Smith Makes National Hockey League Debut

4/12/2022 7:41:00 PM

Mankato, Minn. --- Former Minnesota State center Nathan Smith (MSU 2019-22) made his National Hockey League debut Tuesday night when he played for the Arizona Coyotes in a home game vs. the New Jersey Devils.

Smith, a 2018 third-round draft pick by Winnipeg whose rights were traded to Arizona last month, ranked second in the nation in scoring this year and first on the Mavericks in scoring with 19-31--50 on the season.

A First Team All-American as a junior with Minnesota State, Smith was named this year's Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) Forward of the Year and was a CCHA First Team All-Star. A two-time CCHA Forward of the Month, he was named CCHA Forward of the Week three times over the course of the 2021-22 season. He scored the game-winning goal in Minnesota State's 1-0 win over Notre Dame at the NCAA Albany Regional and was named to the Regional All-Tournament Team. Smith also spent three weeks in China at the 2022 Winter Olympics with the U.S. men's national team this year where he had 1-1--2 in four games played and had the game-winning goal in a win over Germany.

The Hudson, Fla., native, who was an All-Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Second Team pick as a sophomore and a WCHA All-Rookie Team honoree in 2019-20, finished his three-year college career with 37 goals and 65 assists for 102 points in 101 games to rank 17th on the school's all-time scoring charts.

Smith is the 18th former player from Minnesota State to play in the NHL. Besides Smith, other former Minnesota State players to play in the NHL include Tim Jackman (MSU 2000-02), Ryan Carter (2004-06), Grant Stevenson (MSU 2001-03), David Backes (MSU 2003-06), Steve Wagner (MSU 2004-07), Jon Kalinski (MSU 2005-08), Travis Morin (MSU 2003-07), Tyler Pitlick (MSU 2009-10), Eriah Hayes (MSU 2009-13), Kael Mouillierat MSU 2006-10), Casey Nelson (MSU 2013-16) Daniel Brickley (MSU 2015-18), Teddy Blueger (MSU 2012-16), C.J. Suess (MSU 2014-18), Connor Mackey (2017-20), Marc Michaelis (2016-20) and Walker Duehr (2017-21).

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