He was called ‘Suitcase’ on the back of his 1969-70 O-Pee-Chee hockey card, while still with his second National Hockey League team. According to the back of that card, the name came from his travels during the 1964-65 season, his first in pro hockey. That year, Smith spent time in the AHL with the Rochester Americans, the CPHL with the Tulsa Oilers and in the WHL with the Victoria Maple Leafs.
The name did suit Gary by the end of his NHL career, though. He played goalie for seven teams in the National Hockey League and two more in the WHA. He also won championships in four leagues but did not win a Stanley Cup, despite coming close. Smith played two games for the Maple Leafs in 1966-67 but was not with the club on their post season championship run.
Junior and Minor Pro
NHL Career
Hockey Card Collection
Hockey Family
Rookie Card
Career Stats
Gary Smith – Junior and Minor Pro
Gary Smith’s travels began a little earlier than that 1964-65 season. In his three years of junior hockey, Smith switched to a new team each season, albeit they were all in Toronto. In 1961-62, he played for the Toronto St. Michael’s Majors. In 1962-63, he jumped to the Neil MacNeil Maroons of the rebel MTJHL. In 1963-64, he was the number one goalie for the Toronto Marlboros.
That 1963-64 season brought him success and solidified Smith’s spot as a true NHL prospect. Gary appeared in 55 of the Marlboro’s 56 regular season games that year. The team finished first in the eight team league, 12 points ahead of the second place Montreal Junior Canadiens. The two teams met in the finals with Toronto coming out on top.
The Marlboros then downed the Montreal NDG Monarchs for the Richardson Cup championship, earning a berth in the Memorial Cup finals. In the finals, Toronto swept the Edmonton Oil Kings in four games for the Canadian major junior hockey title. Helping out further up the ice were Pete Stemkowski, Mike Walton, Ron Ellis, Rod Seiling and Brit Selby.
From 1964-65 to 1966-67, Smith spent most of his time in the minors. He got into five games with Toronto in the NHL but saw the bulk of his action in the AHL, CPHL and WHL. In 1965-66, he split time fairly even with Bob Perreault with the Rochester Americans. The team finished second in the nine team league, just a single point behind the Quebec Aces. The Amerks won the Calder Cup championship, beating out the Cleveland Barons in the finals.
Gary would return to the minors briefly in 1977-78. While playing sparingly for the Minnesota North Stars and Washington Capitals in the National Hockey League, Smith also played between the pipes with the Fort Worth Texans in the Central Hockey League and the Hershey Bears in the AHL. He saw playoff action with the Texans and the team won the CHL championship over the Dallas Black Hawks in the finals.
His career ended in the CHL with the Tulsa Oilers in 1979-80 after starting his year with the Winnipeg Jets in their inaugural NHL season.
Gary Smith – NHL
Between 1965-66 and 1979-80, Gary Smith played in 532 regular season National Hockey League games. Over that time, he recorded 26 shutouts and a career 3.39 goals against average. He started out with the Toronto Maple Leafs but was picked up by the Oakland Seals in the second round of the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft, eleventh overall. Smith would also play for the Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks, Minnesota North Stars, Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets over his NHL career.
Gary Smith Collection
From 1968-69 to 1970-71, he was the number one goalie for the Oakland Seals/California Golden Seals. In his final season with the team, Gary played in 71 of the team’s 78 games. His 48 losses that year remain an NHL single season record for most losses by a goalie. The Seals played in just eleven Stanley Cup playoff games during their existence. Smith played in all eleven of those games.
On September 9, 1971, Gary was traded to the Blackhawks for Kerry Bond and Gerry Pinder. In 1971-72, he shared Vezina Trophy honours with Tony Esposito. Smith played in 28 games, recording a 2.42 GAA and five shutouts. Esposito played in 48 games with a 1.77 GAA and nine shutouts. Gerry Desjardins also appeared in six games for the Blackhawks.
Smith was traded from Chicago to the Vancouver Canucks on May 14, 1973 for Jerry Korab and Dale Tallon. With the Canucks, Gary was the number one goalie from 1973-74 to 1975-76. In 1974-75, his 72 games were the most by any NHL goalie that season. He recorded a career high six shutouts.
On August 23, 1976, Gary was traded from the Canucks to the Minnesota North Stars straight up for Cesare Maniago. After that, his playing time in the NHL dwindled.
For the 1978-79 season, Smith jumped to the World Hockey Association. He started the year with the Indianapolis Racers, appearing in eleven games. When that team folded, he moved to the Winnipeg Jets. With the Jets, Gary played eleven regular season games and ten more in the playoffs. Winnipeg won the Avco World Trophy, beating the Edmonton Oilers in the finals. He gave up the final goal ever scored in WHA history – to Dave Semenko of the Oilers.
Gary Smith – Hockey Family
Gary Smith had hockey in the blood. His father Des Smith played in the NHL from 1937-38 to 1941-42 with the Montreal Maroons, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins. Over his career, Des scored 22 and assisted on 25 for 47 points in 196 regular season games. In the playoffs, he added five points in 25 games. He won a Stanley Cup championship with the Bruins in 1940-41.
Gary’s brother Brian Smith played in 67 regular season National Hockey League games, playing for the Los Angeles Kings in 1967-68 and the Minnesota North Stars in 1968-69. He totaled 20 points on ten goals and ten assists. Brian also appeared in seven Stanley Cup playoff games.
Brian also spent time in the World Hockey Association. In 1972-73, Smith played in 48 regular season games for the Houston Aeros, contributing 13 points. In ten playoff games, he added two assists.
Brian Smith went on to be a sportscaster for CJOH-TV in Ottawa. On August 1, 1995, he was gunned down in the station parking lot, following the 6PM newscast.
Gary Smith – Rookie Card
The Gary Smith rookie card appears as number 176 in the 1968-69 O-Pee-Chee NHL hockey card set. He is shown with the Oakland Seals. His final card is included in the 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee set as a member of the Winnipeg Jets.
Smith was excluded from the 1971-72 O-Pee-Chee set but was a part of the 1971-72 Topps set. He was including in OPC’s booklet set. The Topps card shows Gary still with the Golden Seals despite the September 9, 1971 trade to Chicago.
Gary was also excluded from the 1978-79 O-Pee-Chee and Topps sets, simply because he jumped to the WHA. With the state of the league that year, there were no hockey cards issued for the Rebel League.
Gary Smith NHL/WHA Stats
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | A | PIM | SO | GAA |
| 1965-66 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.56 |
| 1966-67 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.65 |
| 1967-68 | Oakland Seals | NHL | 21 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3.19 |
| 1968-69 | Oakland Seals | NHL | 54 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 2.96 |
| 1969-70 | Oakland Seals | NHL | 65 | 1 | 18 | 2 | 3.11 |
| 1970-71 | California Golden Seals | NHL | 71 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 3.86 |
| 1971-72 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 28 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2.42 |
| 1972-73 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 23 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3.54 |
| 1973-74 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 66 | 0 | 47 | 3 | 3.44 |
| 1974-75 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 72 | 1 | 33 | 6 | 3.09 |
| 1975-76 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 51 | 1 | 24 | 2 | 3.50 |
| 1976-77 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 36 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 3.99 |
| 1977-78 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3.00 |
| 1977-78 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 17 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4.16 |
| 1978-79 | Winnipeg Jets | WHA | 11 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2.97 |
| 1978-79 | Indianapolis Racers | WHA | 11 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 5.51 |
| 1979-80 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 20 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 4.08 |
| NHL Totals | 532 | 7 | 193 | 26 | 3.39 | ||
| WHA Totals | 22 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 4.28 |