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Cole Smith

#22 · Right wing · Chicago Blackhawks

Born Oct 28, 1995 in Brainerd, Minnesota, USA (age 30) · 6'3", 195 lb · Shoots left

Compare with a similar player

The forwards closest to him in points in 2022-23. Pick one to see the two side by side, or choose someone else.

Denis Gurianov MTL · 17 P in 66 GP Sheldon Dries VAN · 17 P in 63 GP Mason Shaw MIN · 17 P in 59 GP Noah Gregor SJS · 17 P in 57 GP Sean Monahan MTL · 17 P in 25 GP

Career

Regular season games only. Pick a season to see its game log below. Cap hit is what he counted against the salary cap that season, where it is known.

051015202020-21: 0 points020-212021-22: 0 points021-222022-23: 17 points1722-232023-24: 23 points2323-242024-25: 12 points1224-252025-26: 12 points1225-262026-27: 1 points126-27

Points by season. The darker bar is the season shown below.

Season Team GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP Cap hit
2020-21 NSH 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 $793K
2021-22 NSH 8 0 0 0 -3 0 3 21 0.00 $750K
2022-23 NSH 69 4 13 17 -3 60 64 198 0.25 $750K
2023-24 NSH 80 9 14 23 5 63 112 235 0.29 $775K
2024-25 NSH 71 4 8 12 -15 69 69 163 0.17 $1M
2025-26 NSH 42 6 4 10 -7 31 51 119 0.24 $1M
2025-26 VGK 21 2 0 2 0 9 18 54 0.10
2026-27 CHI 6 1 0 1 1 2 6 12 0.17 $3M
7 seasons Career 298 26 39 65 -22 234 324 802 0.22

Playoffs

Playoff games only. Pick a season to see that year's bracket.

Season Team GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP
2023-24 NSH 5 0 0 0 -1 0 5 12 0.00
2025-26 VGK 22 3 3 6 3 24 14 100 0.27
2 seasons Playoffs 27 3 3 6 2 24 19 112 0.22

2022-23 season totals

GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP Shooting % Avg TOI
69 4 13 17 -3 60 64 198 0.25 6.3 12:45

Contract

$750KCap hitends in 2023, then extended to 2024
$44KCap dollars per point17 points in 69 games
$510KCap dollars per goal above replacement1.5 goals above replacement
$1.8MWorth at the going ratewhat teams paid for a season like his
+$1MValueworth minus cap hit; below zero is overpaid

His cap hit for the whole season, set against what he did in the regular season. Lower is better value. In a season still being played the cost per point starts high and falls as the games add up. Value is coloured by where it ranks among the 695 ranked skaters whose contract is known. How value is worked out.

The contract

Signed by the Nashville Predators on Jul 14, 2022, as a new contract: 1 year and $750K, beginning in 2022-23. It runs through 2022-23, so this is its last season, and his extension takes over. His next contract is already signed: an extension with the Nashville Predators on Feb 6, 2023, 1 year and $775K at $775K a season, beginning in 2023-24.

Season Cap hit Base salary Signing bonus Performance bonuses Paid in all Clause
2022-23 $750K $750K $0 $750K

Each season of the contract, with this one marked. The cap hit is the same every year; what he is paid is not. The pay is as written when the contract was recorded in October 2024, so a later change, such as the rise in the lowest salary for 2026-27, is not shown.

Contracts he has signed

Signed Signed by Kind Seasons Years In all Cap hit
Jul 1, 2026 Chicago Blackhawks New contract 2026-27 to 2028-29 3 $9M $3M
Jan 24, 2024 Nashville Predators Extension 2024-25 to 2025-26 2 $2M $1M
Feb 6, 2023 Nashville Predators Extension not begun 2023-24 to 2023-24 1 $775K $775K
Jul 14, 2022 Nashville Predators New contract 2022-23 to 2022-23 1 $750K $750K
Jul 15, 2021 Nashville Predators Extension 2021-22 to 2021-22 1 $750K $750K
Mar 19, 2020 Nashville Predators Entry-level 2020-21 to 2020-21 1 $925K $793K

Every contract on record for him, newest first, with the team that signed him to it and the day it was signed. The one covering 2022-23 is marked. An extension is signed while the contract before it is still running, often a year ahead. A row with no team or date is a contract known only by its cap hit, most often one signed since October 2024.

2022-23 analytics

Rating

+1.5Goals above replacement401st of 696 skaters, 280th of 461 forwards
+0.2Wins above replacementgoals above replacement divided by six
-1.0Goals above averagethe five parts below added up

Each number is coloured by where it ranks among the 461 ranked forwards: green is in the top fifth and red the bottom fifth, with paler shades in between and amber for the middle. Hover over a tile for its percentile.

