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Thank you for sharing your story. It was interesting to watch.

Man, the Sabres and their fans absolutely HATED Quebec back then. Living in Buffalo, my friends and I thought they were dirty as hell. We always referred to them as "Les Goons."

Right through Chelios legs

As a long time hockey fan Mr. Smith thank you for sharing your story. Its remarkable how you over came obstacles. God Bless You,your story is inspiring.

In 2000, I hade a major head injury. I also had an oddity that spared my life. My fractured skull ruptured an artery. I was home for three and a half days before I was taken to the ER. Everyone thought I was just really sick cuz I was just moody and puking after I ingested anything, and sleeping continuously. You see, no one knew I had a head injury because no one, but a camera saw it happen. Anyway, on the third day, my wife took me to a grocery store so she could find something I might be able to eat. But as it turned out, I emptied everything off of a shelf in some random aisle, crawled on the shelf and went to sleep. I was rushed to the ER. My only memory of any of this is waking up in the hospital recovery room with a Foley catheter bothering me. Not my head. Then I have blurbs of memories for about the next six months or so. Now the oddity is that my brain bleed should have killed me long before I made it home on that first night that my family thought I was ill. But I clotted directly over the bleed, slowing the bleed to just a tiny, slow bleed. Until my neurosurgeon opened my head up. A short surgery ended up being over ten hours. Weeks spent in ICU. Two weeks after returning home I clotted again and was back in the ER and another extended stay in the hospital. Most of my memories around that year to eighteen months, like what I’m sharing now are not my own. I’m sharing memories of that time as I’ve been told time and time again. Enough times my family is tired of telling me. To everyone else, the surgery was the scariest part, to me, not remembering, knowing what happened, why it happened was and still is the scary part. Healing was simply brutal. I’m 57 now. That’s a good thing. But about eight years ago I started losing a bit of time. I passed it off to my family as a bit of daydreaming, as many people daydream. It happened so rarely I didn’t give it a second thought. But four years ago, I started having tonic-clonic seizures. And I was then made aware that I wasn’t daydreaming, I was having absence seizures and at that point they were nearly daily and many of those days were multiple of both types. I was studied and found that my head injury is to blame. I take Lacosamide and Lamotrigine, both twice daily and I have a Vagus Nerve Stimulator ( VNS ) implanted and haven’t had a TC seizure since. But I still have the absence, just not quite as frequent, but still random and many times per week. So, that night in 2000 took its time but it took away my ability to hold a job, my ability to safely drive, and my ability to be alone with my grandkids. And that camera that was the only witness to my injury was at a bar. Some random guy hit me with something in my head. The police said they couldn’t tell who it was or what he hit me with but they could see I wasn’t even looking at him when it happened. The sad part is that my wife and I weren’t there to drink. I don’t drink and my wife has a couple maybe twice per year. We were their to congratulate her sister and brother-in-law as they purchased their house that morning. We were on our way out and as I followed my wife, she thought I tripped. She helped me up, we went home and the family thought I caught some stomach bug. The rest, you already know. I didn’t have a professional team help with my immediate or after care. I didn’t have professional athlete money to help my family make ends meet. I didn’t have a professional league full of players and ancillary employees sending best wishes. I also didn’t have after care in which mental health and other professionals were wanting to help me heal emotionally. What I had was a guy that was never found, a bank we couldn’t pay, a job I couldn’t keep and a lifetime of brand new medical bills from an injury twenty-five years ago this month. I’m glad Doug is doing what he’s doing with his platform. But I do disagree with his speaking down on what it took for him mentally to make it to the top of his CHOSEN profession. He chose that life. Sure, he was young, a child. Funny how he doesn’t needle out blame to his family, mother that taught him how to think that everything was possible. Coaches, players, teams…everyone else. Mom knew hockey had a modicum of danger. Everyone eventually knows. The reason Doug has this platform to speak in a condescending tone is because he played in the best hockey league in the entire world. It’s a tragedy things ended the way they did. It’s because of hockey he met his wife, and has the family he and his wife made. Remember that.

Hey Doug! So great to see and hear you after 30 years! I was a fan and a friend in LA. We played paddle tennis at Venice Beach and ping pong at my place and watched a Laker game at yours with your Laker’s Girl girlfriend. Great Story and happy for you. I’ll share this with Pete D. Rick Tharp

Thanks Doug

Inspiring... I’m glad I stumbled upon this. Thank you.

