A formidable opponent to anyone who would come near his crease, Billy Smith was one of the greatest goalies of his era. Drafted by Los Angeles in 1970, he only played five games for them before the New York Islanders took him in the 1972 Expansion Draft. In his first season there, he broke the record for penalty minutes by a goalie and actually fought some of the league’s enforcers!
Paired with Chico Resch, both goalies supported a team that would go on to greatness. When Resch was traded to Colorado in 1980, Smith was the undisputed number one and helped the Islanders win their first of four consecutive Stanley Cups. He won the Vezina Trophy in 1982 and is the one of the most successful goalies in NHL history. After retiring in 1989, he became a goaltending coach with the Islanders and then the Florida Panthers.
Billy Smith Stats
680 games played in the NHL
305 Wins
233 Loses
105 ties
3.17 goals against average
