PTO Brendan Smith Has Chance to Make Blue Jackets' Roster - The Hockey Writers - Columbus Blue Jackets

In 14 NHL seasons, defenseman Brendan Smith has experienced a lot of things. He started his career getting to learn from some of the greatest players the league has seen in recent memory in Nicklas Lidstrom, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg just to name a few.

After spending his first six seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, Smith’s career has been a journey. This has included stops with the New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils and most recently last season with the Dallas Stars.

But this summer was different for Smith. He wasn’t able to secure a contract for the 2025-26 season. For the first time in his career, he had to take a PTO for training camp.

Smith is at Blue Jackets’ camp with plenty of motivation to show he has a lot still to offer to teams as a veteran defenseman. He spoke to the Hockey Writers on Thursday after Group 1 practice about his summer and why he thinks he can still help teams.

Both Smith and head coach Dean Evason believe there is an opportunity to earn a contract with the Blue Jackets.

Smith’s Uncertain Summer

Coming off his entry-level deal with the Red Wings, Smith has signed six different contracts since. The only one that was longer than two years was the one he signed with the New York Rangers that was four years.

Smith signed three two-year deals and two one-year deals along the way. The one-year deal he signed with the Carolina Hurricanes had a familiar face involved.

Blue Jackets’ GM Don Waddell was the general manager with the Hurricanes at the time. That was certainly part of the reason Smith was brought in on a PTO. The team knows exactly what to expect from him.

Smith comes into this camp knowing several folks on the Blue Jackets. He played with Miles Wood and Damon Severson on the Devils. But the familiarity goes beyond that.

“(Erik) Gudbranson. I’ve played with him,” Smith said. “I’ve been to a couple weddings and hung out with him a little bit. Boone Jenner. Same kind of idea. They’re all very welcome, first people to text me. I know Rick (Nash) from playing in New York. I had to get the kids in school. I was working out and there would have been (Mathieu) Olivier and all those guys. So I got to meet a lot of the players beforehand before the season started. That’s been a good thing for me trying to make myself comfortable, trying to lead into camp and just put my best foot forward and see what happens.”

Brendan Smith New Jersey Devils — Brendan Smith says he thinks he has a chance at Blue Jackets’ camp. (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

Smith has settled into Dublin around Muirfield Village. As a University of Wisconsin alum, he understands the midwestern hospitality that exists. It’s been no different so far for him here.

“It’s been great. Everybody’s been very welcoming,” Smith said. “And not even just the players and staff. I feel like Columbus, we’re staying in Dublin. I get there’s that very Midwest feel. I just find the people are very genuine and they’re very open to tell me places to get food or places to check out. Going to Wisconsin University where I met my wife, there’s still a similar Midwest feel. So that feels like home so it’s kind of cool.”

While Smith has been welcomed since arriving in Columbus, getting to this point was uncertain. He understands the situation at hand. This summer was full of questions especially considering his family not only wasn’t sure where they were going, but they might have to move again depending on how camp works out.

“It was something I haven’t had to experience. I’ve been pretty lucky through free agency and I guess having an offer or whatnot leading into July 1st. And this was the first year where it dragged on a lot longer and not knowing and having interest, but then things changed. It was tough for sure. And it’s not just tough on me, it’s on the whole family. I have a seven-year-old and a five-year-old. My wife wondering where we’re going to be next year, what should we do, where should we get a place, if I’m going to continue to play? There’s all these little questions that you have to ask yourself and convey to the family. And we try to talk to some teams and see what was the best fit and for me this seemed like a great situation.”

“Obviously everybody’s looking to have a contract but that’s sometimes not in the cards and I get it I’m not a spring chicken. I’m not a young guy anymore and so people are curious to see if I can still play and that’s what I’m going to come here and try to prove that to everybody and do the things that I’ve always done is be a good leader, talk to the guys, help them in situations, and bring it every day so the young guys can see how it is. I’ll continue to do the things that I’ve always done and hopefully with all that and showing that I can still play that I can maybe squeak a roster spot.”

Evason’s Thoughts

Evason spoke after Thursday’s sessions on a wide variety of topics. He made no secret that Smith as well as others on the team will have every chance to make an impression.

“If you watch the first session, he’s a very vocal guy,” Evason said of Smith. He’s obviously been around. He’s a veteran guy that’s fit in already, right? You could just see him with the guys. He knows how to conduct himself. He knows how to be a pro clearly. What kind of chance he has? Same as everybody. Everybody’s got a chance. There’s guys with contracts. There’s guys without contracts. But he’s just competing his ass off and in order to make our hockey club, we expect everyone in this camp (to do that.)”

PTO Brendan Smith Has Chance to Make Blue Jackets’ Roster

Smith’s Uncertain Summer

Evason’s Thoughts

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