Clarkson Athletics has announced that Mike Smith '68 will be inducted into the Clarkson Athletics Hall of Fame on Sat. Feb. 11th, 2023 during COGO Weekend.

Mike was a member of the Clarkson Hockey program from 1965-67. After his graduation from Clarkson, Mike began a path in hockey that helped shape the way the game is played today. Smith became a front office executive who has worked with the original Winnipeg Jets, Chicago Blackhawks and Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Since 2003, Smith has worked as a scout and with two companies specializing in hockey analytics.

Smith became involved professionally with the NHL in 1976. He served as Director of Hockey Operations with the Chicago Blackhawks and also was in the front office of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets. 

Smith earned his B.S. from Clarkson in 1968.  In 1979, Smith had his first job with the Winnipeg Jets, when he was hired as coach in their minor league system. He would spend 14 years in the Jets organization, where he became best known as a pioneer in bringing Russian players into the league.  He became Director of Scouting, then Assistant GM, and eventually the GM of the Jets from 1988 to 1994. Smith also worked as a scout for the Chicago Blackhawks and as Associate General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

In December 1999, the Chicago Blackhawks named Smith Manager of Hockey Operations and then eventually General Manager. Under Smith the Blackhawks made the playoffs for the first time in five years during the 2001–02 season. He would be the Blackhawks' GM for three years.  Smith was named Executive of the Year by The Sporting News after the 2001–02 season, while with the Blackhawks. He was responsible for drafting several future NHL stars, such as Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith, Dustin Byfuglien, Alexei Zhamnov, Nikolai Khabibulin, Keith Tkachuk, Kris Draper, Corey Crawford, James Wisniewski, and Stu Barnes.  

Smith has been heavily involved with USA Hockey, having served as the coach and general manager for the team's 1981, 1994 and 1995 appearances at the IIHF World Hockey Championship. In addition, he serves on the advisory board to USA Hockey.  

Smith was presented with Clarkson's Arnold H. Barben Award in 2000, the highest honor for a Clarkson Hockey Alumni.  In 2022, Smith was part of the Inaugural Class inducted into the NY State Hockey Hall of Fame.  In 1999, Smith was inducted into the NY High School Hockey Hall of Fame. 

Smith continues to be at the forefront of innovation in hockey, in 2006, Smith joined Coleman Analytics to help that company develop and market an analytics package for NHL teams.  In 2015, Smith was hired by Bench Metrics to develop a product to help teams apply analytics for teams to use in the NHL Entry Draft.