1931–1945

Norman Eugene Smith (March 18, 1908 – February 2, 1988) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Maroons and the Detroit Red Wings in the National Hockey League.

Rookie career

Smith enjoyed much success in his rookie years with the Montreal Maroons. He was playing his 20th game for the Maroons in 1930–31 when Howie Morenz was sent flying into the Maroons net and knocked off Smith, who was so badly injured that he was out for the rest of the season. Smith spent the next two seasons in the minors working on his rebound-control and all-around game. It was there in the minors that Smith started wearing his distinctive cap to stop the glare of the overhead lights from blinding him.

NHL career

In 1934, Smith was signed by the Detroit Red Wings. There, Smith played one of the most remarkable games ever in NHL history. He shut-out the Montreal Maroons in the NHL's longest game where he apparently lost 12 pounds (5.4 kg) of body weight during the 176-minute, 30-second affair on the way to a Stanley Cup championship in 1935–36. His 92 saves in that same game are also a NHL record. Smith helped Detroit repeat as Stanley Cup Champions in 1936–37 and won the Vezina Trophy that same year. After suffering an arm injury, he slumped in 1937–38 and the Red Wings finished last. During a game in 1938–39, he did not show up, causing a rift with coach Jack Adams. He was then traded to Boston along with $15,000 U.S. cash on November 16, 1938 for Tiny Thompson, where there was no way he would beat out Frank Brimsek, and he was sent to the minors. Normie Smith retired rather than report to the minor leagues. He returned to play briefly with the Red Wings when World War II left a vacuum of players in the NHL.

Awards and achievements

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP W L T Min GA SO GAA GP W L T Min GA SO GAA
1929–30 Toronto Willys TMHL 9 3 4 2 560 19 1 2.04 — — — — — — — —
1930–31 Windsor Bulldogs IHL 7 5 1 1 430 16 1 2.23 6 4 1 1 390 11 0 1.69
1931–32 Montreal Maroons NHL 21 5 12 4 1267 62 0 2.94 — — — — — — — —
1931–32 Windsor Bulldogs IHL 14 7 3 4 890 36 3 2.43 6 1 3 2 380 8 3 1.11
1932–33 Windsor Bulldogs IHL 42 14 22 6 2520 120 2 2.86 6 2 4 0 360 18 0 3.00
1933–34 Quebec Castors Can-Am 32 12 12 8 2009 64 3 1.91 — — — — — — — —
1934–35 Detroit Red Wings NHL 25 12 11 2 1550 52 2 2.01 — — — — — — — —
1934–35 Detroit Olympics IHL 26 15 7 4 1630 53 4 1.95 5 5 0 0 300 5 0 1.00
1934–35 Windsor Bulldogs IHL 1 1 0 0 60 3 0 3.00 2 0 2 2 130 9 0 4.15
1935–36 Detroit Red Wings NHL 48 24 16 8 3030 103 6 2.04 7 6 1 0 538 12 2 1.34
1936–37 Detroit Red Wings NHL 48 25 14 9 2980 102 6 2.05 5 3 1 1 282 6 1 1.28
1937–38 Detroit Red Wings NHL 47 11 25 11 2930 130 3 2.66 — — — — — — — —
1938–39 Detroit Red Wings NHL 4 0 4 0 240 12 0 3.00 — — — — — — — —
1938–39 Pittsburgh Hornets IAHL 1 0 1 0 60 5 0 5.00 — — — — — — — —
1943–44 Detroit Red Wings NHL 5 3 1 1 300 15 0 3.00 — — — — — — — —
1944–45 Detroit Red Wings NHL 1 1 0 0 60 3 0 3.00 — — — — — — — —
NHL totals 199 81 83 35 12,357 479 17 2.33 12 9 2 1 820 18 3 1.32
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