Longtime Predators forward Craig Smith wore this Gold Set 2/Playoffs Set jersey for the Preds en route to their lone Stanley Cup Final appearance in the 2016-2017 season.
Craig receives no headlines and is largely unheralded despite scoring at least 20 goals in five of his nine seasons. He would have likely eclipsed 20 goals again in 2019-2020 before COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the rest of the regular season, ending with 18 goals in 69 games.
The Nashville Predators wore their Gold Set 2 jerseys from January 3rd, 2017 to April 1st, 2017 in a total of 21 games. Craig Smith suited up for 19 of those contests. The team also wore these jerseys throughout the first two rounds of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs in a total of 5 games. Smith skated and wore this jersey in two of those games.
All combined, Craig Smith wore this home jersey in 21 games in the back half of the 2016-2017 season.
Smith’s gamer has decent wear, though perhaps not as much as you’d expect for a modern jersey worn in this many games.
There are repairs on both sleeves, with a cluster of them being found on the left sleeve. The repairs span from the edge of the gold fabric down into the navy area, through the white piping, and into the lower section of navy. There are few marks on the jersey, but a few notable loose threads can be found in game photos that are present on the sweater.
The jersey also features the NHL’s 100th Anniversary patch.
Craig Smith’s jersey is a nice little piece of the Preds’ most successful season to date.
His number will never be in the rafters, but Smith has served the club with distinction as he helped bridge the gap from the grit and grind days of Barry Trotz and into the more offensive approach of Peter Laviolette.
Throughout his career, Smith has quietly been one of the most consistent goal-scorers on the roster.