One of the constants for the Cranbrook Bucks during the franchise’s BCHL history has been forward Jarrod Smith.
The Professor, as his teammates have come to know him, has been a mainstay with the Bucks since the club entered the BCHL for its Penticton pod season in the spring of 2021.
The West Vancouver native is one of the original Bucks, he honed his craft playing minor hockey in West Vancouver where he was a teammate of NHL superstar Connor Bedard.
As of this writing, Smith has donned the green & white for 132 games which places him number one in the team’s all time list.
His leadership and dedication to the club has earned him a spot on this season’s leadership group, donning an ‘A’ on his jersey as assistant captain.
“It still feels like yesterday that I showed up for the pod season, and we were waiting for news if we were going to play,” says Smith. “It’s crazy to think how far we’ve come as an organization.”
Smith has grown up with the Bucks, and he takes pride in his lengthy stint with the club.
“It’s pretty cool to look back and think about where we’ve come from,” Smith says. “It’s been pretty amazing to look back at it.”
The BCHL veteran has found his post-junior hockey path, as he has committed to the College of the Holy Cross program to continue his hockey career at the NCAA level.
“I went out for a tour there, really love the coaching staff,” says Smith. “It’s a really small campus, tight knit.”
Smith, known as a leader on the ice, has built a reputation off the ice – particularly in the classroom.
The BCHL veteran is dubbed by his teammates as ‘The Professor’ as a homage to his pedigree for academics, one just needs to look back at past editions of Buck Tales or the Cranbrook Bucks Insider to see Smith is generally the consensus choice when the question “who is the smartest player on the team” comes up.
He is also known to partake in several community initiatives during the season, whether it’s a game of ball hockey with local non profits or reading to children at Cranbrook’s elementary schools.
The 2023-24 season has brought its share of challenges for Smith, who has had to endure a few injuries. He is currently recovering from a lower body injury and hopes to return for the playoffs.
Until Holy Cross comes calling, class remains in session for the Cranbrook Bucks under the tutelage of Professor Smith.
– Article includes photos from Martin Ross & Cranbrook Bucks staff, social media link from BCHL