Even-strength offence-2.5 17th percentileEven-strength defence+1.4 74th percentilePower play-0.1 53rd percentilePenalty kill+0.2 77th percentilePenalties+0.1 41st percentile

The goals he added to his team's goal difference, compared with a spare-part player given the same ice time. Each part is measured against the league, so zero is an average skater, and the rank beside it is among forwards. A full season is about two-thirds the player and one-third chance. Before 2023-24 the NHL timed events less exactly, and differently from rink to rink, so expected goals for this season are rougher than for recent ones.

-3-2-10122020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-262026-27Goals above replacementGoals above replacement, by season

On the ice

What happened at five-on-five while he was on the ice. What these numbers mean

46.7Corsi for %601 attempts for, 687 against
-2.3CF% relative to teamagainst the team without him
46.6Expected goals for %26.2 expected for, 30.0 against
-1.2xGF% relative to teamagainst the team without him
46.8Fenwick for %unblocked attempts
40.9Goals for %18 for, 26 against
98.6PDO6.1% shooting + 92.5% saves
99Attempts takenhis own shot attempts

Each share is coloured by where it ranks among the 613 skaters who played enough to be ranked: green is in the top fifth and red the bottom fifth, with paler shades in between and amber for the middle. Hover over a tile for its percentile. PDO and attempts taken are left plain, since neither is good or bad on its own.

Who he played with

Forward lineGPTimeCF%xGF%Goals
Colton Sissons · Yakov Trenin · Cole Smith26179:3442.036.32-7
Colton Sissons · Juuso Parssinen · Cole Smith1583:0949.350.03-3
Ryan Johansen · Nino Niederreiter · Cole Smith744:4458.057.51-1
Colton Sissons · Tanner Jeannot · Cole Smith1438:3866.773.52-0

The lines he spent the most time in at five-on-five, with the team's share of the shot attempts and expected goals, and the goals for and against, while they were out. The two shares are coloured as above, against the league's lines that played a fair amount together. Hover over one for its percentile.

Chances and finishing

Expected goals adds up how likely each of his shots was to go in, judged by where it came from, what kind of shot it was and whether it was a rebound. All situations, leaving out shots at an empty net. Before 2023-24 the NHL timed events less exactly, and differently from rink to rink, so expected goals for this season are rougher than for recent ones.

3Goalsnot counting empty-netters
8.3Expected goalsfrom 95 unblocked attempts
-5.3Goals above expectedgoals minus expected goals
Chances created 0.57 expected goals per 60 minutes16th
Shot quality 8.7% chance per attempt70th
Finishing -5.3 goals above expected9thOne season of finishing is mostly luck.

Each bar shows the share of forwards he is ahead of, among the 446 who played 300 minutes or more this season.

02468Game 20Game 40Game 60Expected 8.3Goals 3

His goals and his expected goals as the season went on. When the goals line pulls away above, he is scoring more than his chances were worth; below, less.

Where he shot from

Every attempt he took this season, in all situations, attacking the net on the right. There is a dot for each attempt, bigger for a better chance. "Show as heat map" shades the ice by where the attempts came from. Click a goal for its details.