I grew up on the shores too, and played river hockey. Im a no contact game of friends a guy ran me into the boards, he was elite player operating on instinct i think. Not seriously injured but the memory of that violence is my last memory of hockey. Still a fan but its brutal game.

Making the show was a dream of mine as a child. I did have some talent but it wasn't in my cards. At 48 i still think of it, you made the show. Thats all that matters. Be very proud of that and carry on. I still envy anyone. Who played even one shift. Let alone several seasons. I can only imagine lining up beside some of the greats. Back when hockey was still hockey.

I'm all for challenging the shooter but all the way out to the hash marks is insane😂😂😂

Thank you for this.I have been sober for 21 years. I thank GOD everyday I was addicted to OxyContin.I was doing 500 MG A DAY.And when I had no more I was very sick. I started drinking hard stuff to dull my withdrawals.After years of killing myself my family had an intervention. I have been sober 21 years. I lost my daughter 7 years ago. She thought she was taking a Percocet. It was fentanyl. Worst day of my life.I wanted to find the person who gave it to my daughter and do whatever.Thank god I did not. Doug good luck the,rest of your life and Merry XMAS.

Gilbert Perreault - as good as it gets in a hockey player. End of discussion.

Great story, stay strong.

A little Trivia for you - At the same time in & in the same city (Los Angeles) there were 2 guys named Doug Smith playing for major professional sports teams representing the city. This Doug played for the Kings, and the other Doug Smith was the Center for the LA Rams. This is quite rare. Only two other times in recent history. Seattle had 2 Ken Griffey's playing for the same baseball team (Seattle Mariners), they were father and son. The city of Charlotte N.C. had a Steve Smith on their basketball team (Bobcats) and their NFL team (Panthers) in the same year.

I don't remember Kent Nilsson playing for the North Stars

Awesome Content

Great fake. Goalie was to too far out and toast

When I was younger I wanted to be a juggler, but I didn't have the balls to do it.

Nice. Those are traumatic injuries

This is a great video Doug. You were a great player. In today’s game you would have been a force. Thanks for the great message and all the best.

Powerful messages across the board. Very motivation and helpful information. Keep up the good work 👏

Man do I miss the Nordiques.

Sabres always struggled at Quebec. Quebec would always try to intimidate….especially after Playfair was traded. Love watching old channel 2 Sabres games. Where’s Ed Kilgore.

I think this is the game Buffalo ended a 16 game winless streak in Quebec. It ended 8-4

I have a Daryl Evan’s Canadien Hockey Stick. His brother Tom was good too

Nice clip of the hey day Sabres.

Nice game!

How's that for bad goaltending?

Mike McEwan former Colorado Rockies great! Was part of the Barry Beck deal with the Rangers

Love to see it!!!!

WOW

I will never forget the night of April 10, 1982. I was the only fan of the LA Kings in the Province of Quebec! It was 1 am in Montreal and when Evans scored, my parents thought i was having a seizure!! Good times!!

I have Steve Christoff's rookie card. It's awesome with the American flag in the top corner for the U.S. Olympic players. Almost a two line pass there on that goal.

That was Dale Hunter

Gilbert Perreault's last NHL assist was on a Wilf Paiement goal on Nov. 15, 1986 in Montreal.

1988/02/05 Doug Smith. I have an audio tape of this game off of Maple Leaf radio. Joe Bowen the PBP guy couldn't believe it.

Bafolo vs NYR

nice footage!!

Love it!!

Great pass!

What a WONDERFUL story Doug Smith is...I never knew..

I know it was many years ago,...but WHO CARES..???!! YEAH BABY..!! GO KINGS..!! I NEVER KNEW about Doug Smith testimony,..He's an amazing & courageous man..!!!

12/27/84 ended up a 6-6 tie

That grill is legendary

What year is this from?

I love Grant Fuhrs mask. Those masks were iconic

Loved watching you play at the Fabulous Forum when I was a kid. Could've even been at this game. Remember a few good scraps as well.

Hey, where did you happen to get this footage? I have a some LA kings footage with Smith playing if your interested

You really need to consider grammar and sentence structure when making video titles, this one is absurdly misleading.