Devante Smith-Pelly
Born June 14, 1992 (age 19) in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
Left winger for the Anaheim Ducks
This kid’s had a wild rookie season so far! Devante began playing with the Mississauga-St. Michael’s Majors in 2008, where he had 13 goals and 12 assists in the 57 games he played. He even scored the game-winning goal against the Barrie Colts in the 2009 playoffs – that game had gone to triple overtime! The next year was even better with 29 goals and 33 assists in 60 games. That was good enough to be picked in the second round by the Anaheim Ducks in 2010. He stayed for a third season with the Majors, racking up 36 goals in 67 games and leading them to the OHL Championship, where they lost to the Owen Sound Attack. Because they were hosting the 2011 Memorial Cup tournament, they were automatically allowed in it, and they were beaten by the Attack again in the finals.
He made the team in Anaheim right out of training camp this season, and he’d had 3 goals and 2 assists in 26 games before the Ducks loaned him to Team Canada for the World Junior Championships in Calgary and Edmonton. But bad news came from the World Juniors on December 26th, when Devante broke a bone in his foot while blocking a shot during their game against Finland. He was expected to be out 4-6 weeks, and rather than go back to Anaheim immediately to get better, he stayed in Alberta to cheer on his teammates.
I can only guess how bad it hurt to watch his team play and not be able to join them.
Get better soon, Devante. Ducks Nation misses you!
- Krista
