Avon’s Ben Smith traded to the San Jose Sharks

Avon native Ben Smith, 26, was traded by Chicago to San Jose on Monday.

Avon native Ben Smith will be playing hockey on the West Coast. Smith was traded by the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday to the San Jose Sharks for forward Andrew Desjardins and a conditional seventh round draft pick. 

Smith, playing in his second full season with the Blackhawks, has scored just five goals and four assists in 61 games. One of the team’s top penalty killers, he hasn’t scored a point in his last 28 games. His last goal came on December 20 against Columbus. A year ago, he had 14 goals and 12 assists. 

Smith, 26, and has one year left on his contract after this season at $1.5 million. Some Chicago-area columnists speculated that Smith was traded to help Chicago’s salary cap situation. Dejardins makes $750,000 and he’ll be a free agent at the end of the season. But Chicago has been struggling lately. All-Star Patrick Kane broke his collarbone last week and the Blackhawks have dropped four of their last six games and two of their last three OT decisions.

The scoring drought got Smith pushed out of the starting lineup and he discussed it with the Chicago Sun Times in mid-February. “I’m not happy about it, obviously,” Smith told the Sun Times. “That’s what happens when you’re not playing to your potential and capabilities. … I just feel like I’m not playing the way I’m capable of, not being strong on the puck, not creating opportunities and definitely not getting scoring opportunities. Or not bearing down on them.” 

Desjardins has five goals and three assists and is a physical, scrappy player. 

Smith was part of Chicago’s Stanley Cup championship team in 2013, skating in one game in Boston and getting his name on the Cup. In 2014, he played in 19 Stanley Cup playoff games with the Blackhawks, scoring four goals and getting two assists as the Hawks went to the Western Conference finals where they lost to eventual champion Los Angeles in game 7. 

Smith also played in Stanley Cup contests with the Hawks in 2011 and 2012. In 2011, he had the game-winning goal in overtime against Vancouver to help Chicago remain alive in the opening round playoff series against the Canucks. 

Smith is expected to play tonight for San Jose as they host the Montreal Canadiens. San Jose (30-25-8) is fighting to earn the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. With 68 points, the Sharks are two points behind Winnipeg for eighth place.

Smith participated in a morning skate with the Blackhawks Monday morning before being informed of the trade. 

Regular season                     GP         G         A         Pts.
2010-11: Chicago                   6            1          0          1
2011-12: Chicago                   13          0          2          2
2012-13: Chicago                   1            0          1          1
2013-14: Chicago                   75          14        12        26
2014-15: Chicago                   61          5          4          9
Totals                                     156        23        16        39 

Playoffs                                GP         G         A         Pts.
2011: Chicago                        7            3          0          3
2013: Chicago                        1            0          0          0
2014: Chicago                        19          4          2          6
Totals                                     27          7          2          9