Devante Smith-Pelly

Devante Malik Smith-Pelly (born June 14, 1992) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. A winger, he was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round, 42nd overall, of the 2010 NHL entry draft. Smith-Pelly played in the style of a power forward and was known for his hitting and forechecking abilities. Smith-Pelly won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Capitals in 2018.

Playing career Junior Smith-Pelly began his major junior career in 2008–09, recording 25 points over 57 games with the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). During the 2009 playoffs, he added five points over 11 games. One of his two goals ended the second-longest game in OHL history, as he scored in triple-overtime to eliminate the Barrie Colts in the conference quarterfinals. The following season, he improved to 62 points over 60 games. In the subsequent summer, he was selected 42nd overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2010 NHL entry draft.

Smith-Pelly in February 2012. The 2011–12 season was his rookie season in the NHL Returning to the OHL for a third season following his draft, Smith-Pelly recorded a junior career-high 36 goals and 66 points over 67 games. He added 21 points in 20 OHL playoff games, as the Majors lost in the Final to the Owen Sound Attack. Despite losing the OHL title, the Majors qualified for the 2011 Memorial Cup, Canada's national major junior tournament, by way of having been chosen as the host team at the beginning of the season. Advancing to the final, the Majors were defeated by the Saint John Sea Dogs In the Memorial Cup Final, 3–1. Smith-Pelly recorded six points over five games and was named to the Tournament All-Star Team.

Professional Although eligible for one more OHL season in 2011–12, Smith-Pelly made the Anaheim Ducks' roster out of training camp. He recorded five points in his first 26 games before the Ducks agreed to loan him to the Canadian national junior team in December 2011.

During his first full season in the NHL with the Ducks in 2014–15, having produced 17 points in 54 games, on February 24, 2015, he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Jiří Sekáč.

In the following 2015–16 season, Smith-Pelly got off to a strong start with the Canadiens as they had a franchise-best 9 straight wins to start the year. However, with only 6 goals through 46 games, he was dealt by the Canadiens to the New Jersey Devils, just a little over a year from when he was acquired on February 29, 2016, in exchange for Stefan Matteau. During the offseason, on July 1, 2016, Smith-Pelly signed a two-year, $2.6 million contract extension with the Devils.

After Smith-Pelly regressed in the 2016–17 season, he was placed on waivers by the Devils in order to buy out the remaining year and $1.3 million left on his contract on June 30, 2017.

On July 3, 2017, he was signed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Washington Capitals with a $650,000 salary. On February 17, 2018, Smith-Pelly was the target of a racist chant by four fans at the United Center during a game against the Chicago Blackhawks. The four fans, who were chanting the word "basketball" repeatedly, were escorted out of the United Center and issued a lifetime ban from the arena by the Blackhawks organization. Smith-Pelly became the second player in NHL history, behind Patrice Bergeron-Cleary to have a hyphenated surname engraved on the Stanley Cup.

During the 2018–19 season, Smith-Pelly continued with the Capitals in a fourth-line role. Through inconsistent play and contributing with 8 points in 54 games, on February 20, 2019, Smith-Pelly was placed on waivers by the Washington Capitals before successfully clearing the following day. He was then assigned to affiliate, the Hershey Bears, returning to the AHL for the first time since 2014. Smith-Pelly returned to the Washington Capitals during the first-round series in the 2019 playoffs after T. J. Oshie was injured in game four versus the Carolina Hurricanes.

Leaving the Capitals as a free agent, Smith-Pelly, with limited NHL interest, opted to sign abroad for the first time in his career, agreeing to a one-year contract with Chinese-based club, HC Kunlun Red Star of the Kontinental Hockey League on October 25, 2019. In the 2019–20 season, Smith-Pelly in a checking-line role added 8 goals, 3 assists and 11 points through 36 regular season games.

In the pandemic-delayed 2020–21 season, Smith-Pelly belatedly returned to the North American professional circuit after accepting a professional tryout contract with the Ontario Reign of the AHL, primary affiliate to the Los Angeles Kings on March 13, 2021. While playing with the Reign, Smith-Pelly played on a line with Quinton Byfield and Akil Thomas, forming the first all-Black line in the history of the team.

On December 30, 2022, Smith-Pelly announced his retirement from professional hockey.

International play

Smith-Pelly debuted with Hockey Canada at the 2009 World U-17 Hockey Challenge. He recorded three assists over six games playing with Team Ontario, helping them to a gold medal win.

During his NHL rookie season, the Anaheim Ducks loaned Smith-Pelly to the Canadian junior team for the 2012 World Junior Championships. One of two players to be loaned from the NHL (Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brett Connolly was the other), In Canada's first game of the tournament, against Finland, he broke a bone in his left foot blocking a shot. Opting to stay with the team rather than return to Anaheim to begin his rehabilitation, Smith-Pelly watched as Canada went on to win the bronze medal and since he was part of the Canadian roster, he also received a medal.

Personal life After winning the Stanley Cup with the Capitals in 2018, Smith-Pelly, along with two of his teammates, declined to visit the White House, an NHL tradition, because of Donald Trump's political rhetoric.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2008–09 Mississauga St. Michael's Majors OHL 57 13 12 25 24 11 2 3 5 4 2009–10 Mississauga St. Michael's Majors OHL 60 29 33 62 35 16 8 6 14 20 2010–11 Mississauga St. Michael's Majors OHL 67 36 30 66 50 20 15 6 21 16 2011–12 Anaheim Ducks NHL 49 7 6 13 16 — — — — — 2011–12 Syracuse Crunch AHL 4 0 1 1 2 — — — — — 2012–13 Norfolk Admirals AHL 65 14 18 32 65 — — — — — 2012–13 Anaheim Ducks NHL 7 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2013–14 Norfolk Admirals AHL 55 27 16 43 29 — — — — — 2013–14 Anaheim Ducks NHL 19 2 8 10 2 12 5 0 5 24 2014–15 Anaheim Ducks NHL 54 5 12 17 12 — — — — — 2014–15 Montreal Canadiens NHL 20 1 2 3 14 12 1 2 3 2 2015–16 Montreal Canadiens NHL 46 6 6 12 22 — — — — — 2015–16 New Jersey Devils NHL 18 8 5 13 8 — — — — — 2016–17 New Jersey Devils NHL 53 4 5 9 12 — — — — — 2017–18 Washington Capitals NHL 75 7 9 16 38 24 7 1 8 12 2018–19 Washington Capitals NHL 54 4 4 8 15 3 0 0 0 0 2018–19 Hershey Bears AHL 20 6 8 14 2 — — — — — 2019–20 Kunlun Red Star KHL 36 8 3 11 40 — — — — — 2020–21 Ontario Reign AHL 14 0 1 1 4 — — — — — 2021–22 Laval Rocket AHL 24 4 4 8 6 7 0 0 0 4 NHL totals 395 44 57 101 137 51 13 3 16 38

International Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 2009 Canada Ontario U17 6 0 3 3 4 2012 Canada WJC 1 0 0 0 0 Junior totals 7 0 3 3 4

Awards and honours Award Year OHL All-Star Game 2010 CHL Top Prospects Game 2010 CHL Memorial Cup All-Star Team 2011 NHL Stanley Cup champion 2018