Should Clint Smith be in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Clint Smith set the single-season record for assists in the ’40s. So of course he should be in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Right?

Well, he did it during World War II, when talent in the league was quiet watered down. He doesn’t have a lot of other accomplishments. And he doesn’t have the Cups that many other “veterans committee” inductees of the ’90s have.

So, does Clint Smith belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame? Listen to us try to sort it out here:

Clint Smith’s Career:

• NHL: 1936-47; 11 seasons, 10 quality
• Totals:
  • 161G (25th All Time at his retirement), 
  • 236A (7th) for 
  • 397P (15th) in 
  • 483 games; 
  • 34.5 PS
• Per Game: Smith doesn’t qualify for the leader-boards but, if the qualifier is set to 300 games played, at his retirement, Smith was 
  • 6th All Time in APG and 
  • 12th in PPG
• Era: Of the 9 players to play in at least 450 games between 1936 and 1947, Smith is 
  • 5th in Goals and GPG, 
  • 4th in Assists, APG, PPG and Games, 
  • 3rd in Points, 
  • 6th in OPS and 
  • 7th in PS
• 82-game average: 27G, 40A for 67P
• 3-year peak (1943-46): 50-game average of 24G, 35A for 59P
• Playoffs: 
  • 10G, 
  • 14A for 
  • 24P in 
  • 42 games
  • Per Game: Smith doesn’t remotely qualify for the leader-boards, but if the qualifier is set to 41 playoff games, at his retirement Smith was
    • 16th All Time in playoff APG
    • 20th All Time in playoff PPG
  • Era: Of the 38 skaters to play in at least 41 playoff games between 1936 and 1947, Smith is
    • 19th in playoff Goals
    • 15th in playoff GPG
    • 15th in playoff Assists
    • 9th in playoff APG
    • 20th in playoff Points
    • 13th in playoff PPG
    • 2nd last in Games
• Adjusted for Era: 
  • Hockey-Reference:
    • 204G, 
    • 346A for 
    • 550P
    • Adjusted 82-game average: 35G, 59A for 93P (+26P per 82 games)
    • Per Game: doesn’t qualify
  • VsX:
    • Goals: doesn’t qualify
    • 511A
    • Points: doesn’t qualify
    • Per Game: 
      • 12th All Time in VsX Adjusted APG
• Never traded.

Clint Smith’s Accomplishments:

• Lady Byng (’39, ’44)
• Top Player:
  • Top 5 Offensive Player twice (’39, ’46)
• Goals:
  • Leader-boards:
    • Top 5 in Goals twice, 
    • Top 10 three times
  • GPG leader-boards:
    • Top 5 in GPG once, 
    • Top 10 twice
  • Single-season totals:
    • 25 goals once, 
    • 20 goals four times (1 of only 22 players to do so at his retirement)
• Assists:
  • Leader-boards:
    • Set the single season record for assists (but his record was beaten the next season)
    • Led the league in Assists once, 
    • Top 10 four times
  • APG leader-boards:
    • Top 5 in APG once, 
    • Top 10 four times
  • Single-season totals:
    • 40 assists once (1 of only 11 players at his retirement)
• Points:
  • Leader-boards:
    • Top 5 in Points four times, 
    • Top 10 five times
  • PPG leader-boards:
    • Top 5 in PPG twice, 
    • Top 10 five times
  • Single-season totals:
    • 70 points once (1 of only 11 payers to do so at his retirement)
    • 50 points three times (1 of only 11 players at his retirement)
• All Star: played before the All Star Game
• VsX Peak:
  • Best 7 Seasons:
    • Goals: 173rd All Time
    • Assists: 87th All Time
    • Points: 136th All Time
  • Best 10 Seasons:
    • Goals: 186th All Time
    • Assists: 101st All Time
    • Points: 156th All Time
• Non-NHL:
  • USHL MVP (‘48)

Clint Smith’s Great Teams

• NHL:
  • Best Player (by points) on one Final Four (’46 Black Hawks), 
  • Top 3 Forward (by points) on one Runner Up (’44 Black Hawks) and one Final Four (’39 Rangers)
  • Top 9 Forward (by points) on one Champion (’40 Rangers), 
  • Role Player (by points) on one Final Four (’42 Rangers).
• Minor hockey:
  • Best Player (by points) on one Calder Cup Runner Up (‘37 Ramblers)