Penguins Sign Defenseman Ty Smith to a One-Year Contract

The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed defenseman Ty Smith to a one-year contract, it was announced today by President of Hockey Operations Kyle Dubas.

The deal runs through the 2023-24 season, carrying an average annual value of $775,000.

Smith, 23, split the 2022-23 season between Pittsburgh and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League. With Pittsburgh, Smith recorded one goal, three assists, four points and was a plus-3 in nine games. With WBS, the 5-foot-11, 180-pound defenseman recorded 24 points (7G-17A) in 39 games. His seven goals ranked first and 24 points ranked second among defensemen on the team.

The Lloydminster, Alberta native has played in 123 career NHL contests over three seasons split between Pittsburgh and the New Jersey Devils where he's notched eight goals, 39 assists, and 47 points. Smith was named to the NHL's 'All Rookie Team' in 2020-21 after leading all rookie blueliners in assists (21), points (23), and power-play points (7) that season.

Prior to his time in the NHL, Smith had a four-plus season junior hockey career with the Spokane Chiefs from 2016-20. With the Chiefs, Smith recorded 235 points (45G-90A) in 240 games and won the Bill Hunter Trophy, awarded to the top WHL defenseman, in both 2018-19 and 2019-20. He was also named the WHL (West) All-Star team in each of his last three seasons with the club and was also named the CHL's Defenseman of the Year in 2018-19.

The defenseman has represented his home country on multiple occasions, including winning gold medals with Team Canada at the World Junior Championship in 2020 and Hlinka Gretzky Cup in 2018.

Smith was originally drafted by New Jersey in the first round (17th overall) in the 2018 NHL Draft.