{{short description|Canadian lacrosse player (born 1992)}} {{Infobox lacrosse player | name=Dhane Smith | image=Priolo_Weiss_Smith.jpg | caption=Smith, on the right, celebrating the 2023 NLL championship with teammates Steve Priolo (left) and Nick Weiss (center) | position = Forward/Transition (Box), Midfield (Field) | shoots = Right | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 3 | weight_lb = 195 | nll_team = Buffalo Bandits | former_cla_teams = Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks<br>Victoria Shamrocks | nationality = Canadian | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|09|23}} | birth_place = Kitchener, Ontario, Canada | nll_draft = 5th overall | nll_draft_year = 2012 | nll_draft_team = Buffalo Bandits | career_start = 2013 | pll_team = Chaos LC |medaltemplates={{MedalCountry|{{fb|CAN}}}} {{MedalSport|Men's field lacrosse}} {{MedalCompetition|World Lacrosse Championship}} {{Medal|RU|2023 San Diego|}} {{MedalSport|Men's box lacrosse}} {{MedalCompetition|World Indoor Lacrosse Championship}} {{Medal|W|2015 Onondaga Nation|}} {{Medal|W|2019 Langley|}} {{Medal|W|2024 Utica|}} {{MedalSport|Men's lacrosse sixes}} {{MedalCompetition|World Games}} {{Medal|W|2022 Birmingham|}}|career_highlights=NLL: *2x MVP (2016, 2022) *3x NLL Cup Champion (2023, 2024, 2025) *2023 NLL Cup Finals MVP *4x First Team All-League (2016, 2022, 2023, 2025) *1x Second Team All-League (2024) *Regular season record for goals (72, 2016) *Regular season record for assists (102, 2025) *Regular season record for points (137, 2016)
PLL: *1x Champion (2021) *2x All-Star (2021, 2023)|former_mll_teams=Rochester Rattlers<br>Chesapeake Bayhawks}}
'''Dhane Smith''' (born January 22, 1992) is a Canadian professional lacrosse player for the Buffalo Bandits of the National Lacrosse League. He is also a player for the Chaos Lacrosse Club in the Premier Lacrosse League. He also plays for the Canadian men's indoor lacrosse team and the Canada men's lacrosse team.
In the NLL, he has won the MVP award twice and has won 3 consecutive championships with the Bandits from 2023 to 2025 (where he was named the championship game MVP in 23), and in 2024 set the NLL single-season assists record (101) and all-time playoffs assists record. In the PLL, he won a championship with the Chaos in 2021, and was named an All-Star in 2021 and 2023. He also won a gold medal at the 2019 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships for Canada.
He is known for his offensive effectiveness and astute passing skills and holds the current NLL single-season points record, while also simultaneously holding both the current single-season goals record and the current NLL single-season assists record.<ref>All-Time Stat Leaders - NLL %. (2021, September 24). NLL. https://www.nll.com/stats/all-time-stat-leaders/</ref><ref>Tutka, P. (2022, April 11). Smith new single season assists record holder after hopping Matthews — The Lax Mag. The Lax Mag. https://www.thelaxmag.com/home/smith-new-single-season-assists-record-holder-after-hopping-matthews</ref>
==Early life== Smith grew up in the heart of Kitchener. A lacrosse player from birth, he later in life transitioned into hockey and football, where he reached elite levels in both. Known by many as a multi-sport athlete, Smith led his high school football team to a championship final while running the offence as a gunslinging mobile quarterback.
Smith is a cousin of former NLL Defensive Player of the Year Billy Dee Smith.
