GLENDALE, Ariz. — Mike Smith had been a cornerstone of Arizona’s franchise during six seasons in the desert, leading the Coyotes to the 2012 Western Conference finals and earning his first trip to the NHL All-Star Game last season.
Now he’s headed back to his native Canada, where he hopes to be the No. 1 goaltender the Calgary Flames have needed.
The Coyotes traded their top goalie to the Flames on Saturday for the rights to unrestricted free agent goalie Chad Johnson, defensive prospect Brandon Hickey and a conditional 2018 third-round pick that could become a second-rounder if the Flames make the playoffs.