Original Misfit Returns! Reilly Smith Reunited with Golden Knights

It’s a reunion we all wondered about— on Thursday, the Vegas Golden Knights traded Brendan Brisson and a 2025 third-round pick to the New York Rangers for Reilly Smith. 

Smith has been held out of the past three Rangers games for roster management purposes, so you have to think this was a long time coming. And it makes sense—we all know how Smith fits into the lineup and with this group. 

I’m not going to beat around the bush, and I’m not going to force professionalism. This is a great trade. The Golden Knights never really managed to replace what Smith brought to the lineup or what he means to the team. Smith is a bit of a unicorn, a rare combination. He’s a skilled player who truly loves playing for the team and the community of people that they represent. 

Head coach Bruce Cassidy doesn’t know if Smith will play tomorrow against the Pittsburgh Penguins, but it’s hard to imagine that he’ll struggle when he does suit back up for the Golden Knights. Smith spent six years in Vegas and did so very successfully. 

So, let’s get into the nitty gritty and look at the trade details.

Golden Knights Get Smith Back

Jokes and nostalgia aside, you had to wonder about a reunion. Smith was–is, rather– exactly what this Golden Knights team needed, and Kelly McCrimmon didn’t give up much to get him.

Brendan Brisson was the Golden Knights’ first-round pick in 2020. He’s 23 and hasn’t managed to cement himself in the NHL lineup. Brisson still has loads of potential, but that doesn’t fit the Golden Knights’ mold, does it? The Golden Knights don’t bother with crystal balls– they’re more concerned about the present, and Brisson wasn’t part of it.

Smith, on the other hand, will be an immediate impact player. The Golden Knights needed scoring, and Smith is ol’ reliable in that department. Despite his two-year absence, Smith is all over the franchise leaderboards. His 124 goals rank third; he’s third in goals at even-strength with 85, fourth in power play goals with 27, and second in shorthanded goals with 11. Smith is fifth in points with 286, and he’s tied for fifth in assists with 162. 

It’s hard to predict where he’ll slot into the lineup when everyone is healthy, and that’s not a bad thing. You can never have too much depth; that’s a very, very good problem to have. When the Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup in 2023, they did it largely by committee. Smith, of course, played a big role– he was seventh in scoring during that run, so he wasn’t the chairman, but he was certainly a member of the board.

Reilly Smith never wanted to leave Vegas. Everyone, including Smith, was shocked when the Golden Knights traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the summer of 2023. But now, that wrong has been righted.

Rangers Get Pick, Prospect

Reilly Smith wasn’t what the New York Rangers thought he was going to be. To be fair to Smith, I’m not so sure that the Rangers used him correctly. They used him most as a first-line right-winger alongside Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad. It’s also worth mentioning that Zibanejad is having one of the worst seasons of his life. But I digress.

The Rangers traded Smith back to the Golden Knights for a 2025 third-round pick and a prospect that hasn’t yet panned out. For the Golden Knights, this is a slam dunk. But as far as the Rangers are concerned, this year’s Trade Deadline is a seller’s market. I imagine they could have gotten more for Smith. But, again, I digress.

The Golden Knights drafted Brendan Brisson with the 29th overall pick in 2020. Brisson has struggled to crack the NHL lineup. He has appeared in 24 NHL games with the Golden Knights, with two goals and six assists. This year in the AHL, he has just five goals and 19 points in 45 games. 

If the Golden Knights make a deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, that third-rounder they traded starts looking more and more like an early fourth. Again, for the Golden Knights, this trade was a no-brainer. But for the Rangers, this just looks like another case of poor asset management.

Final Thoughts

The Golden Knights needed scoring. Their penalty kill is slowly improving but is still ranked 20th in the league at 76.8%. Smith checks all those boxes, and I can’t imagine he’ll be slow to find his footing. He knows the Golden Knights, and he knows Cassidy’s system. The best years of his career were in a Golden Knights sweater. I imagine he’ll pick up right where he left off.

“It’s a good addition for us,” said Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy. “He’s a veteran guy; he knows how we play, he knows the room, and he knows our expectations. We’re happy to have him back.”