== Professional career ==
Smith began his career in 2009 with the Kitchener-Waterloo Braves of the Ontario Junior A Lacrosse League, where he won the Green Gael Trophy as the league's MVP in 2012. Smith also played for the Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks of Major Series Lacrosse, and the Victoria Shamrocks of the Western Lacrosse Association.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.insidelacrosse.com/wire.php?id=10151|title=Victoria Shamrocks acquire Dhane Smith via transfer|accessdate=March 6, 2015|archive-date=April 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402215348/https://www.insidelacrosse.com/wire.php?id=10151|url-status=dead}}</ref>
=== NLL ===
Heading into the 2023 NLL season, ''Inside Lacrosse'' ranked Smith the #1 best forward in the NLL.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-01 |title=NLL Top 50 Players: Top 30 Forwards|url=https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/nll-top-50-players-top-30-forwards/60434 |access-date=2022-12-01 |website=Inside Lacrosse}}</ref>
Smith declined several offers from NCAA universities and instead declared for the 2012 NLL draft.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title='I Never Thought I'd be Playing Field': Box Star Dhane Smith Starting to Feel at Home Outdoors |url=https://www.insidelacrosse.com//article/-i-never-thought-i-d-be-playing-field-box-star-dhane-smith-starting-to-feel-at-home-outdoors/58448 |access-date=2021-09-19 |website=www.insidelacrosse.com}}</ref> Smith was drafted fifth overall by the Bandits in the 2012 NLL Entry Draft. He began his NLL career as a transition player, but eventually switched to forward. He ranked third on the Bandits in scoring in both 2013 and 2014. In 2016, he set a Bandits record for most goals in a season and set the NLL single-season record for most points in a season. At the end of the season, Smith was named NLL MVP, becoming the first Black player to win the award.<ref>{{cite news |title=Smith sets NLL scoring record in Bandits win |publisher=WKBW-TV |url=http://www.wkbw.com/sports/dhane-smith-sets-nll-scoring-record-as-bandits-top-rochester-15-13 |accessdate=May 14, 2020}}</ref>
Smith won his second MVP award during the 2022 season, where he set the single season record for assists with 94, making him the fifth player ever to become a multi-time MVP.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dhane Smith wins 2nd NLL MVP award {{!}} Buffalo Bandits - bandits.com |url=https://bandits.com/smith-named-nll-mvp-for-2nd-2021-22-time/ |access-date=2023-05-30 |website=bandits.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The following season, he broke his assist record, finishing with 96, and was runner-up to Christian Del Bianco for MVP, while being named first team All-NLL for the third time.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Calgary's Christian Del Bianco Named National Lacrosse League MVP |url=https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/pro/nll/calgarys-christian-del-bianco-named-national-lacrosse-league-mvp |access-date=2023-05-30 |website=www.usalaxmagazine.com |language=en}}</ref>
=== MLL === Smith joined the Rochester Rattlers of Major League Lacrosse ahead of the 2016 season despite having little experience in field lacrosse, where he played under coach Tim Soudan.<ref name=":1" />
=== PLL === Smith played for Chaos in the inaugural season of the Premier Lacrosse League, recording four points in five regular season games, and an additional four points in two playoff games.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Premier Lacrosse League Stats |url=https://stats.premierlacrosseleague.com/ |accessdate=February 24, 2020 |website=stats.premierlacrosseleague.com |language=en}}</ref> Smith became a focal point in the Chaos offense during the 2020 season, and in 2021, he finished second among all midfielders in assists with 13 before leading the playoffs with 18 points, en route to Chaos' first championship.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Box Star Dhane Smith Now Household Name in the Field Game |url=https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/pro/pll/box-star-dhane-smith-now-household-name-in-the-field-game |access-date=2023-05-30 |website=www.usalaxmagazine.com |language=en}}</ref>
== International career == Smith has represented Canada at the World Indoor Lacrosse Championship twice, winning gold medals in 2015 and 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Donahue |first=Mark |date=2015-05-20 |title=Canadian Lacrosse Announces 23-Man Roster for WILC 2015 |url=https://laxallstars.com/canadian-lacrosse-23-man-roster-wilc-2015/ |access-date=2023-05-30 |website=Lacrosse All Stars |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Canada remains victorious at Men's World Indoor Lacrosse Championship {{!}} Canadian Lacrosse Association - Pointstreak Sites |url=http://cla.pointstreaksites.com/view/cla/news-feed/news_525699 |accessdate=February 24, 2020 |website=cla.pointstreaksites.com |archive-date=February 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224004943/http://cla.pointstreaksites.com/view/cla/news-feed/news_525699 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He will represent Canada in field lacrosse at the 2023 World Lacrosse Championship.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lacrosse Canada : Website by RAMP InterActive |url=https://www.lacrosse.ca/article/83936 |access-date=2023-05-30 |website=www.lacrosse.ca}}</ref>
