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| 1984 NHL DRAFT PICK |
 | Greg
Smyth
Selected in second round
No.
22 overall by Philadelphia Flyers
Born April
23, 1966
 | Position:
Defense
Height: 6-3 Weight: 195
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| BEFORE THE DRAFT |
Last Team:
London (OHL)
Birthplace:
Oakville, Ontario (Canada)
Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario |
 |
 |
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| PRE-DRAFT
STATISTICS | | Year |
Team | League |
GP | G |
A | TP |
PIM | | 1981-82 |
Mississauga | MTJHL |
-- | -- |
-- | -- |
-- | | 1982-83 |
Wexford | OPJHL |
54 | 11 |
32 | 43 |
132 | | 1983-84 |
London | OHL |
64 | 4 |
21 | 25 |
252 |
|
PRE-DRAFT AWARDS AND HONORS
OHL Penalty-Minutes Leader: 1983-84 (London) (252 PIM)
Miscellaneous: Ranked by NHL Central Scouting Bureau as No. 21 overall
prospect for the 1984 NHL draft. ... Was London's sixth-round pick, No. 80
overall, in 1983 OHL priority selection. |
| NHL CAREER |
Debut: February 2, 1987 (Philadelphia at
Toronto)
Numbers: 40, 6 (Philadelphia); 4, 2 (Quebec); 6
(Calgary); 6 (Florida);
28, 25 (Toronto); 3 (Chicago)
Stanley Cup: Never won.
Playing Status:
Active (Newfoundland Sr.) |
| CAREER NHL STATISTICS | | Years |
Teams | GP |
G | A |
TP | PIM | |
1987-1996 |
Phila., Quebec, Calgary,
Florida, Toronto, Chicago | 229 |
4 | 16 |
20 | 783 |
|
| CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS | | Years |
Teams | GP |
G | A |
TP | PIM | | 1987-1994 |
Philadelphia, Chicago | 12 |
0 | 0 |
0 | 40 |
|
NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
1986-87: Played on Philadelphia team that went to 1987 Stanley Cup
Finals, but did not appear in any final series games vs. Edmonton.
1993-94: Played on first Florida Panthers team.
Miscellaneous: Played his first NHL game at Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens
-- a short drive from his hometown of Mississauga, Ontario. ... Missed start
of 1988-89 season with two broken bones in right hand, an injury suffered in
fight during Quebec's training camp in September 1988. He did not make his
1988-89 NHL regular-season debut until Quebec's Oct. 9, 1988, game vs.
Minnesota. ... Missed part of 1989-90 season with back injury, suffered
during Quebec's Feb. 15, 1990, game at St. Louis. That would prove to be his
final NHL game of the 1989-90 season, because by the time he returned to
action he had already been demoted to Halifax (AHL). ... Suspended by NHL
for four games during 1991-92 season for attempting to injure Kevin Miller
during Quebec's Oct. 19, 1991, game vs. Detroit. Smyth was being escorted to
the penalty box after a fight when he broke away from the linesman to punch
Miller on the Detroit bench. The suspension was
announced on Oct. 22, 1991, and Smyth did not return to action until
Quebec's Nov. 10, 1991, game vs. Washington. ... Suspended by NHL
for 10 games during 1991-92 season (automatic suspension) for leaving the
bench to instigate a fight with Link Gaetz during the second period of Quebec's Feb. 26, 1992,
game at San Jose. While he was out serving the suspension, Quebec traded Smyth to
Calgary in exchange for Martin Simard on March 10, 1992. He did not return
until Calgary's March 24, 1992, game vs. Edmonton. ... Missed
start of 1992-93 season with strained stomach, suffered during
Calgary's training camp in September 1992. He did not make his 1992-93
regular-season debut until Calgary's Oct. 17, 1992, game at San Jose. ... Missed part of
1992-93 season with rib injury, suffered during Calgary's Nov. 21, 1992, game
vs. N.Y. Islanders. He
did not return until Calgary's Dec. 2, 1992, game vs. Winnipeg. ... Played
out option with Calgary in 1992-93, refused a termination contract offer and
became an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 1993. He signed with
Florida on July 14, 1993. ... Missed part of 1993-94 season with bone chips
in right elbow, an injury diagnosed following Florida's Oct. 6, 1993,
season-opener at Chicago -- the first game in Florida Panthers franchise
history. The injury required arthroscopic surgery, and Smyth did not return
until Florida's Oct. 19, 1993, game vs. Los Angeles. ... Rights sold by
Florida to Toronto on Dec. 7, 1993. ... Put on
waivers by Toronto and claimed by Chicago on Jan. 8, 1994. ... Missed part
of 1993-94 season with pulled muscle in rib cage, suffered in
Chicago's Jan. 27, 1994, game vs. Detroit. He did not return until
Chicago's Feb. 6, 1994, game at Anaheim. ... Signed with Toronto as an
unrestricted free agent on Aug. 22, 1996, after spending 1995-96
season in IHL.
