Denis Joseph "D. J." Smith (born May 13, 1977) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). As a player, Smith played 45 NHL games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Colorado Avalanche as a defenceman. As a coach, Smith won the Memorial Cup in 2015, and spent four years as an assistant with the Maple Leafs before joining Ottawa.
Playing career
Junior hockey
As a youth, Smith played in the 1991 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Windsor, Ontario.
Windsor Spitfires (1994–1997) Smith was drafted by the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League in the second round, 20th overall, in the 1994 OHL Draft Priority. Smith appeared in 61 games with the Spitfires during his rookie season in 1994-95, scoring four goals and 17 points, while accumulating 201 penalty minutes, the second most on the club. In 10 playoff games, Smith scored a goal and four points, as the Spitfires defeated the Sarnia Sting in the first round of the playoffs, before falling to the Sudbury Wolves in the OHL quarter-finals.
Smith saw a big increase in his offensive production during his second season with the Spitfires in 1995-96. In 64 games, Smith scored 14 goals and 59 points, tying him for fourth in team scoring. Smith led the team with 260 penalty minutes. In seven playoff games, Smith scored one goal and eight points, as the Spitfires lost to the Detroit Whalers in the first round of the post-season.
The Spitfires named Smith the captain of the team for the 1996-97. In 63 games, Smith led the defence in scoring, as he had 15 goals and 67 points, as he finished fifth in overall team scoring. In the post-season, Smith scored a goal and eight points in five games, as Windsor lost to the Sarnia Sting in the first round of the OHL playoffs.
Professional career
New York Islanders (1995–1996) Smith was drafted by the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League in the second round, 41st overall, at the 1995 NHL Entry Draft. Smith's stay with the Islanders did not last long, as on March 15, 1996, Smith was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a trade that included Wendel Clark and Mathieu Schneider going to Toronto, while the Islanders received Darby Hendrickson, Sean Haggerty, Kenny Jonsson, and Toronto's first round draft pick in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, in which the Islanders would select Roberto Luongo.
Toronto Maple Leafs (1996–2002) Smith appeared in one game with the St. John's Maple Leafs, Toronto's American Hockey League affiliate, following the conclusion to Smith's junior hockey season with the Windsor Spitfires. Smith had no points in his lone appearance during the 1995-96 season.
Smith joined the Toronto Maple Leafs at the conclusion of his junior season in Windsor in 1996-97. On March 26, 1997, Smith played in his first NHL game, earning an assist on a goal scored by Brandon Convery, as the Maple Leafs defeated the San Jose Sharks 2-1. On March 29, Smith had his first career NHL fight, against Rene Corbet of the Colorado Avalanche. Overall, in eight games with Toronto, Smith had one assist, and seven penalty minutes. Following the Leafs season, Smith was assigned to the St. John's Maple Leafs, where in one post-season game, he had no points.
Smith was assigned to St. John's for the 1997-98 season. In 65 games with St. John's, Smith scored four goals and 15 points, while earning 237 penalty minutes, ranking him third on the team. In four post-season games, Smith had no points, as the Maple Leafs lost to the Saint John Flames in the Atlantic Division semi-finals.
In 1998-99, Smith saw his offensive production increase in St. John's, as he scored seven goals and 35 points in 79 games, as he was the highest-scoring defenceman on the team. Smith's 216 penalty minutes ranked second on the club. In the post-season, Smith earned an assist in five games, as St. John's lost to the Fredericton Canadiens in the Atlantic Division semi-finals.
Smith returned to St. John's for the 1999-2000 season, as in 74 games, he scored six goals and 28 points, while ranking second on the team with 197 penalty minutes. As St. John's failed to qualify for the post-season, Smith earned a promotion to Toronto late in the 1999-2000 season. In three games with Toronto, Smith had no points in three games.
Smith spent the entire 2000-01 season with St. John's. Injuries limited Smith to 59 games, where he scored seven goals and 19 points. In the post-season, Smith had no points in four games, as St. John's lost to the Quebec Citadelles in the Canadian Division semi-finals.