RALEIGH, N.C. – Carolina Hurricanes head coach Bill Peters has a new assistant coach to join him and assistant Rod Brind’Amour behind the bench.
The Hurricanes announced on Monday that Steve Smith had agreed to terms to become the team’s other assistant coach.
“Steve had a solid career as a player and has gained valuable coaching experience with two teams, especially when it comes to working with young defensemen,” Francis.said.
Smith, 51, served as assistant coach for the Edmonton Oilers for the past four seasons.
He also spent one season as an assistant coach for the Calgary Flames in 1997-98 before returning to the ice as a player for the Flames for three more seasons.
Smith worked as a scout with the Chicago Blackhawks prior to joining the Oilers coaching staff.
Selected by the Oilers in the sixth round of the 1981 NHL Draft, Smith played 804 career regular-season NHL games and recorded 375 points (72g, 303a) and 2,139 penalty minutes as a defenseman with Edmonton, Chicago and Calgary.
He was a part of three Stanley Cup championship teams with the Oilers, and advanced to the Stanley Cup Final twice with the Blackhawks, totaling 52 points (11g, 41a) in 134 career playoff games played.
Smith had three 50-point seasons as a blueliner, including a career-high 57 points (10g, 47a) for Chicago in 1992-93.
Smith played his junior hockey with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) from 1980-1983, finishing his career with them by posting 20 goals and 83 assists (103 points) along with serving 481 penalty minutes.