Bolstering depth in the organization and perhaps on the NHL roster, the Avalanche Tuesday signed right wing Ben Smith to a one-year, two-way deal.
Smith, 28, has split his professional career between the NHL and the American Hockey League, and has 27 goals and 23 assists in 197 NHL games with Chicago, San Jose and Toronto.
Raised in Avon, Conn., Smith played four seasons at Boston College and was a Blackhawks’ sixth-round pick in 2008.
Last season, the Sharks traded Smith to Toronto on Feb. 27, and he had two goals and four assists in 16 games with the Maple Leafs before finishing the season in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies.