The Carolina Hurricanes have signed defenseman Ty Smith to a one-year, two-way contract extension (Twitter link). The Hurricanes acquired Smith as a minor addition to the Jake Guentzel trade this Deadline.
Smith was originally drafted 17th-overall in what’s become a relatively lackluster 2018 NHL Draft class. He made his NHL debut three seasons later, recording 24 points in 48 games as a rookie and seemingly earning a daily role in the lineup. He wasn’t able to hang onto the role in his sophomore year, though, with just 20 points in 66 games and a floundering -26. That performance would spark a trade to the Pittsburgh Penguins, with New Jersey receiving top-four standout John Marino in return. But Smith couldn’t rekindle his touch with the Penguins, ultimately spending much of the last two years with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Smith has totaled 67 points in 102 games with the Baby Penguins, including 43 points in 63 games this season.
That could be enough of a returned offensive touch to earn Smith NHL attention next year, though he’ll enter a crowded Hurricanes defensive corps. Not including their four pending free agents, Carolina has six defensemen already signed to NHL contracts this season, including rookie Scott Morrow and the recently extended Jalen Chatfield. That pair will represents Smith’s toughest competition for minutes, and likely doom him to fighting his way up from the minor leagues.
Ron Hextall. Ugh.