[1] On June 6, 2013, Smaby signed his first European contract on a one-year deal with EHC München of the German Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).

[2] Prior to the 2014–15 season, Smaby signed a professional tryout contract with the Arizona Coyotes but was released on October 4, 2014,[3] and returned to EHC München.

After earning his degree in 2019, he returned to Europe as an assistant coach with EC Red Bull Salzburg of Erste Bank Eishockey Liga (EBEL).

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Smaby returned to the United States in 2020 and coached youth hockey in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

On July 27, 2021, he was hired as the head coach of the Waterloo Black Hawks, a Tier I junior team in the United States Hockey League (USHL).