Born August 24, 1946, Smokey was a career minor league netminder in the Detroit Red Wings' organization, playing with four AHL and one CHL team in his first two seasons of professional hockey. Then, during the 1970-71 season, McLeod got the call and joined the Red Wings, supplanting Jim Rutherford and Roy Edwards in the Detroit goal. Challenged with a struggling Detroit team, Smokey's goals against average was an inflated 5.16. Ironically, that same season, while playing with Fort Worth of the CHL, McLeod was part of a tandem that won the Terry Sawchuk Trophy for allowing the fewest goals against.

The next season, 1971-72, Smokey was chosen by the Philadelpha Flyers in the reverse draft, and spent the season with the Flyers as well as Richmond and Providence of the AHL. Smokey McLeod jumped to the WHA at its inauguration in 1972-73, playing with the Houston Aeros. In 1973-74, McLeod led the Aeros to the WHA championship, turning in a performance that saw him chosen First Team All-Star and Ben Hatskin Trophy recipient as the WHA's top goaltender. That fall, McLeod, along with Gerry Cheevers and Gilles Gratton, was selected to represent Team Canada at the 1974 Summit Series versus the Soviets. Unfortunately, Smokey played in just one game but was rocked with 8 goals against the Soviet team. McLeod spent six seasons in all as a WHA goaltender, with stints in Vancouver, Calgary, Quebec and Edmonton as well as Houston.

Courtesy of the Hockey Hall of Fame