Checkers Sign C.J. Smith To AHL Deal

The Checkers have added a new piece to their forward group, signing C.J. Smith to a one-year AHL contract.

Smith, 30, is in his 8th pro season and is returning to North America after starting the campaign in the KHL - where he played nine games for Nur-Sultan Barys.

The Iowa native has logged 206 points (89g, 117a) in 265 AHL games over his career - spending four seasons in Rochester before capturing a Calder Cup with Chicago in 2022 and spending the 2022-23 campaign with Hartford. Last season Smith made the jump overseas and posted 20 points (8g, 20a) in 33 games for JyP HT Jyvaskyla of Finland’s top league.

Smith - who had a highly decorated three-year career at UMass-Lowell where he was twice named to the Hockey East All-Tournament Team and once named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team - has also appeared in 15 NHL games over his career.

Additionally, Charlotte has assigned Evan Nause to the Savannah Ghost Pirates.

The Checkers are currently on a road swing through the Midwest, where they’ll visit Milwaukee for a pair of tilts this weekend before hitting Iowa next week and then returning to the Queen City.