After a record-breaking college season, a trip to the Winter Olympics and a stint in the NHL last year, forward Nathan Smith has found himself on solid ground this season as a mainstay in the Tucson Roadrunners’ lineup.
“It was kind of a whirlwind,” the Tampa, Florida, native said. “Playing at school and then Olympics and then at the end of the season playing a few NHL games. So everything came at me pretty fast. But it was probably one of the best years of my life so far.”
Smith — who had been drafted in the third round by the Winnipeg Jets in 2018 before the Arizona Coyotes traded for his rights in spring 2022 – started his third college season at Minnesota State in early October of 2021. Then, in February, he spent three weeks in China with Team USA. He returned after that to the Mavericks’ Mankato, Minnesota, campus to finish out the NCAA season, helping lead Minnesota State to the national championship game. Three days after that, he was in an NHL uniform for a 10-game stint as the Coyotes’ season wrapped up.
Tucson Roadrunners rookie forward Nathan wins the draw deep in the Bakersfield Condors' zone and ends up scoring scoring barely a minute into the game Jan. 20, 2023 at Tucson Arena, giving the Roadrunners an early 1-0 lead en route to a 6-2 victory. Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners
Firmly entrenched in Tucson this season, Smith and the rest of the Roadrunners return to action on Saturday at 7 p.m. when they host the Abbotsford Canucks. Abbotsford is the AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks, and this weekend’s games are the team’s only trip to the Old Pueblo this season.
In college, Smith was a first team All-American; a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given to men’s hockey player of the year in NCAA Division I; and was the Central Collegiate Hockey Association Forward of the Year. Minnesota State also set a school record for wins en route to the Frozen Four.
Smith and Minnesota State coach Mike Hastings went to Beijing, where Slovakia upset the US in the quarterfinals. Smith did pick up a point in the shootout loss.
“It was awesome,” Smith said about going to the Olympics. “It’s an honor anytime you play for your own country. It’s a huge honor. Not the way we wanted it to go, but it was nice to be up in China for the first time.”
Although Smith scored four points in his 10-game stint with the Coyotes last spring, he was sent to Tucson after training camp last fall.
Roadrunners forward Nathan Smith, left, sends Ontario forward Tyler Madden flying into the boards in the second period of their AHL game at Tucson Convention Center on Dec. 9, 2022.
“It’s tough on any player,” Roadrunners coach Steve Potvin said. “You want to be an NHL hockey player, and when you do start out in the NHL you feel like you’ve accomplished your dream
“You want to be there, and when you’re not there sometimes it starts to feel like it’s slipping away from you. Players don’t always understand really how close you are and how far away you can be but once. They make a choice to do the right things and play the right way. A lot of times they’re not here that long, and they end up in the NHL.”
Smith said playing in the AHL offers a chance to learn from the Roadrunners’ veterans.
“It’s just part of the process. That’s how I’m taking it,” Smith, 24, said. “I’m just trying to learn stuff everyday and be a sponge and hopefully work my way back up.”
Through 41 games for the Roadrunners, Smith’s 20 points include a balanced 10 goals and 10 assists. He has five points in the last four games, including two goals against Bakersfield on Jan. 20.
Tucson Roadrunners rookie forward Nathan Smith adds an insurance goal, scoring his second of the game just outside five minutes to play in a 6-2 Tucson win over the Bakersfield Condors on Jan. 25, 2023, at Tucson Arena. Courtesy Tucson Roadrunners
The Roadrunners are loaded with Olympians such as forwards Miloš Kelemen (Slovakia) and Adam Cracknell (Canada). Slovakia won bronze, the country’s first-ever Olympic medal in men’s hockey.
“It means the world, honestly. Those guys played against the highest competition, and it’s a world-class tournament,” Potvin said. “So you take that experience, and you inject it into our locker room. I think it just breeds some confidence in our guys.”
Slap shots
The Coyotes recalled Kelemen on Tuesday, and he made his NHL debut that night. On Thursday he was sent back to the Roadrunners after game.
Saturday’s game is “Star Wars Night.” Fans are encouraged to come in costume as characters from a galaxy far, far away will appear, along with interactive games and Star Wars promotions throughout the night.
The game on Saturday is also “Boy Scouts Night.” A scout can get in free with the purchase of an adult ticket.
The Roadrunners are collecting pasta and jars of sauce Saturday to donate to Interfaith Community Services’ “Lotsa Pasta.”
