Givani Smith Wasn’t Disappointed To Get Waived by Sharks, Happy With More Opportunity on Avs (+)

Givani Smith was expecting a trade.

On Dec. 8, the San Jose Sharks waived Smith. But he wasn’t, as you might expect, disappointed.

“I mean, it looks like that, but a lot of like transactional paperwork stuff [was] the reason why it was done that way,” he told San Jose Hockey Now on Thursday, before the Sharks took on his new team, the Colorado Avalanche. “I guess it’s part of the business, and I was happy to be where I’m at now.”

Smith cleared waivers, which actually upped his trade value — his new team now had a limited ability to shuttle him back and forth between the NHL and AHL without exposing him to waivers again.

The physical 6-foot-2 winger didn’t know where he was going when he was waived, but he found out the next day, when the San Jose Sharks traded him, goalie Mackenzie Blackwood, and a 2025 fifth-round pick to Colorado for Nikolai Kovalenko, Alexandar Georgiev, a 2026 second, and a conditional 2025 fifth.

The trade was announced after the Sharks practiced on Dec. 9.

Understandably, Smith was not on the ice for practice, though he was at Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale, where the Sharks were practicing.

“I didn’t skate that day,” he said. “A lot going through my head.”

Conspicuously, Blackwood was on the ice for practice, suggesting that the trade wasn’t completed until that afternoon, as GM Mike Grier was seen around the practice facility basically tied to his phone.

Smith didn’t know for sure, but he was pleased with his new destination.

“It was a good day, for sure. Happened pretty fast,” Smith said. “I guess [Blackwood and I are] both excited for the outcome.”

For his part, Mackenzie Blackwood said that he knew a trade was coming, he just wasn’t expecting it so soon in the season.

Smith is excited to return to a contender. He signed with the San Jose Sharks as a free agent in the summer of 2023, coming off a Stanley Cup Final appearance with the Florida Panthers.

“I came there, coming from Florida,” Smith said. “So it’s nice to be back on the other side.”

He’s also happy with the opportunity that he’s already been afforded with the Avs.

Mostly a healthy scratch in teal this season, Smith dressed for just six games through two months in San Jose. The enforcer scored zero points but got into two fights.

In Colorado, he’s already gone up and down between the NHL and AHL, appearing in four games with the Avalanche in just the last 11 days. He has no points and six PIMS.

“It’s good. I’m playing more, more involved. I’m excited for that,” the pending UFA, 26, said.

Smith skated 4:47 in a 4-2 Colorado victory over San Jose on Thursday.

Perhaps, the Sharks could’ve used the pugilist last Saturday, when Utah Hockey Club was getting away with some questionable hits on Macklin Celebrini and Mikael Granlund and company.

All said though, Smith sees a bright future for the San Jose Sharks, after last year’s disaster area of a season.

“My first year, last year was kind of, it was pretty crazy, but this second year has gone a lot better for the team, for sure,” he said. “And as the young guys and everything start getting more pieces and start to mature, it’ll be a good team.”