The Chicago Blackhawks moved quickly to address a vacancy in their bottom-six forward group this summer after Ilya Mikheyev departed for a four-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning in free agency. General manager Kyle Davidson targeted a specific profile to replace that production, ultimately signing forward Cole Smith to a three-year deal on July 1.
Smith, 30, met with media last week via video conference alongside defenseman Ian Cole to discuss his arrival. The organization’s aggressive pursuit played a decisive role in his decision to join the rebuild.
Smith Eager to Bring Skillset the Blackhawks Seek
Davidson stated last month that the front office aimed to alter the dynamic of the lower lines, specifically citing Smith’s combination of physicality, size, speed, and special-teams experience. The veteran forward confirmed that the club’s conviction was the primary draw.
“As far as wanting to sign there, I think just talking with management through the process, what stood out to me is how much they wanted me to be a part of their group,” Smith said. “They made me feel almost special in a way that they really wanted to get me in on that third, fourth line there, and play my style there. So I think just, obviously, a great team, young team to come join on the up-and-up. Also, just through management having a lot of confidence in me, and making me feel like they want me really badly was a big decision.”
Since making his NHL debut with the Nashville Predators in 2021, Smith has carved out a reliable niche. While his offensive ceiling projects modestly—a career-high nine goals and 23 points—his value lies in intangibles. Last season, he recorded 12 points in 63 combined games between Nashville and the Vegas Golden Knights.
“I think it’s a big thing, especially in the NHL. There’s a lot of good players in the NHL and AHL, and I think finding a niche or finding a part of your game that makes you stick is very important,” Smith explained. “I think I’ve been able to find that and be consistent with that, and that’s how I’ve been able to stick and sign contracts in the NHL, and be around here for a couple years, is getting really good at my role. My role to me is that physicality, energy, you know, when a team needs to kind of change momentum in a game, go out and have a good shift, or take d-zone face-offs and try to end in the o-zone; those kinds of things. And so, it’s kind of been my way to be successful, and obviously, Chicago liked the game that I had, and I’m excited to bring it to Chicago.”
The physical element is tangible. In 2023-24, Smith logged 119 hits with the Predators and 54 more after his trade to Vegas. With the departures of Colton Dach (189 hits) and Louis Crevier (124 hits)—Chicago’s top two hit leaders last season—Smith’s presence fills a clear void on the forecheck.
Familiarity with the Central Division also eases the transition. Having spent several seasons in Nashville, Smith studied the Blackhawks’ evolution from an opponent’s perspective.
“I think by playing them last year, you can tell they have really, really high-end offense. They can transition really quick and they take little plays and put it in the back of your net,” he noted. “You can tell playing against them, they’re a young team, so they’re susceptible to some things. But, you know, that young offense, obviously, is very striking and what they can do that way.”
Smith Bringing Different Perspectives to Blackhawks
Beyond his on-ice identity, Smith arrives with playoff pedigree. Acquired by the Golden Knights at the 2024 trade deadline, he contributed six points in 22 postseason games during Vegas’s run to the Stanley Cup Final. That exposure to championship hockey provides a benchmark for a Chicago roster still climbing the ladder.
“It was an awesome run to be able to go that far, and I think kind of once you get a taste of it like that, and being so close, it really drives you, and you want to get back there again really badly,” Smith said. “And so, had a little bit of taste of success in the playoffs there, and so that’s something that’s going to keep driving me forward to want to get back there, and you know, want to, obviously, compete as hard as you can to get there.”
Off the ice, the three-year term represents unprecedented stability for the pending newlywed and father of a one-year-old son. After a career built on one-year contracts, the security allows his family to plant roots.
“To get to that three years is awesome for us, and you know, we spent a lot of time in Nashville… It was one-year contracts, so it wasn’t always guaranteed for us,” Smith shared. “We were lucky enough to stay there for as long as we did. But to have three years here now in Chicago, be able to think about and be able to move a whole house there and kind of put our roots back down somewhere, and be comfortable without thinking about moving right away again, is something huge. It’s going to be great for me, and not only (me), but also for my fiancé, and the little one, to kind of just have a spot for us.”
With a defined role, a multi-year commitment, and a roster trending upward, Smith enters the next chapter of his career equipped to reinforce the Blackhawks’ culture.
“I’m super excited. It’s another chapter in the books for me and my family, and so, we’re really looking forward to getting there and getting things going,” he concluded. “Chicago is a young team that’s kind of on the rise from a rebuild, and so it’s gonna be really exciting, and it’ll be a fun group to be a part of.”
