VEGAS AND THE KEEGZ CONNECTION

There are some sporting venues that immediately make you think you’ve arrived somewhere special. Augusta. Wimbledon. Madison Square Garden. Then there are others that make you wonder whether somebody forgot to take down the badminton nets before opening the doors.

Thankfully for Canadian oche legend Jeff Smith, the 2026 WDF World Masters in Las Vegas belonged firmly in the first category.

At 50 years old, the Saint John native has seen plenty throughout a career that has included a PDC Tour Card, five appearances for Canada at the PDC World Cup of Darts and enough international travel to qualify for his own dedicated airport lounge.

Yet strangely, for a man with more familiarity with airports than a dog has with its own bollocks, things rarely go entirely to plan for Jeff Smith.

While The Silencer usually – yet eventually – manages to arrive where he intends, his luggage often seems to have ambitions of its own, frequently ending up somewhere so far away it might as well have stopped off on the Moon before eventually finding its way back to him.

It has reached the point where Smith’s annual toiletries bill probably outweighs his airline fees.

Yet, all that aside, The Silencer seemed pleasantly surprised by what greeted him in Sin City.

“I’d probably give it eight-and-a-half out of ten. I didn’t know much about it going in, but the venue was absolutely off the charts.”

That assessment carried a bit more weight than your average Facebook comment section expert who once played in a pub doubles tournament and now believes they should be consulted on every major darts decision. Smith has been around the block. If he says something is impressive, it generally means it is.

The setup certainly sounded unique. While most darts tournaments are tucked away in convention centres or sports halls, this one was planted directly in the middle of a functioning casino. Slot machines were ringing, tourists were wandering around clutching oversized cocktails and somewhere between the roulette tables and blackjack dealers, elite level darts was taking place.

“The stage was based in the centre of the casino. You had people on the slots and a darts match going on. Full LED setup. Very appealing for casino-goers. I wouldn’t be surprised if the PDC came knocking.”

That’s quite the endorsement. After all, the PDC have spent years trying to create sporting spectacles. Vegas effectively said, “Hold my beer,” before placing a darts stage in the middle of organised gambling.

Not everything was perfect. Smith freely admits he wasn’t thrilled when the event dates were first announced. The World Masters clashed with a CDC weekend, leaving many North American players facing an awkward choice.

“I wasn’t happy with the timeframe at first. But after looking at the logistics carefully, knew it could be done so I could also head to Indianapolis and play the CDC Tour weekend afterwards.”

However, unlike many social media critics whose greatest achievement is typing in capital letters and declaring every decision “an absolute disgrace“, Smith also understood the realities facing the organisers. The event’s previous home had effectively been pulled from beneath their feet at relatively short notice, leaving the WDF hierarchy scrambling around for a Plan B

“I know the figures and what they pulled off in that short amount of time was incredible. It was basically the only option.”

For Canadian and American players, the move offered a rare change of scenery. Usually, major opportunities involve expensive trips across the Atlantic. This time the Europeans were the ones reaching for the calculator and quietly sobbing into their travel budgets.

“We’re used to spending a fortune to go to Europe. That’s just part of being a North American player.”

Most importantly, Smith believes the event deserves time to grow.

“If it was only a one-year deal, it would have been a terrible decision. But it’s a three-year deal. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”

And for Smith personally, the trip got even better. Teaming up with Keegan Brown after first discussing the idea at MODUS, the pair claimed victory in the Toronto Golden Open before heading to Vegas.

“Keegz is such a comfortable guy. He’s a social butterfly and a very likeable kid.”

That he most certainly is.

Then came the Cricket Singles. Matt Edgar had been enjoying a tremendous tournament. Jeff Smith politely informed him he hoped he was ready.

Then The Silencer did what The Silencer has spent most of his career doing.

“Yeah I smashed him!”

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE (PLEASE TURN IT DOWN)

If Las Vegas represented the glamorous side of darts, the highly efficient well-oiled machine which is the CDC Tour quickly reminded everyone that the sport is still perfectly capable of descending into complete and utter chaos at a moment’s notice.

Following his Vegas success, Jeff arrived at the latest CDC weekend fully expecting to challenge for titles. Which is hardly a revolutionary concept. The Silencer has never been the sort of player who enters tournaments hoping for a pleasant day out and a participation certificate.

“When I go into those events, I expect to win everything I play.”

That mindset immediately paid dividends. Day one saw Smith reach the semi-finals before eventually running into USA’s current version of Luke Littler – except a little older.

“I played Adam [Sevada] in the semi-final. He’s probably playing the best darts of anybody in North America right now.”

After a sensible early night, which in darts terminology means being in bed before sunrise, Smith returned for day two looking to go one better. Instead, he got Guns N’ Roses. Painfully loud Guns N’ Roses.