== Personal life == Away from lacrosse, Smith hosts a podcast, ''The Dhane and Josh Show'', with Bandits and Chaos teammate Josh Byrne.<ref name="Levi">{{cite web|url=https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/beyond-the-box-josh-byrne-lives-with-a-new-york-state-of-mind/61582|title=Beyond the Box - Josh Byrne Lives With a New York State of Mind|last=Levi|first=Adam|date=May 24, 2023|work=Inside Lacrosse|access-date=June 5, 2023}}</ref> Both Smith and Byrne, who are Black Canadians, have supported the Black Lives Matter movement.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lacrosseflash.com/read/2020/8/6/we-belong-here-smith-byrne-serving-as-role-models-for-next-generation|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605162447/https://www.lacrosseflash.com/read/2020/8/6/we-belong-here-smith-byrne-serving-as-role-models-for-next-generation|url-status=usurped|archive-date=June 5, 2023|title=We Belong Here: Smith, Byrne Serving as Role Models for Next Generation|last=Jenner|first=Maki|date=August 6, 2020|access-date=June 5, 2023}}</ref>
== Career stats == '''NLL:'''<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Dhane Smith|url=https://www.nll.com/player/dhane-smith/|access-date=2021-06-02|website=NLL|language=en-US}}</ref> {{NLLCareerStats|player_name=Dhane Smith|season6_penalty_minutes=0|season5_games_played=14|season5_goals=30|season5_assists=51|season5_loose_balls=63|season5_penalty_minutes=8|season6_year=2018|season6_team=Buffalo Bandits|season6_games_played=18|season6_goals=37|season6_assists=68|season6_loose_balls=95|season7_year=2019|season5_year=2017|season7_team=Buffalo Bandits|season7_games_played=16|season7_goals=32|season7_assists=70|season7_loose_balls=72|season7_penalty_minutes=8|season8_year=2020|season8_team=Buffalo Bandits|season8_games_played=8|season8_goals=15|season8_assists=33|season8_loose_balls=48|season5_team=Buffalo Bandits|season4_penalty_minutes=9|season1_year=2013|season2_loose_balls=79|season1_team=Buffalo Bandits|season1_games_played=15|season1_goals=24|season1_assists=20|season1_loose_balls=42|season1_penalty_minutes=4|season2_year=2014|season2_team=Buffalo Bandits|season2_games_played=18|season2_goals=20|season2_assists=39|season2_penalty_minutes=9|season4_loose_balls=111|season3_year=2015|season3_team=Buffalo Bandits|season3_games_played=18|season3_goals=39|season3_assists=68|season3_loose_balls=75|season3_penalty_minutes=11|season4_year=2016|season4_team=Buffalo Bandits|season4_games_played=18|season4_goals=72|season4_assists=65|season8_penalty_minutes=4|season9_year=2022|season9_team=Buffalo Bandits|season9_games_played=18|season9_goals=41|season9_assists=94|season9_loose_balls=93|season9_penalty_minutes=10|season9_playoff_games_played=6|season9_playoff_goals=13|season9_playoff_assists=22|season9_playoff_loose_balls=27|season9_playoff_penalty_minutes=4|season2_playoff_games_played=4|season2_playoff_goals=7|season2_playoff_assists=7|season2_playoff_loose_balls=12|season3_playoff_games_played=1|season3_playoff_goals=3|season3_playoff_assists=5|season3_playoff_loose_balls=6|season4_playoff_games_played=4|season4_playoff_goals=13|season4_playoff_assists=14|season4_playoff_loose_balls=14|season4_playoff_penalty_minutes=2|season7_team_link=Buffalo Bandits|season7_playoff_games_played=4|season7_playoff_goals=5|season7_playoff_assists=16|season7_playoff_loose_balls=14|season2_team_link=Buffalo Bandits|season3_team_link=Buffalo Bandits|season4_team_link=Buffalo Bandits|season5_team_link=Buffalo Bandits|season6_team_link=Buffalo Bandits|season8_team_link=Buffalo Bandits|season9_team_link=Buffalo Bandits|season10_year=2023|season10_team=Buffalo Bandits|season10_team_link=Buffalo Bandits|season10_games_played=18|season10_goals=36|season10_assists=96|season10_loose_balls=99|season10_penalty_minutes=6|season10_playoff_games_played=6|season10_playoff_goals=15|season10_playoff_assists=34|season10_playoff_loose_balls=23|season10_playoff_penalty_minutes=2|season11_year=2024|season11_team_link=Buffalo Bandits|season11_team=Buffalo Bandits|season11_games_played=18|season11_goals=33|season11_assists=101|season11_loose_balls=119|season11_penalty_minutes=8|season11_playoff_games_played=5|season11_playoff_goals=7|season11_playoff_assists=27|season11_playoff_loose_balls=34|season11_playoff_penalty_minutes=2|season12_year=2025|season12_team_link=Buffalo Bandits|season12_games_played=18|season12_goals=32|season12_assists=102|season12_loose_balls=116|season12_penalty_minutes=6|season12_playoff_games_played=6|season12_playoff_goals=13|season12_playoff_assists=19|season12_playoff_loose_balls=26|season13_year=2026|season13_team_link=Buffalo Bandits|season13_team=Buffalo Bandits|season13_games_played=18|season13_goals=39|season13_assists=79|season13_loose_balls=86|season13_penalty_minutes=6|season13_playoff_games_played=1|season13_playoff_assists=2|season13_playoff_loose_balls=8|}}
