The Golden Knights Have Succesfully Re-Acquired Reilly Smith

The Golden Knights Have Successfully Re-Acquired Reilly Smith

Insert “he’s back” meme here! Reilly Smith one and a half years after winning the Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights is officially on his way back to Vegas. Smith heads back to the Sin City in a trade with the Rangers that will send a San Jose 2025 third and prospect Brendan Brisson to the Rangers.

Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff was the first to report the news:

Trade details, per sources:

To #VegasBorn:
Reilly Smith

To #NYR:
Brendan Brisson
2025 SJS 3rd Round Pick

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) March 6, 2025

The Rangers will also retain 50% on the final year of Smith’s contract bringing it down to $1.85 million. The Penguins are also retaining from the original trade when they sent Smith to New York. The $5 million original AAV is down to $1.85 million after double retention.

Reilly Smith Thought ‘Career Was Over’ Before Joining Expansion Golden Knights

Hard to hate this deal for the Golden Knights. Smith, 33, previously won a Stanley Cup with the team and knows the system well. He’s also defensive minded and has chemistry with guys like William Karlsson. He was a great fit under Bruce Cassidy playing that 200-foot game and contributing on the PK. It just feels right to have Smith back on the team. Especially when you consider the one hole on the team is depth scoring.

In case Knights fans forget who this guy is… pic.twitter.com/Nw6wlj8zoU

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) March 6, 2025

For the Rangers, they get a high third round pick back and will attempt to give Brisson a change of scenary. Brisson is a former first round pick but he’s just never got any better during his time with the VGK. He has five goals and 14 assists in 45 games at the AHL level, which is even a drastic drop off in production from the season prior. In nine games with Vegas this year, he didn’t produce a single point. At 23, he’s running out of time to prove he’s an NHL quality player. Maybe moving to the Rangers will spark something in him because right now he looks like a blown first round pick.

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