Golden Knights Get Smith Back from Rangers in Exchange for Young Player, Draft Pick
The Vegas Golden Knights have reunited with a familiar face, acquiring forward Reilly Smith from the New York Rangers in a trade completed on Mar. 6. In exchange, Vegas sent prospect Brendan…
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 13: Reilly Smith #19 of the Vegas Golden Knights hoists the Stanley Cup after a win against the Florida Panthers in Game Five of the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on June 13, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The Vegas Golden Knights have reunited with a familiar face, acquiring forward Reilly Smith from the New York Rangers in a trade completed on Mar. 6. In exchange, Vegas sent prospect Brendan Brisson and a 2025 third-round draft pick to New York, with the Rangers retaining 50% of Smith's $3.75 million salary cap hit.
The 33-year-old was a key factor in the Golden Knights' success in his first stint from 2017 through 2023, even in their 2023 Stanley Cup championship run. He is back in Las Vegas after brief spells with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Rangers, helping to fill out the team's offensive depth.
“When you get traded, there's always so much new change, not just the stuff on the ice, but everything around it,” Smith said. “So to be able to come back here and have so much familiarity, it definitely feels like coming home a little bit.”
The trade came right before the Mar. 7 NHL trade deadline, with the third-place Golden Knights in the Western Conference hoping to bolster their roster for a playoff push. Smith has 10 goals and 19 assists (29 points) in 58 games this season, providing steady scoring depth. His return fits with his previous comments about wanting to end his career in Vegas, further solidifying his connections to the franchise and the community.
As for the Rangers' side, Brisson — a first-round pick of 2020 — has been unable to find footing in the NHL, amassing only two goals and eight points in 24 games with Vegas. The Rangers sent him to their AHL affiliate in Hartford to polish his game. The move also fits New York's overall strategy of targeting younger talent to maximize salary cap flexibility.
For Vegas, this trade aligns with the team's aggressive approach. Since 2017, they have traded away most of their first-round picks in pursuit of championship-caliber talent. Now that the trade deadline has passed, the Golden Knights are focused on integrating Smith back into their system as they make their playoff push.
