Smith attended La Follette High School in Madison, Wisconsin playing for head coach Jeff Weum and leading the team in scoring as a freshman.

His junior year of high school he ended up being drafted by the Waterloo Black Hawks of the USHL.

[5] Smith also participated at the 2011 IIHF World Championship as a member of the United States men's national ice hockey team.

Smith spent the beginning of the 2012/13 season playing for KalPa of the SM-I in Finland due to the 2012 NHL Lockout.

The Predators made him a qualifying offer to retain his NHL rights and, on July 5, 2015, Smith filed for Salary Arbitration.

On February 23, 2023, Smith (along with 3 draft picks) was traded from the Bruins to the Washington Capitals in exchange for Garnet Hathaway and Dmitry Orlov.

[14] After one season with the Dallas Stars, Smith again became a free agent and signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks on July 1, 2024.