Givani Smith's hard work paid off as he's turned a professional tryout into an NHL contract.
The Carolina Hurricanes announced on Friday that they have agreed to a one-year, two-way contract with Smith that will pay him $775,000 at the NHL level and $140,000 at the AHL level, with a guarantee of $250,000.
“Givani came to camp as a PTO and proved that he deserved a role in the organization,” said Carolina GM Eric Tulsky in a press release. “His size and physicality make him a good fit to add depth to our forward group.”
Smith had a strong preseason, appearing in four games and scoring two goals, three points while also being a strong physical presence with 17 hits and two fights.
"In the four games he's played, he's done a pretty good job," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour before the signing. "So no reason to not keep him around and give him another look."
Smith brings another look to a Hurricanes lineup that has missed that physical presence and even if he doesn't played too much, having that depth option is still valuable for the Canes.
The 27-year-old Toronto native has appeared in 168 NHL games across four organizations. He has nine goals and 22 points in that span along with 268 penalty minutes.
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