'''PLL:'''<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dhane Smith|url=https://premierlacrosseleague.com/player/dhane-smith|access-date=2021-08-25|website=Premier Lacrosse League|language=en-US}}</ref>
{{MLLCareerStats|player_name=Dhane Smith|season1_playoff_assists=1|season2_shots=19|season2_assists=4|season2_goals=6|season2_games_played=7|season2_team=Chaos|season2_year=2020|season1_playoff_shots=4|season1_team=Chaos|season1_playoff_goals=3|season1_playoff_games_played=2|season1_shots=8|season1_assists=2|season1_goals=2|season1_games_played=5|season1_year=2019|season2_ground_balls=8|season3_year=2021|season3_team=Chaos|season3_games_played=9|season3_goals=7|season3_assists=13|season3_shots=22|season3_ground_balls=10|season3_penalties=2|season3_penalty_minutes=1.5|season3_playoff_games_played=3|season3_playoff_goals=8|season3_playoff_2pt_goals=1|season3_playoff_assists=9|season3_playoff_shots=13|season3_playoff_ground_balls=3|season4_year=2022|season4_team=Chaos|season4_team_link=Chaos Lacrosse Club|season4_games_played=7|season4_goals=6|season4_assists=17|season4_shots=29|season4_ground_balls=4|season4_playoff_games_played=3|season4_playoff_goals=2|season4_playoff_assists=3|season4_playoff_shots=12|season4_playoff_ground_balls=3|season4_playoff_penalties=1|season4_playoff_penalty_minutes=0.5|season3_team_link=Chaos Lacrosse Club|season2_team_link=Chaos Lacrosse Club|season5_year=2023|season5_team=Chaos|season5_team_link=Chaos Lacrosse Club|season5_games_played=8|season5_goals=5|season5_assists=25|season5_shots=24|season5_ground_balls=4|season5_penalties=2|season5_penalty_minutes=1.5|season5_playoff_games_played=1|season5_playoff_goals=1|season5_playoff_assists=3|season5_playoff_shots=4|season5_playoff_ground_balls=1}}
{{MLLCareerStats|player_name=Dhane Smith|season1_year=2016|season1_team_link=Rochester Rattlers|season1_games_played=3|season1_goals=8|season1_assists=2|season1_shots=19|season1_ground_balls=3|season2_year=2017|season2_team_link=Rochester Rattlers|season2_games_played=4|season2_goals=3|season2_assists=9|season2_shots=13|season2_ground_balls=4|season2_playoff_games_played=1|season2_playoff_assists=1|season2_playoff_shots=13|season3_year=2018|season3_team_link=Chesapeake Bayhawks|season3_games_played=2|season3_goals=1|season3_assists=1|season3_shots=4|season3_ground_balls=1}}
'''International:'''<ref>{{Cite web|title=Stats - 2019 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships|url=http://wilc.lacrosseshift.com/stats#/player/450157/stats|access-date=2021-06-02|website=wilc.lacrosseshift.com}}</ref>
{{NLLCareerStats|player_name=Dhane Smith|season1_year=2019|season1_team=Canada|season1_games_played=4|season1_goals=10|season1_assists=12|season1_penalty_minutes=0|season1_playoff_games_played=2|season1_playoff_goals=4|season1_playoff_assists=6|season1_playoff_penalty_minutes=2}}
==Awards and achievements== {{s-start}} {{succession box | before = Shawn Evans | title = NLL Most Valuable Player | years = 2016 | after = Lyle Thompson }} {{succession box | before = Shayne Jackson | title = NLL Most Valuable Player | years = 2022 | after = Christian Del Bianco }} {{s-end}}
* 2013 NLL All Rookie Team * 2016 NLL MVP * 2016 NLL All-League First Team * Holds Buffalo Bandits and NLL single season records for goals (72, 2016), assists (101, 2024),<ref name=":0" /> and points (137, 2016). *2021 PLL Second Team All-Pro<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-09-18 |title=2nd Team All-Pro Midfield |url=https://twitter.com/premierlacrosse/status/1439274660806414339 |access-date=2021-09-19 |website=PLL Twitter |language=en}}</ref> *2021 PLL Champion *2022 NLL MVP *2022 NLL All-League First Team *2023 NLL Cup Champion *2023 NLL Cup MVP *2023 NLL All-League First Team *2024 NLL Cup Champion *2024 NLL All-League Second Team
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://nll_stats.stats.pointstreak.com/playerpage.html?playerid=8246937&seasonid=13569 NLL stats at pointstreak.com] *[https://www.nll.com/player/dhane-smith/#regular NLL.com bio]
{{NLL MVPs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Dhane}} Category:1992 births Category:Living people Category:Black Canadian sportsmen Category:Buffalo Bandits players Category:Canadian expatriate lacrosse people in the United States Category:Canadian lacrosse players Category:Conestoga College alumni Category:Lacrosse forwards Category:Lacrosse midfielders Category:Lacrosse people from Ontario Category:Lacrosse transitions Category:Premier Lacrosse League players Category:Sportspeople from Kitchener, Ontario Category:World Games gold medalists for Canada Category:World Games medalists in lacrosse Category:Medalists at the 2022 World Games