14-year NHL veteran of 987 games remains desperate to find new home on the free agent market

Things tend to quiet down quite a bit at this point in the summer with September training camp taking place in just one months time, but several are usually left scrambling to find their next NHL home if they have yet to be signed since July 1st free agency opened.

Unfortunately that is the case for former Chicago Blackhawks forward Craig Smith, who is amongst the names of UFAs who have yet to be signed by a new team just yet.

Smith was signed to a one-year, $1 million contract with the Blackhawks on July 1st of free agency in 2024, being left without a home nearly one month after the window opened this summer is certainly a new feelings for the longtime NHL veteran.

The 35-year old remains unsigned, but there's still a possibility of this changing in the coming weeks.

His two-way play and clutch playoff performance throughout his 980+ games in the NHL should make him a valuable option for contending teams as a bottom-six forward.

If Smith doesn't land a guranteed NHL contract soon, he may have to take on a professional tryout (PTO) from an organization to prove he still has what it takes to contribute on the big stage.

Smith recorded nine goals and seven assists this past season in 40 games, and a minus-2 rating. His time with the Blackhawks saw him being healthy scratched for a large portion, which led to a trade to the Detroit Red Wings alongside goaltender Petr Mrazek.