Four years ago with the Washington Capitals, Devante Smith-Pelly became the breakout star of the team’s run to a Stanley Cup championship.
After scoring seven goals in 75 regular-season games, Smith-Pelly unleashed seven goals in the playoffs, including one in each of the last three games of the 2018 Stanley Cup Final against Vegas as the Capitals won the organization’s first Stanley Cup.
Now Smith-Pelly, who turns 30 on Tuesday, is trying to produce an encore with the Laval Rocket.
Smith-Pelly split the 2018-19 season between the Capitals and the Hershey Bears, then logged a year playing for Beijing’s club in the Kontinental Hockey League before appearing in 14 games with the Ontario Reign last season. He joined Laval on a tryout on Dec. 30, 2021, and in 24 regular-season games with the Rocket collected four goals and four assists.
This postseason, Smith-Pelly appeared in three games of Laval’s North Division semifinal series against the Syracuse Crunch, but was out of head coach J-F Houle’s lineup until drawing back in on Friday for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Springfield. That added up to nearly a four-week absence for Smith-Pelly.
Houle re-inserted the 6-foot, 223-pound Smith-Pelly in a bid to add more size to counter Springfield’s physical, grinding approach.
“I want to be out there and playing,” Smith-Pelly told reporters after Game 5. “The situation has been me coming in and out, and I’ve just tried to work hard and be a positive influence off the ice and just be ready to get in there.
“I felt good the last two games, and I think I’ve been doing a lot of good things and trying to contribute. That’s all I’ve been focusing on ― just staying ready and doing whatever I need to do to help the team win whether it’s on the ice or off the ice.”
As he pursues a Calder Cup to go with his Stanley Cup, Smith-Pelly knows a playoff run in any league is special.
“It’s fun,” Smith-Pelly said of going into tonight’s Game 6 at Springfield. “Maybe not to be down in a series, but to come back in a series. These important games, the young guys have been amazing this whole ride. If I had to say anything to them, it’s just enjoy it, honestly, because this is a good run, and they’re doing amazing.”
― Patrick Williams
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