Barry Smith entered the coaching ranks in 1975 as head coach at Elmira College in New York. While earning a Master's Degree in education, his clubs won three Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference titles and twice were NCAA Division Three Finalists. Moving to Europe, Smith coached in Sweden from 1981 through 1984 and Norway from '84 through '86, serving as an assistant on the Norwegian Club in the World Championships. Barry Smith came to Detroit on July 28, 1993, after being an assistant at Pittsburgh for three seasons, first under the late Bob Johnson and then two years with Coach Scotty Bowman while the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup titles in 1991 and 1992. Smith also spent three years as an assistant in Buffalo with coach Bowman. Smith is best known for installing his "Left Wing Lock" defensive system after the Red Wings' 1993 season in which their goals against average was 3.24. It paid dividends as last year's goals against was first in the NHL at 2.19.