The kind of loud where your internal organs start vibrating in rhythm with the bass line.

Smith had reached another semi-final, this time against Brayden Hall. As he prepared for battle, Welcome to the Jungle began booming around the venue with all the subtlety of a freight train crashing through a conservatory.

“It was uncomfortably loud.”

Now, there are many things darts players can cope with. Hostile crowds. Pressure doubles. Long travel days. Social media experts who average 38 and believe they could beat Luke Humphries on a good night.

What they generally struggle with is trying to throw darts while Axl Rose appears to be screaming directly into their ear. The matter was raised with player representative Gary Mawson, better known as The Mauler. A perfectly reasonable request was made. Then another.

Nothing changed. Smith stepped to the oche needing a finish. A couple of chucks later, he was still there. Well, that is until Brayden Hall compounded the silver haired fox’s misery.

“I asked once. I asked twice. Then I missed seven darts at a double.”

The issue was addressed the following morning, but another frustration followed. During a later match against Sevada, Smith found himself distracted by announcements and conversations coming from the control area.

“All I could hear was Peter Cetera talking.”

For clarity, Cetera is essentially Mr CDC. He is to the organisation what croissants and men cycling around with strings of onions around their necks are to France: completely synonymous with it. Smith, however, is equally keen to make clear that he has absolutely no personal issue with Peter.

“I love Peter to bits and the CDC staff always do an amazing job.”

His concern was simply the environment.

“The music being so loud, well it was unprofessional in a professional setting. We are used to some background tunes, but not like this.”

The frustration stemmed from the stakes involved. CDC events are not casual knockabouts. Players are competing for ranking points, major opportunities and potentially a route to the grandest stage of then all.

“You’re playing for an Ally Pally spot. It could cost someone fifteen thousand pounds.”

Yep. Money you get for simply turning up there. However, Smith remains hugely supportive of the CDC and everyone involved.

But if there is one lesson from the weekend, it is this. When Welcome to the Jungle comes on next time, perhaps leave it for after the match has finished.

BUILDING AN EMPIRE, ONE VAULT AT A TIME

Most professional darts players eventually reach a stage where they start looking for a quieter life. A few exhibitions here. The odd tournament there. Perhaps a spot of fishing, a round of golf or an unhealthy obsession with lawn maintenance.

Jeff Smith, however, appears to have looked at retirement planning and decided that helping build a national darts structure across one of the biggest countries on the planet sounded considerably more relaxing.

The Silencer has already done most things a Canadian darts player can realistically dream of. Yet instead of simply enjoying the fruits of that success, he’s now helping shape the next generation through ADC Canada.

“I’ve been the lead for ADC Canada and was responsible for getting that organisation to come here.”

That sounds straightforward enough until you remember that Canada is absolutely enormous. European readers often underestimate quite how large it is.

In Britain, driving three hours can take you through multiple counties, several accents and at least one service station selling overpriced sandwiches. In Canada, three hours can barely get you out of the street you live on. And that’s not because a moose is blocking the road.

That’s why Smith and his team have taken a measured approach to the rollout.

“Everything is in place now and we’ll start releasing information shortly.”

Rather than attempting to launch one giant national structure overnight, ADC Canada is being developed region by region. It’s a strategy built on common sense, which immediately makes it quite unusual in modern sport.

“We’re breaking it down into regions rather than trying to force a national version straight away.”

“The Maritime Provinces will form one of the initial areas, grouping Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island together while other regions establish their own pathways and competitions.”

It might not sound glamorous, but successful sporting structures are rarely built through glamour. They’re built through planning, organisation and hundreds of hours spent dealing with things that would make most people immediately reach for a strong drink.

Alongside the regional setup, another major focus is introducing the Vault system, which has become a cornerstone of ADC development elsewhere around the world.

“We’re getting the Vault system going and getting players up to speed with everything.”

For years, North American darts players have often found themselves trapped between ambition and geography. The talent has always existed. The opportunities haven’t always matched. That’s why Smith sees ADC Canada as something bigger than another tournament series. He’s trying to help build infrastructure.

The sort of thing that nobody notices when it’s working properly but everybody complains about the second it disappears.

“We’re trying to create something sustainable.”

And perhaps that’s the key word of all. Sustainable. Not a quick fix. Not a flashy announcement. Not a project that burns brightly for six months before quietly disappearing into the sporting wilderness. A genuine pathway for future players.

The Silencer spent years helping put Canadian darts on the map. Now he’s helping make sure the next generation can actually find their way onto it.

PLANES, PRO TOURS AND PICKING YOUR BATTLES

One of the biggest misconceptions in darts is that every player secretly dreams of chasing the professional tour forever.

