(Photo credit: https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=5030)

By: Steve McClure | Follow me on Twitter / X @stmcclure1993

Dallas Smith, who ably manned the blueline for the Boston Bruins for fifteen seasons, turns 83 today. Partnered with the greatest NHL defenseman of all time—Bobby Orr, Smith was more than happy to play a more ambiguous, defensive role as a left defenseman.

Smith made his Boston debut in the 1959-60 season, suiting up for five games, and played the entire 70 games during the 1960-61 season before toiling in the minors for the majority of the next six seasons. He made the full-time Bruins roster again for the 1967-68 season—at the age of 26—and would remain there as a defensive lynchpin for the next nine seasons. No doubt bolstered by the Bobby Orr-paring, Smith led the NHL in plus/minus during that ‘67-’68 regular season. 

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Steve Babineau)

One of Smith’s main duties was to become Orr’s security blanket, hanging back in the defensive zone while Orr led rink-length forays into the offensive territory. Described by teammates as strong as a bull, Smith played a prominent defensive role in backboning Boston’s Stanley Cup championships of 1970 and 1972. Smith was invited to play for Team Canada in the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviets, but he purportedly turned down the offer due to obligations on his family farm.

In 866 regular season games played with the Bruins, Smith compiled 54 goals and 302 total points. He was a valuable member of the penalty kill and could be counted on to log heavy minutes on the team’s number one defensive pairing. Smith holds the third spot on the Bruins’ ‘all-time career plus minus leaders’ list (+331), trailing only Ray Bourque (+493) and Orr (+574). Among NHL defensemen, Smith owns the fifteenth best plus/minus of all-time.

After the 1976-77 season, his final one in Boston, Smith signed with the New York Rangers as a free agent, joining a cast of former Bruin Cup-winners, including Phil Esposito, Carol Vadnais, Ken Hodge, and Don Awrey. Smith retired at the close of that 1977-78 season, having played in 889 career regular season NHL games.

Dallas Smith was named to the Boston Bruins’ ‘All-Centennial Team’ last year. He was a member of two Bruins Stanley Cup champion teams, in 1970 and in 1972. Happy birthday, Dallas!