As part of the Victoria Royals road trip to Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Matthew Smith is getting the opportunity to play in his hometown of Saskatoon.
The chance to play in front of friends and family is always exciting. “I’ve been looking forward to this all year,” said Smith.
“It’s a big time of year for me where lots of my family and friends can come watch me play. I’m excited to play in Saskatoon, Prince Albert and for all the places that are around my hometown.”
Along with the chance to see family and friends, for Smith, it is also a chance to show his teammates there is more to Saskatchewan than meets the eye.
“Well, all the boys chirp ‘Sas’ for being so flat that you can watch your dog run away for three days,” said Smith with a laugh. “I’m excited to show the guys that it’s not the worst thing in the world. I really love it there. Obviously, the winters are pretty cold, but the summers are awesome.”
“Although you might not think it, there is a lot to see in these places we’re going to on this road trip.”
Photo credit: Allen Douglas/Kamloops Blazers
The hometown Saskatoon Blades were a favourite of Smith growing up. “My dad and I used to go to Blades games every weekend and it was a big part of my childhood. So, I’m looking forward to playing there for the second time in my career.”
The defenceman, now in his third season with Victoria, last played the Blades in Saskatoon during his rookie year. That game in 2017 was a one-sided affair, with Victoria prevailing 7-2.
Since joining the Royals as a 17-year-old in the 2017-18 season, a lot has changed for Smith, both personally as well as on the team around him.
The Saskatoon native talks about his development and growth. “Every single day — practice, game day, every offseason — I’ve just had that attitude of getting better each and every day. I’m happy to see the improvement but I’m just doing whatever I can to help the team win every night.”
On the current Royals roster, besides Mitchell Prowse who joined the club the year before, Smith is the second-longest termed player on the Royals defence. The change from rookie to veteran has gone fast.
“It feels like yesterday I was a 17-year-old rookie. Time has definitely flown by.”
“I just want to be a big part of this team and help any way I can. We have a great group of guys on the d-corps and we’re an older group, bringing in guys like [Will] Warm and Herry [Jacob Herauf]. And the younger guys like Lamby [Noah Lamb], [Carson] Golder and Benny [Nolan Bentham], we’ve all flourished this year and we’re confident with any 2 defencemen on the ice.”
During Smith’s time with Victoria, he has played with numerous veterans, including the likes of Ralph Jarratt, Chaz Reddekopp, and Kade Jensen. Their knowledge and experience have helped Smith. “When you’re playing with those type of guys, ones that have played 200 plus games in the league, you just learn as much as you can from them. They’ve taught me so many things that I hope to pass down to the younger guys.”
