The Hershey Bears are bringing back one of the toughest players in the American Hockey League.
The club announced Thursday that it has re-signed veteran forward Dalton Smith to a one-year AHL contract for the 2026-27 season. Smith is the second Bears player to re-sign this offseason, following Jon McDonald inking a deal last week.
Smith, 33, completed his second season with Hershey in 2025-26, recording six points (two goals, four assists) in 60 games while serving as one of the Bears’ primary physical presences, dropping his gloves nine times during the regular season and once in the playoffs.
The Oshawa, Ontario native reached a pair of notable milestones last season. Smith skated in the 600th professional game of his career on Dec. 12 against Providence and surpassed 1,000 career AHL penalty minutes on Jan. 11 versus Cleveland.
Since turning pro in 2012, Smith has built a reputation as one of the AHL’s most feared enforcers, posting the eighth-most penalty minutes during that span. Across 580 career AHL games with Hershey, Springfield, Syracuse, Lehigh Valley, Rochester, and Colorado, he has totaled 85 points (37 goals, 48 assists) and 1,053 penalty minutes.
Smith’s professional résumé also includes one NHL appearance with the Buffalo Sabres during the 2019-20 season. He has additionally played 63 ECHL games with the Florida Everblades and South Carolina Stingrays, posting 23 points and 153 penalty minutes.
Before beginning his professional career, Smith spent four seasons with the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s, recording 105 points (50 goals, 55 assists) in 196 games. The winger was originally selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the second round (34th overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft.
Hershey has a long list of free agents heading into the summer months including forwards Henrik Rybinski (NHL contract), Brett Leason (NHL), Wyatt Bongiovanni (NHL), Ryan Hofer (NHL), Matt Strome (AHL), Jalen Luypen (AHL), Justin Nachbaur (AHL), Lynden Breen (AHL), Kaden Bohlsen (AHL), Simon Pinard (AHL), Kyler Kupka (AHL), and Patrick Guzzo (AHL); defensemen Reilly Webb (AHL contract), Corey Schueneman (NHL contract), John Fusco (AHL), and DJ King (AHL); and goaltenders Garin Bjorklund (NHL), Jesper Vikman (NHL), and Seth Eisele (AHL).
