The Rapid City Rush have announced that they have received rookie forward Chaz Smedsrud from the Allen Americans in exchange for future considerations.
Junior and Collegiate Career
Chaz Smedsrud started his junior career in the 2016-17 season with the Notre Dame Hounds of the SJHL. In his two seasons with the Hounds, he played in 103 games where he had 44 goals and 50 assists for 94 points with 40 penalty minutes. The Hounds made the playoffs in both seasons. Smedsrud was with them; he played in 12 playoff games, where he had seven goals and nine assists for 16 points with 18 penalty minutes. Smedsrud then played for the Madison Capitols in the USHL in the 2018-19 season, playing in 62 games where he had 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 points. He had 16 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of -18.
Smedsrud spent his collegiate career at Union College playing Division I hockey. He spent five seasons at Union but only played in four seasons because of the college opting out of play in the 2020-21 season due to COVID. In his four seasons of playing, Smedsrud played in 141 games, where he had 29 goals and 33 assists for 62 points. He had 32 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of -20. Smedsrud was on the ECAC Hockey All-Academic Team in all five seasons at Union. He was also an assistant captain for the team in the 2023-24 season. While at Union, Smedsrud played with current Rapid City Rush goaltender Connor Murphy from 2021-23.
Professional Career
After completing his collegiate career in the 2023-24 season, Smedsrud signed with the Allen Americans in the ECHL to finish his season. Smedsrud played in nine games with the Americans, scoring three goals and adding four assists for seven points. He had two penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +1. He also scored one goal in four playoff games. He had two penalty minutes and a plus/minus of 0.
The 6’2″ forward from Luverne, Minnesota, is coming to the Rush after playing in three games with the Americans, in which he did not have any points or penalty minutes and had a plus/minus of -4.
Smedsrud is a forward who will help add more size to the Rush and is not afraid to play the puck. Smedsrud is still a rookie, so it may take a couple of games for him to find his spot on the team. But once Smedsrud finds his role on the team, he should be a great forward for the Rush. Smedsrud is not afraid to shoot the puck or attack it.