No Way, Quebec:
During the 1990-91 season, Smyth made one of the more unlikely decisions in
NHL history. Asked to come up from Halifax (AHL) to join Quebec for its Feb. 17,
1991, game vs. Winnipeg. Smyth refused to accept the promotion to the NHL because he did not
want to be the enforcer on a last-place team. "I told the Nordiques I'm not
going to be their babysitter," Smyth told The Hockey News. "I'm tired
of getting called up for one game just to fight and then being sent back to
the minors." As a result, Smyth sacrificed paychecks
against an annual NHL salary of $125,000 so that he could stay in the minor
leagues and earn an annual salary of only $35,000. Smyth joined Ken Quinney
as the only minor-leaguers who refused to play for Quebec during the team's
down years in the late 1980s and early 1990s. |
| NON-NHL CAREER |
Post-Draft Teams:
London (OHL); Hershey (AHL); Halifax (AHL); Salt Lake (IHL); Indianapolis (IHL);
Chicago, Los Angeles (IHL); St. John's (AHL); London (Great Britain); Grand
Falls, Southern Shore (Nfld. Sr.)
NON-NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
OHL All-Star Second Team: 1985-86 (London)
1985-86: Played two games for AHL regular-season champ (Hershey).
1987-88: Played 21 games for Hershey team that won AHL regular-season
and playoff titles, but was not with team during postseason.
1999-00:
Played nine games for London team that went on to win Great Britain
championship, but was not with team during postseason.
Coaching Career: Named St. John's (AHL)
assistant coach on Aug. 20, 1999, and remained in that position until Nov. 1, 1999.
... Named Southern Shore (Newfoundland Sr.) player-coach prior to 2003-04
season and remained in that position into 2004-05 season.
Broadcasting
Career: Named St. John's (AHL) radio commentator prior to 2003-04 season
and remained in position into 2004-05 season.
Miscellaneous: Suspended by OHL for
10 games during 1984-85 season for swinging his stick at fans during London's Dec. 13, 1984, game at Hamilton.
For the remainder of his junior career, he was mercilessly taunted whenever
he played in Hamilton. ... Suspended by OHL for eight games during 1985-86
season for his role in a second-period, bench-clearing brawl during London's
Nov. 7, 1985, game at Windsor. Smyth and London goalie Jeff Reese had skated
over to the Windsor bench, where teammate Murray Nystrom was in a scuffle
with the Windsor players. Nystrom had been checked off the ice onto the
Windsor bench, prompting Smyth and Reese to rush to his aid. Smyth jumped
into the bench to help Nystrom. That set off the bench-clearing brawl,
which also led to fighting in the stands between Windsor and London fans.
