Cole Smith Bio
Cole Smith is an American professional ice hockey left winger who plays for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born on October 28, 1995, in Brainerd, Minnesota, Smith developed into a reliable forward through the United States Hockey League, the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, and the University of North Dakota before turning professional in 2020. He has become a steady contributor for the Predators, valued for his defensive play, work ethic, and versatility in the bottom-six forward group.
Early Life and Background
Cole Smith was born on October 28, 1995, in Brainerd, Minnesota, to parents Tom and Kris Smith. He grew up in a deeply athletic family, with his mother, father, sister, uncle, and several cousins all competing in college-level sports. His father played football at St. Cloud State University, while his mother ran track at Concordia College-Moorhead and later set program records in the indoor and outdoor long jump, earning induction into the Concordia College Athletics Department Hall of Fame in 2009.
Smith attended Brainerd High School from 2011 to 2014, where he excelled in three sports. In football, he played defensive back, wide receiver, and special teams, helping the Brainerd Warriors post a 12–1 record in 2013 and earning All-State, All-Section, and All-Conference honors along with the team’s Defensive Player of the Year award. On the ice, he was a three-year starter and finished ninth on the Warriors’ all-time scoring list with 110 points, and he also competed in track, winning the triple jump at the 2014 Wayzata Invitational.
Path to Professional Hockey
Following high school, Smith was selected in the 10th round of the United States Hockey League Draft by the Sioux Falls Stampede but was cut during tryouts. He then joined the Steinbach Pistons of the Canadian-based Manitoba Junior Hockey League, where he developed into a top scorer. In his second season with the Pistons, he led the team with 26 goals and added 61 points, then added 18 points in 15 Turnbull Cup playoff games and earned the MJHL Player of the Month honor for April.
His play attracted attention from the University of North Dakota, Bemidji State, and the University of Michigan, but only UND offered a scholarship. Smith committed to North Dakota after visiting the school in March 2016 and joined the Fighting Hawks for the 2016–17 season, majoring in kinesiology.
Cole Smith Career
Early Career (2016–2020)
Smith played college hockey for the North Dakota Fighting Hawks from 2016 to 2020, gradually growing into a dependable two-way forward. After a slow start to his freshman year, he became a regular in the lineup, scored his first collegiate goal on October 15, 2016, against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and contributed two assists in a 6–5 overtime win over St. Cloud State in the NCHC Quarterfinals. He finished his freshman year with three goals and four assists in 29 games.
As a sophomore, Smith became a mainstay on North Dakota’s third line, tied a school record by scoring seven seconds into the third period against Western Michigan on December 2, 2017, and recorded a career-high five goals and five assists. During his junior season he was a finalist for the NCHC Defensive Forward of the Year award and won the team’s Cliff ‘Fido’ Purpur Award. As a senior, he was named an assistant captain, helped North Dakota post the top regular-season record in the NCHC, and finished with career highs of 11 goals and 18 points in 34 games before the COVID-19 pandemic ended the postseason.
Nashville Predators Breakthrough (2020–Present)
Smith signed a one-year contract with the Nashville Predators on March 19, 2020, officially concluding his college career. He began the pandemic-shortened 2020–21 season with the Predators’ ECHL affiliate, the Florida Everblades, before being added to Nashville’s taxi squad. Smith made his NHL debut on January 14, 2021, against the Columbus Blue Jackets, recording one shot on goal in 5:57 minutes of ice time during a 3–1 Predators win. He later spent most of the season with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, where he tallied five goals and five assists over 23 games.
In 2021–22, Smith split the year between the Milwaukee Admirals and Nashville. He reached 20 goals with the Admirals and helped the team climb from last place to third in the Central Division, earning multiple NHL recalls along the way. He made the Predators’ opening night roster for the first time in 2022–23, recorded his first NHL point on October 7, 2022, against the San Jose Sharks, and scored his first NHL goal on January 21, 2023, against the Los Angeles Kings. He finished that year with four goals and 13 assists in 69 games.
Smith began the 2023–24 season on the fourth line and quickly moved up to skate with Cody Glass and Gustav Nyquist, scoring his first career short-handed goal against the Philadelphia Flyers on December 21, 2023. On January 24, 2024, he signed a two-year, $2 million contract extension with the Predators after posting career highs in points.
Driving Style and Strengths
Cole Smith is recognized as a hard-working, defensively responsible winger who excels on the penalty kill and in a physical bottom-six role. His combination of speed, forechecking, and willingness to block shots has earned him a reputation as a reliable two-way contributor whose work ethic and leadership by example echo the description his high school coach Ron Stolski once gave.
Notable Events and Milestones
Smith became the first former Steinbach Pistons player ever to appear in an NHL game when he debuted with the Predators in January 2021. He also tied Ben Cherski’s North Dakota record for fastest goal to start a third period and was a finalist for the NCHC Defensive Forward of the Year award in 2019–20.
Cole Smith Career Wins
Cole Smith’s professional win totals include regular-season and playoff victories across multiple leagues, from the ECHL and AHL to his current NHL role with the Nashville Predators.
NHL Highlights
Since debuting in 2021, Smith has contributed to Nashville’s regular-season win totals with his energy, hits, and two-way play. While his primary value comes from defense and physicality, he has occasionally produced offensively, including his first NHL goal against the Los Angeles Kings and a short-handed tally against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Other Wins and Performances
Smith played a key role for the Milwaukee Admirals in 2021–22, helping the team rise from last place to a Calder Cup playoff berth with 21 goals and 20 assists over 59 games. Earlier, he posted five goals and five assists in 23 games for the Chicago Wolves during his rookie AHL season, and he helped the Steinbach Pistons qualify for the MJHL’s Turnbull Cup playoffs during his junior career in Canada.
Cole Smith Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Cole Smith comes from a deeply athletic family in Brainerd, Minnesota. His father Tom played college football at St. Cloud State, his mother Kris ran track at Concordia College-Moorhead, and several family members were inducted into the Warrior Athletic Hall of Fame and named Brainerd Athletes of the Year. His uncle Sandy also played collegiate hockey and went on to play professionally for Eisbären Berlin in Germany’s top league.
Personal Life
Smith has remained close to his Minnesota roots, and his youngest sister Gabbie played ice hockey at Bemidji State University while his middle sister Allyson played soccer there. Public details about Cole Smith’s marital status, spouse, or children are not widely confirmed.
2025 Season Performance
Cole Smith enters the 2025 season under contract with the Nashville Predators after signing a two-year extension in January 2024. Having appeared in 69 games during the 2022–23 season and become a fixture on the team’s bottom-six forward group, he is expected to continue providing defensive responsibility, physicality, and penalty-killing depth for Nashville.
Smith’s role within the Predators organization has expanded steadily, and his steady production of hits, blocked shots, and occasional offensive contributions has helped solidify his standing with the coaching staff. As Nashville works to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Smith’s two-way game and leadership by example are likely to remain important pieces of the team’s identity.
Looking ahead, Smith’s continued growth as a reliable role player, combined with his existing contract through the 2024–25 season, positions him as a long-term depth contributor for the Predators. His journey from Brainerd High School through the Steinbach Pistons, North Dakota, and the AHL underscores the patience and perseverance that define his professional path.