Fans often assume that if a player is still capable of averaging big numbers, then surely they should be entering every event, boarding every flight and relentlessly pursuing ranking points until somebody physically removes the darts from their hand.

The reality is often rather different.

For Jeff Smith, life at 50 looks considerably different from life at 30. The competitive fire remains very much intact, but so too does the appreciation of everything that comes with being based in Saint John, New Brunswick rather than living permanently out of a suitcase.

That doesn’t mean he’s slowing down anytime soon. In a couple of months, Smith will once again be making the familiar trip across the Atlantic for a series of exhibitions – not the sort involving jazz hands and standing ovations in London’s West End, but the darting variety.

The journey will also include a return to what has become something of a second home: England’s south coast.

“I’m over at the end of September for a couple of exhibitions in Croydon and Bournemouth.”

The line-up isn’t exactly lacking star power either. Jonny Clayton, Josh Rock, Gary Anderson, Rob Cross, Steve Beaton and Cristo Reyes are all booked to appear. For most darts fans, that’s the sort of field that would justify a lengthy road trip. For Smith, it’s simply another entry in the diary.

Following those exhibitions comes another stint at the MODUS Super Series, a competition that has become one of the most recognisable proving grounds in world darts.

The key phrase there is “life on tour.”

Because while plenty of people enjoy the glamour of watching professional darts on television, very few appreciate the sacrifices required behind the scenes. The bright lights and walk-ons are wonderful. The airports at five o’clock in the morning are somewhat less magical.

“It’s different for me being a Canadian. If I was on a PDC Pro Tour which took place on Monday and Tuesday, I’d have to leave Saturday morning”

A British player can often drive to an event and be home the same evening. A Canadian player frequently has to factor in flights, hotels, time zones, family commitments and travel costs that could make a small country’s finance minister break into a cold sweat.

Smith has lived that reality for years and points to fellow Canadian as an example of the commitment required.

“Jim Long is living proof of it. When you have a family, you give up so much.”

It’s one of the reasons Smith has become increasingly selective about where and when he competes. The desire to play remains strong, but experience has taught him that opportunities and sacrifices must be weighed equally.

“I’m happy living in Canada. I like being able to pick and choose what I play.

“My wife and I did once have the discussion once about relocating to the UK. But at the time, my daughter was graduating, and Rachel prefers life in Canada too much.”

Don’t blame her. Wild roaming moose aside, it sounds much better than this badly run nation.

That freedom is something many players spend years trying to achieve. It allows Smith to remain competitive, continue representing Canadian darts and still enjoy a life away from airports, rental cars and badly cooked hotel breakfast buffets.

The Silencer has already climbed the mountain.

Now he gets to decide which hills are worth climbing next.

SILENT BUT DEADLY

Every great nickname has a story behind it.

Some are intimidating. Some are ridiculous. Some are created after years of sporting excellence. Others emerge after a particularly unfortunate haircut and refuse to disappear for the next twenty years.

Fortunately for Jeff Smith, The Silencer falls firmly into the first category.

The nickname has followed him throughout a career that has seen him become one of the most recognisable figures in Canadian darts. It’s appeared on television stages, World Cup shirts and tournament posters across the globe.

Yet unlike many sporting nicknames that are carefully manufactured by marketing departments and focus groups, this one arrived completely organically.

The credit belongs to an old friend.

“It came from Kenny McNeill.”

Back in 2008, Smith had stepped away from the game. Darts was no longer occupying the same place in his life and competitive appearances had become increasingly rare. Many players drift away quietly and never return. Others convince themselves they can still do it before discovering reality has other ideas.

Jeff Smith chose a different route. He simply came back and won.

“I’d stopped playing and decided to come back and play the Nationals.”

No warm-up tour. No lengthy comeback campaign. No dramatic documentary series following his return to competitive action.

He walked back into the Canadian National Championships and promptly claimed the Singles title. Kenny McNeill watched the whole thing unfold and came up with an observation that perfectly captured what everyone else was seeing.

“He said it was like I was picking people off from the top of a hill.”

And just like that, The Silencer was born.

So, there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. Not exactly Jeff Smith: This Is Your Life, but hopefully you learned something new along the way. I certainly did. For starters, I had absolutely no idea he was 50. He looks half that age. Make the cheque payable to Paul Woodage, mate; I’ll text you the address.

Thank you once again to someone I’m genuinely proud to call a friend. Jeff is a world-class darts player and, far more importantly, an all-round thoroughly decent chap.

He possesses the sort of sophistication, charm and sex appeal that would make James Bond hand in his licence to kill, move into a bedsit and start claiming social welfare.