Alex Smart

Alexander Smart (May 29, 1918 – April 18, 2005) was a Canadian ice hockey forward. He played 8 games in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens during the 1942–43 season. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1938 to 1950, was mainly spent in the Quebec Senior Hockey League.

Alex Smart
Born (1918-05-29)May 29, 1918
Brandon, Manitoba, Canada
Died April 18, 2005(2005-04-18) (aged 86)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 150 lb (68 kg; 10 st 10 lb)
Position Left wing
Shot Left
Played for Montreal Canadiens
Playing career 1938–1953

Playing career

Born in Brandon, Manitoba, Smart played junior hockey in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League with the Portage Terriers for two seasons. In 1937–38, joined the senior ranks with the Toronto Marlboros of the Ontario Hockey Association and scored 23 points in 12 games at a goal-per-game pace. The following season, he began a three-year stint in the Montreal City Hockey League (MCHL) with the Verdun Maple Leafs and Montreal Sr. Canadiens.

In 1941–42, Smart moved with the Sr. Canadiens to the Quebec Senior Hockey League (QSHL). Affiliated with the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League,[1] Smart was called up to the NHL in January of the 1942–43 NHL season and, on January 14, became the first player in league history to score a hat trick in his NHL debut; this feat would not be matched for 36 years, by Réal Cloutier at the start of the 1979–80 NHL season, and since repeated by only Fabian Brunnström (2008), Derek Stepan (2010), Ryan Poehling (2019), and not exceeded until Auston Matthews (2016), who scored four.[2] He completed the season with 5 goals and 2 assists in 8 games – the lone NHL stint of his career.

Smart spent the remainder of his career in the QSHL with the Montreal Royals and Ottawa Senators with the exception of one more season in the MCHL with the Montreal Vickers and the final season of his career in the OVHL with Eastview St. Charles. He recorded a career-high 66 points in 47 games with the Senators in 1947–48, then helped the club to an Allan Cup in 1949 as Canada's senior amateur champions. Smart retired after the 1950–51 season spent with Eastview.

Post-playing career

After retiring from the QSHL, Smart became a scout for the Los Angeles Kings and worked with Goodyear Tire for forty years.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
1935–36 Portage Terriers MJHL 16104144 696152
1936–37 Portage Terriers MJHL 161541910 40226
1937–38 Toronto Marlboros OHA 1212112310 648129
1938–39 Verdun Maple Leafs QSHL 22691518 21124
1939–40 Verdun Maple Leafs QSHL 21891713 87189
1940–41 Montreal Senior Canadiens MCHL 337152221 —————
1941–42 Montreal Senior Canadiens QSHL 361562140 64484
1942–43 Montreal Canadiens NHL 85270 —————
1942–43 Montreal Senior Canadiens QSHL 231211238 —————
1943–44 Montreal Royals QSHL 20914239 54372
1944–45 Montreal Royals QSHL 2419193812 72352
1945–46 Montreal Royals QSHL 3716244033 1155106
1946–47 Ottawa Senators QSHL 3814213526 91674
1947–48 Ottawa Senators QSHL 4728386611 1228106
1947–48 Ottawa Senators Al-Cup ————— 1047112
1948–49 Ottawa Senators QSHL 4014274129 113476
1948–49 Ottawa Senators Al-Cup ————— 141452
1949–50 Ottawa Senators QSHL 288122028 703312
QSHL totals 336149190339227 7829386755
NHL totals 85270 —————

References
  1. "Legends of Hockey - Alex Smart". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2008-10-15.
  2. "Newcomer's historic debut sparks Stars victory". Star Telegram. 2008-10-15. Archived from the original on 2020-05-24. Retrieved 2008-10-15.
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