Floyd Smith — Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs —Buchanan Scrapbook Clippings

**With files from The Keeper of the Scrapbooks — Christina ‘tina’ Camelon Buchanan —** **Thanks to Diane Juby**— click here..

Perth Remembered

January 18, 2016 · FLOYD SMITH

Floyd Robert Donald Smith (born May 16, 1935 in Perth, Ontario). In 1954-55 Smith played junior hockey with the Galt Black Hawks in the OHA. He made his National Hockey League debut for the Boston Bruins, playing 3 games with the team in 1954- 1955. 1956-57 with the Hershey Bears AHL then called up to the Bruins for 23 games that year. Smith then spent 5 years with the New York Rangers organization with the Springfield Indians AHL, cracking the Rangers line up for only a 29-game stint in 1961. In 1963, Smith was acquired by the Detroit Red Wings. He scored an NHL career high 49 points during the 1965-66 season. At the 1968 trade deadline, he was sent to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was selected by the Buffalo Sabres during the 1970 expansion draft and served as the team’s first captain. Smith became an assistant coach with the Sabres in 1972. The next year, he was hired as head coach of the team’s top farm club, the AHL’s Cincinnati Swords. He won a Calder Cup in the first of his two year’s with the team. In 1974, he became Buffalo’s head coach, leading the team to a loss in the Stanley Cup Final in his first year. He also coached the World Hockey Association’s Cincinnati Stingers for the 1976-77 season and was Toronto Maple Leafs coach for the first 68 games of the 1979-80. He remained with the Leafs as a scout until being promoted to General Manager, a position he held for the 1989-90 and 1990-91 seasons

Perth RememberedMy Father, Walter Bromley, managed Shaws for many years and one Christmas we got tickets from a clothing traveller to the Montreal Forum to see the Canadiens play the Red Wings. We caught the midnight train in Perth to Montreal and we were on our way to an amazing adventure. On game day Dad called Floyd at the hotel the Wings were staying and Floyd told Dad to bring us over to the hotel when the Red Wings were leaving for the game. We were sitting in the lobby and all the Wings players were there. I had brought pictures of the Wings with me and got autographs from them all. The big surprise was when I got a tap on my shoulder and looked up and there was Gordie Howe. It was an amazing experience for a young lad from Perth and will always cherish that memory. Still have all the pics with the autographs.

Bonny Dee HamiltonWe lived next door to the Smiths and they had a T.V. before we did. Mr. Smith would invite my grandfather over to watch the hockey games, it got very exciting when Floyd was playing. Even after we got a T.V. it was more fun watching them seeing their son play. He treated me well when he came home, never complained about me following him around.

Cathy HansenFloyd Smith arranged to have a hockey stick signed by Toronto Maple players for my brother Greg when the family went on a weekend trip to Toronto. Not sure what year it was but Tim Horton was one of the players that signed it. As I understand it, Floyd was with the opposing team that night but still had it signed by Greg’s favourite team. He always cherished this hockey stick and left it to cousin Tom when he died.

John ReidSometime in the early 1960’s I caddied for Dr. Walsh who played in a regular Saturday foursome with Floyd Smith, Jim Dicola and Alf Ashton. Quite a thrill for a young hockey fan!