GMHL Staff Profile: Derrick Smith
The Greater Metro Junior 'A' Hockey League will be profiling one staff member per month
January 29th, 2022 at 11:07AM January 29th, 2022 5:10PM
The GMHL will be profiling one coach per month for the duration of the season to highlight a person who is tasked with the development of the junior hockey players that join his team. Both on and off the ice these men are responsible to help produce fine young men. We will be profiling and interviewing these coaches each month to help find out who is behind the bench. This month’s profile is on Durham Roadrunners Head Coach and General Manager Derrick Smith
Derrick is in his first year with Durham. A former OHL graduate of the Peterborough Petes and 43rd overall pick of the Philadelphia Flyers. Smith brings a proven track record at all levels of the game including 10 seasons in the NHL and playing in 2 Stanley Cup finals. After retiring he has focused on coaching for the past 20 years in the OHL, OJHL, ACH and most recently Oshawa Minor Midget AAA. In his last season, Smith took his Minor Midget AAA team to the 2020 OMHA Cup final game and earned a berth in the OHL Cup prior to being cancelled due to COVID-19.
Last summer Smith was able to proudly watch as 7 of his players from this team were selected in the OHL draft including his own son selected by the Oshawa Generals.
Smith has led the Roadrunners to a 19-2-0 record through their first 21 games good enough for third in the south division but second overall in the league in winning percentage with .905. His team has played an elite shutdown game allowing only 46 total goals on the year in a highly offensive south divison The GMHL would like to congratulate Derrick on his career so far and wish him and Durham the best of luck in their future.