Smrke started his
National Hockey League career with the
Montreal Canadiens in
1956. He was the first Yugoslavian-born player ever to play in the NHL. Smrke played his entire NHL career (9 games) with the Habs. Over his career, he scored a total of three assists before being dropped by the team. His final season in the NHL was the
1957–58 season. After leaving the NHL, he was sent to the minor leagues and became a member of the
Rochester Americans. He is currently ranked fifth all-time in the Rochester Americans Hall of Fame. ==Personal life==