New York Rangers HOFer Clint Smith : 1913-2009

The last surviving member of the New York Rangers' 1940 Stanley Cup championship is gone.

Clint Smith, who was a centre for the Rangers from 1936-1943, and the Chicago Blackhawks from 1943-47, passed away Tuesday at age 95.

Smith was a two-time winner of the Lady Byng trophy in 1939 and 1944, an award given for skill and gentlemanly play.

In 483 career games, Smith had 397 points and just 24 penalty minutes, including a run of four straight years without drawing a single penalty.

During the 1943-44 season, Smith set an NHL record with 49 assists while playing on a line with future Hall of Famers Bill Mosienko and Doug Bentley.

The Hall of Fame trio set a league scoring record by producing 219 total points that season.

Smith also shares the NHL record for most goals in a period with four, set on March 4, 1945.

Following his NHL career, Smith played with the Tulsa in the USHL and was the league’s MVP in 1948.

He was later a player-coach for the St. Paul Saints of the USHL and a full time coach with the Cincinnati Mohawks of the American Hockey League in 1952.

In 1953, Smith returned to Vancouver, where he had played prior to the NHL, playing in old-timers games and founded the British Columbia Hockey Benevolent Association, also known as the Canucks Alumni.

It was Clint Smith's dedication to hockey in the Vancouver area that helped bring the NHL to the city.

Smith also kept his ties to the Rangers organization throughout his life. He participated in the team’s 75th anniversary celebration at Madison Square Garden in 2001.

"We are honored that Clint spent a portion of his Hall of Fame career in a Blackhawks uniform and offer his family our deepest condolences," Chicago Blackhawks general manager Dale Tallon said in a statement.

"Our young players can learn a great deal from Clint and his decorated career both on and off the ice. He will always be a part of our family and great tradition."

In 2005, Smith had the chance to spend the day with the Stanley Cup, something players in his day did not have a chance to do, unlike today's players.

The article photo shows Smith on his special day.

Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991, Smith was the oldest living honoured member of the Hall at the time of his death.

Funeral arrangements were still pending as of Thursday. The family has requested in lieu of flowers that donations be made in Clint Smith’s name to:

The British Columbia Hockey Benevolent Foundation
Registered Charity: #0738021-23-27
#104 – 2433 Bellevue Ave.
West Vancouver, BC
V7V 1E1

Authors note: A more detailed bio on Mr. Smith is available on my site: www.yathahabsrule.com