Game log

Date Opponent Result G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits TOI
Apr 1, 2023 vs STL W 6-1 0 0 0 0 4 1 2 04:21
Mar 30, 2023 @ PIT L 0-2 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 16:34
Mar 28, 2023 @ BOS W 2-1 1 0 1 1 0 3 2 16:05
Mar 26, 2023 vs TOR L 2-3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 16:18
Mar 25, 2023 vs SEA L 2-7 0 0 0 -4 0 0 4 14:11
Mar 23, 2023 vs SEA W 2-1 (SO) 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 14:59
Mar 21, 2023 @ BUF W 7-3 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 17:13
Mar 19, 2023 @ NYR L 0-7 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 13:11
Mar 18, 2023 vs WPG L 2-3 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 19:24
Mar 16, 2023 vs CHI L 1-2 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 12:55
Mar 14, 2023 vs DET W 2-1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16:28
Mar 12, 2023 @ ANA W 5-4 (OT) 0 1 1 1 0 1 2 16:08
Mar 11, 2023 @ LAK W 2-1 (SO) 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 17:38
Mar 9, 2023 @ ARI L 1-4 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 10:37
Mar 6, 2023 @ VAN L 3-4 (SO) 0 1 1 -1 5 0 1 15:22
Mar 4, 2023 @ CHI W 3-1 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 14:55
Mar 2, 2023 @ FLA W 2-1 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 17:55
Feb 28, 2023 vs PIT L 1-3 0 0 0 -1 2 0 6 11:41
Feb 26, 2023 @ ARI W 6-2 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 16:16
Feb 23, 2023 @ SJS W 6-2 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 12:15
Feb 21, 2023 vs VAN W 5-4 (SO) 1 0 1 -1 0 2 5 14:55
Feb 19, 2023 @ MIN L 3-4 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 11:28
Feb 18, 2023 vs FLA W 7-3 0 0 0 2 0 1 3 12:13
Feb 16, 2023 vs BOS L 0-5 0 0 0 -1 0 1 5 15:58
Feb 13, 2023 vs ARI L 2-4 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 08:54
Feb 11, 2023 @ PHI W 2-1 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 14:44
Feb 7, 2023 vs VGK L 1-5 0 0 0 -2 0 0 6 12:59
Jan 26, 2023 vs NJD W 6-4 1 0 1 0 2 1 5 11:19
Jan 24, 2023 vs WPG W 2-1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 09:27
Jan 21, 2023 vs LAK W 5-3 1 0 1 1 0 2 4 11:01
Jan 19, 2023 @ STL L 2-5 0 1 1 0 5 2 2 10:14
Jan 17, 2023 vs CBJ W 2-1 0 0 0 -1 0 0 3 12:34
Jan 16, 2023 vs CGY W 2-1 0 0 0 0 2 1 2 13:16
Jan 14, 2023 vs BUF L 3-5 0 0 0 1 2 0 4 09:51
Jan 12, 2023 @ MTL L 3-4 0 0 0 0 0 4 5 13:36
Dec 30, 2022 @ ANA W 6-1 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 13:18
Dec 27, 2022 vs DAL L 2-3 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 13:05
Dec 23, 2022 vs COL L 2-3 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 5 2 13:22
Dec 21, 2022 @ CHI W 4-2 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 11:46
Dec 19, 2022 vs EDM W 4-3 (OT) 0 0 0 -1 2 0 1 13:52
Dec 17, 2022 @ COL L 1-3 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 11:31
Dec 15, 2022 @ WPG L 1-2 (OT) 0 0 0 0 2 3 1 11:38
Dec 13, 2022 vs EDM L 3-6 0 0 0 -1 0 0 1 10:54
Dec 12, 2022 @ STL L 0-1 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 3 6 12:07
Dec 10, 2022 vs OTT L 2-3 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 10:06
Dec 8, 2022 @ TBL L 2-5 0 0 0 0 5 1 2 09:08
Dec 2, 2022 @ NYI W 4-1 0 0 0 1 0 1 3 14:07
Dec 1, 2022 @ NJD W 4-3 (OT) 0 1 1 1 0 0 3 12:08
Nov 29, 2022 vs ANA W 2-1 (OT) 0 0 0 -1 0 2 3 12:23
Nov 23, 2022 @ DET L 0-3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 12:09
Nov 21, 2022 vs ARI W 4-3 (SO) 0 0 0 0 5 1 6 10:58
Nov 19, 2022 vs TBL L 2-3 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 2 5 12:42
Nov 17, 2022 vs NYI W 5-4 0 1 1 -2 0 2 2 11:19
Nov 15, 2022 vs MIN W 2-1 0 0 0 0 5 0 6 08:56
Nov 12, 2022 vs NYR W 2-1 0 0 0 1 2 0 1 15:13
Nov 10, 2022 @ COL L 3-5 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 09:02
Nov 8, 2022 @ SEA L 1-5 0 0 0 0 0 3 5 11:34
Nov 5, 2022 @ VAN W 4-3 (SO) 0 0 0 -1 2 1 2 12:36
Nov 3, 2022 @ CGY W 4-1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 12:32
Nov 1, 2022 @ EDM L 4-7 0 0 0 -1 0 0 7 10:38
Oct 29, 2022 vs WSH L 0-3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 13:49
Oct 27, 2022 vs STL W 6-2 0 2 2 2 0 2 3 15:14
Oct 22, 2022 vs PHI L 1-3 0 0 0 0 5 1 4 11:45
Oct 20, 2022 @ CBJ L 3-5 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 11:56
Oct 18, 2022 vs LAK L 3-4 (SO) 0 0 0 0 4 0 3 08:51
Oct 15, 2022 @ DAL L 1-5 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 10:46
Oct 13, 2022 vs DAL L 1-4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 10:20
Oct 8, 2022 @ SJS W 3-2 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 11:16
Oct 7, 2022 vs SJS W 4-1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 11:18