Dallas Smith

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For the rock singer, see Dallas Smith (singer)

Dallas Smith (born October 10, 1941, in Hamiota, Manitoba) was a National Hockey League defenseman who played fifteen seasons for the Boston Bruins.

Signed as a teenager by the Bruins, after a junior career with their Estevan Bruins farm team, Smith made his debut with Boston in 1960. He played the full 1961 season with the club, but thereafter spent most of the next seven seasons in the minor leagues, winning Second All-Star Team accolades with the Oklahoma City Blazers of the CHL in 1966.

With expansion in 1967 Smith made the Bruins for good, and partnered with superstar Bobby Orr on defense, led the NHL in plus/minus the first season the statistic was officially tabulated. He gained a reputation as an excellent defensive defenseman -- as well as a wide repute as the league's strongest man, bolstered by his ownership of a Manitoba farm. His best season was 1971, during which he had his career high of 45 points, played in the NHL All-Star Game and finished with a plus/minus of +94, the fourth highest total in history.

Smith was named interim captain of the Bruins in 1977 after longtime captain John Bucyk was injured, but left the team after a dispute, playing for the Canadian national team in the 1977 World Championships after that. He signed as a free agent with the New York Rangers in December of 1978 at the importuning of old teammate Phil Esposito, but his skills having significantly diminished, retired at season's end.

Smith finished his NHL career with 55 goals, 307 assists and 959 penalty minutes in 890 games.

[edit] Career achievements and facts

Played for Stanley Cup winners in 1970 and 1972.
Played in the NHL All-Star game in 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1974.
Named to play for Team Canada in the 1972 Summit Series, but declined due to the necessity to work his farm.