Jason Smart (ice hockey)

Jason Smart (born January 23, 1970) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player.

Career

Smart was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the twelfth round of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, selected 247th overall. Smart spent three seasons with the Penguins' IHL affiliate in Muskegon, scoring 111 points in 159 games. After his first season in Muskegon, Smart was re-called to the Penguins play-off roster during their 1991 Stanley Cup run albeit did not play in a game.

Smart was assigned to the Columbus Chill of the East Coast Hockey League in 1993 while in his final year of his NHL contract with the Penguins. He was named team captain on October 29, 1993. Smart scored a career-high in goals (29), assists (50), and points (79) and captained the Chill to their first playoff appearance in franchise history. He returned to the Chill in 1994 and spent part of the 1994-95 ECHL season as a player-assistant coach.

Smart did not receive a qualifying offer after the 1994-95 season, making the twenty-five-year-old center an unrestricted free agent.^[1] Smart left the Chill after the 1994-95 ECHL season and signed with the Toledo Storm. Smart joined the Toledo Storm, which had him on the same team as another Penguins' draft pick: Brian Farrell, who was selected 89th in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft. Smart only played twenty-three games with the Storm, scoring thirteen points but did not finish the season with the team. Smart finished the 1995-96 season with the Newcastle Warriors of the British Hockey League, scoring forty-seven points in only nineteen games.

Smart briefly played for the Geleen Eaters of the Ereddivisie. In five games, Smart scored two assists.

References