LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Frozen Four has arrived in Las Vegas for the first time, and for Golden Knights forward Cole Smith, the moment feels personal.
Smith, a North Dakota alum, is watching his former program return to college hockey’s biggest stage — a reminder of where his own path began.
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“Yeah, I mean, it’s awesome,” Smith said. “I was there for four years and the culture there…I follow them all the time.”
North Dakota is one of four teams competing for a national title this week, bringing a wave of familiar faces and memories back into focus for Smith — even as he remains on the road with Vegas.
“I’ve got a lot of guys that have messaged me that I played with from back in the day that are coming into town to watch it,” Smith said. “And I think the special thing with North Dakota is how well their fans travel and how proud everybody is that’s played there.”
That connection — between players, alumni and fans — is what Smith says separates the college game, and particularly his time in Grand Forks.
“I feel like college hockey, I just had such a tight bond with everybody you play with,” Smith said. “Especially when you get to experience college with guys for two, three, even four years…you become so tight, and you’re in such a small community — it’s amazing.”
Smith’s journey to the NHL wasn’t guaranteed. Undrafted out of college, he worked his way up through the minor leagues before earning a consistent role — a path he credits in part to his development at North Dakota.
“I think college hockey in general shaped everything for me going forward,” Smith said. “With the development process, especially at North Dakota, it meant everything.”
Now in Vegas, Smith is part of a Golden Knights team finding momentum late in the season. The group has won four straight games under new head coach John Tortorella, leaning into a faster, more physical style of play.
“He just wants to get us back to playing with our swagger,” Smith said. “Playing with our confidence and getting that identity back.”
While the Golden Knights continue their road trip, the Frozen Four unfolds in a city that has quickly embraced the sport.
For Smith, though, the spotlight in Las Vegas carries a different weight — one tied to the program that helped shape him, and the pride that still follows it.
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