Smyth received a match penalty for swinging his stick in the direction of
Windsor's Brian Martin. Smyth was initially suspended for an indefinite
amount of time. The suspension was later capped at eight games following a
Nov. 18, 1985, hearing. ... Joined Hershey for
balance of 1985-86 AHL season and entire 1986 playoffs after London was
eliminated from 1986 OHL playoffs. ... Suspended by AHL for remainder of
1987 playoff semifinals for fighting during warm-ups prior to Game 2 of
Hershey's semifinal series at Rochester on April 11, 1987. Smyth was one of
nine players to receive a game misconduct and $500 fine for his role in the
pregame brawl. He was susequently suspended for spearing Andy Ristau. Smyth
was the only player to be suspended for the remainder of the best-of-7
series, which Rochester won in five games. ... Suspended by AHL for eight games
during 1988-89 season for his role in bench-clearing brawl during Halifax's Dec. 17, 1988,
game at Moncton. Smyth and Moncton goaltender Daniel Berthiaume were given eight-game suspensions for starting the brawl. Smyth had hit Berthiaume in the crease, and was then surrounded by several Moncton
players, who appeared to be challenging him to fight. While Smyth stared
down Moncton players, Berthiaume went over to the bench, grabbed a stick and
skated toward Smyth as if he were going to attack him. Instead of
hitting Smyth, Berthiaume smashed the stick over his own crossbar. The AHL
wanted to suspend Smyth and Berthiaume only for their remaining games
against each other, but since both players were likely to be recalled to the
NHL, the league switched it to an eight-game suspension so even if the
NHL recalled them, it might be hesitant to let them play while they were
sitting out. ... Signed with Chicago (IHL) as an unrestricted free agent on
Sept. 5, 1995, after failing to catch on with any NHL teams for 1995-96
season. ... Missed part of 1996-97 season with appendicitis, which
required an emergency appendectomy. ... Suspended by AHL for five games in 1997-98 season for attempting to injure an opponent during St.
John's' Dec. 13, 1997, game vs. Saint John. ... Suspended by AHL for three
games during 1997-98 season for attempting to injure an opponent during St.
John's' Jan. 10, 1998, game vs. Hamilton. ... Suspended by AHL for 10 games
during 1998-99 season for deliberately attempting to injure J.P. Dumont with
a slash across face during St. John's' Nov. 29, 1998, game vs. Portland.
... Suspended by AHL for four games during 1998-99 season for behavior in St. John's' Dec. 30, 1998, game vs. Hamilton. ... Fired from his job
as an assistant coach with St. John's on Nov. 1, 1999, after he was involved
in a bar fight in Portland, Maine, with St. John's players Jason Bonsignore
and David Nemirovsky. ... Returned to St. John's, Newfoundland, after
retirement. ... Attempted to play senior hockey in Newfoundland after his
retirement, but was initially banned by league because players were afraid
he might injure them in a fight due to his notoriously aggressive attitude.
He eventually managed to join the league in 2003.
Personal:
Nicknamed "Bird Dog". ... Full name is Gregory
Smyth. ... Older brother of former major junior player Matt Smyth. |
| HOW HE GOT AWAY |
| TRADE:
Philadelphia traded Smyth and 1989 third-round pick (John Tanner) to Quebec
in exchange for Terry Carkner on July 25, 1988. |
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|
SNAPSHOT '84 | | Total Selected: |
250 | | Forwards: |
142 | | Defense: |
88 | | Goaltenders: |
20 | | Major Junior: |
110 | | Tier II/Jr. B: |
16/9 | | College Players: |
23 | | High School: |
47 | | Midget: |
4 | | U.S. Junior B: |
1 |
| Canadian: |
145 |
| Euro-Canadian: |
2 | | USA Citizens: |
62 | | U.S.-Born: |
63 |
| European: |
41 |
| Reached NHL: |
102 |
| Stanley Cup: |
20 | | Hall of Fame: |
1 |
| All-Star Game: |
18 |
| Year-end All-Star: |
7 |
| Olympians: |
31 |
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