Dhane Smith

Dhane Smith (born January 22, 1992) is a Canadian professional lacrosse player for the Buffalo Bandits of the National Lacrosse League. He is also a player for the Chaos Lacrosse Club in the Premier Lacrosse League. He also plays for the Canadian men's indoor lacrosse team and the Canada men's lacrosse team.

In the NLL, he has won the MVP award twice and has won 3 consecutive championships with the Bandits from 2023 to 2025 (where he was named the championship game MVP in 23), and in 2024 set the NLL single-season assists record (101) and all-time playoffs assists record. In the PLL, he won a championship with the Chaos in 2021, and was named an All-Star in 2021 and 2023. He also won a gold medal at the 2019 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships for Canada.

He is known for his offensive effectiveness and astute passing skills and holds the current NLL single-season points record, while also simultaneously holding both the current single-season goals record and the current NLL single-season assists record.

Early life Smith grew up in the heart of Kitchener. A lacrosse player from birth, he later in life transitioned into hockey and football, where he reached elite levels in both. Known by many as a multi-sport athlete, Smith led his high school football team to a championship final while running the offence as a gunslinging mobile quarterback.

Smith is a cousin of former NLL Defensive Player of the Year Billy Dee Smith.

Professional career

Smith began his career in 2009 with the Kitchener-Waterloo Braves of the Ontario Junior A Lacrosse League, where he won the Green Gael Trophy as the league's MVP in 2012. Smith also played for the Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks of Major Series Lacrosse, and the Victoria Shamrocks of the Western Lacrosse Association.

NLL

Heading into the 2023 NLL season, Inside Lacrosse ranked Smith the #1 best forward in the NLL.

Smith declined several offers from NCAA universities and instead declared for the 2012 NLL draft. Smith was drafted fifth overall by the Bandits in the 2012 NLL Entry Draft. He began his NLL career as a transition player, but eventually switched to forward. He ranked third on the Bandits in scoring in both 2013 and 2014. In 2016, he set a Bandits record for most goals in a season and set the NLL single-season record for most points in a season. At the end of the season, Smith was named NLL MVP, becoming the first Black player to win the award.

Smith won his second MVP award during the 2022 season, where he set the single season record for assists with 94, making him the fifth player ever to become a multi-time MVP. The following season, he broke his assist record, finishing with 96, and was runner-up to Christian Del Bianco for MVP, while being named first team All-NLL for the third time.

MLL Smith joined the Rochester Rattlers of Major League Lacrosse ahead of the 2016 season despite having little experience in field lacrosse, where he played under coach Tim Soudan. Smith became a focal point in the Chaos offense during the 2020 season, and in 2021, he finished second among all midfielders in assists with 13 before leading the playoffs with 18 points, en route to Chaos' first championship.

International career Smith has represented Canada at the World Indoor Lacrosse Championship twice, winning gold medals in 2015 and 2019. He will represent Canada in field lacrosse at the 2023 World Lacrosse Championship.

Personal life Away from lacrosse, Smith hosts a podcast, The Dhane and Josh Show, with Bandits and Chaos teammate Josh Byrne. Both Smith and Byrne, who are Black Canadians, have supported the Black Lives Matter movement.

Career stats NLL:

PLL:

International:

Awards and achievements

2013 NLL All Rookie Team 2016 NLL MVP 2016 NLL All-League First Team Holds Buffalo Bandits and NLL single season records for goals (72, 2016), assists (101, 2024), 2021 PLL Champion 2022 NLL MVP 2022 NLL All-League First Team 2023 NLL Cup Champion 2023 NLL Cup MVP 2023 NLL All-League First Team 2024 NLL Cup Champion 2024 NLL All-League Second Team