Greg Smyth

Greg “Bird Dog” Smyth (April 23, 1966 – February 16, 2018) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played ten seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Greg Smyth
Born	(1966-04-23)April 23, 1966 Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Died	February 16, 2018(2018-02-16) (aged 51) St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight	235 lb (107 kg; 16 st 11 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Right
Played for	Philadelphia Flyers Quebec Nordiques Calgary Flames Florida Panthers Toronto Maple Leafs Chicago Blackhawks
NHL draft	22nd overall, 1984 Philadelphia Flyers
Playing career	1986–2000

Playing career

Smyth was born in Oakville, Ontario. As a youth, he played in the 1979 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Mississauga.^[1]

He later played in the NHL for the Philadelphia Flyers, Quebec Nordiques, Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Chicago Blackhawks. He was known as an enforcer during his playing career.^{[citation needed]}

Playing the final three seasons of his career within the Maple Leafs organization, primarily with the St. John's Maple Leafs of the AHL, Smyth embarked on a coaching career in the 1999–2000 season with St. John's as an assistant coach. Less than a month into the season, Smyth got into a physical altercation with St. John’s forwards David Nemirovsky and Jason Bonsignore in Portland, Maine after a game against the Portland Pirates, in which Smyth was let go the next day.^[2]

Smyth briefly returned to playing, playing 9 games with the London Knights of the British Superleague, before ending his professional career.

Coached the Junior Celtics in the St. John's Junior Hockey League, winning the prestigious Veitch Trophy in 2001.

Death

Smyth resided in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador following the end of his playing career.

Smyth died of cancer on February 16, 2018, at the age of 51.^[2]

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1983–84	London Knights	OHL		64	4	21	25	252		6	1	0	1	24
1984–85	London Knights	OHL		47	7	16	23	188		8	2	2	4	27
1985–86	London Knights	OHL		46	12	42	54	197		4	1	2	3	28
1985–86	Hershey Bears	AHL		2	0	1	1	5		8	0	0	0	60
1986–87	Hershey Bears	AHL		35	0	2	2	158		2	0	0	0	19
1986–87	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		1	0	0	0	0		1	0	0	0	2
1987–88	Hershey Bears	AHL		21	0	10	10	102		—	—	—	—	—
1987–88	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		47	1	6	7	192		5	0	0	0	38
1988–89	Halifax Citadels	AHL		43	3	9	12	310		4	0	1	1	35
1988–89	Quebec Nordiques	NHL		10	0	1	1	70		—	—	—	—	—
1989–90	Halifax Citadels	AHL		49	5	14	19	235		6	1	0	1	52
1989–90	Quebec Nordiques	NHL		13	0	0	0	57		—	—	—	—	—
1990–91	Halifax Citadels	AHL		56	6	23	29	340		—	—	—	—	—
1990–91	Quebec Nordiques	NHL		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	Halifax Citadels	AHL		9	1	3	4	35		—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	Quebec Nordiques	NHL		29	0	2	2	138		—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	Calgary Flames	NHL		7	1	1	2	15		—	—	—	—	—
1992–93	Salt Lake Golden Eagles	IHL		5	0	1	1	31		—	—	—	—	—
1992–93	Calgary Flames	NHL		35	1	2	3	95		—	—	—	—	—
1993–94	Florida Panthers	NHL		12	1	0	1	37		—	—	—	—	—
1993–94	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		11	0	1	1	38		—	—	—	—	—
1993–94	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		38	0	0	0	108		6	0	0	0	0
1994–95	Indianapolis Ice	IHL		2	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		22	0	3	3	33		—	—	—	—	—
1995–96	Chicago Wolves	IHL		15	1	3	4	53		—	—	—	—	—
1995–96	Los Angeles Ice Dogs	IHL		41	2	7	9	231		—	—	—	—	—
1996–97	St. John's Maple Leafs	AHL		43	2	4	6	273		5	0	1	1	14
1996–97	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		2	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1997–98	St. John's Maple Leafs	AHL		63	5	6	11	353		4	0	1	1	6
1998–99	St. John's Maple Leafs	AHL		40	0	7	7	159		5	0	1	1	19
1999–00	London Knights	BISL		9	0	0	0	42		—	—	—	—	—
AHL totals				361	22	79	101	1970		34	1	4	5	208
NHL totals				228	4	16	20	783		12	0	0	0	40