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

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

It’s funny how life works. Sometimes the thing that you don’t want to happen to you is the best thing for you. The story of the Chinese Farmer remains undefeated and Reilly Smith is another example of just that.

The Rangers play the Golden Knights tonight at T-Mobile Arena, which means Smith will make his return to Vegas. The same team he won the Stanley Cup with approximately two years ago. After originally joining the VGK during the expansion draft, Smith admits he genuinely thought his career was over and viewed the move to Vegas as a demotion. Instead, it was the best years of his career.

“I thought my career was over,” Smith told The Post of his initial thoughts coming to Vegas, after the Rangers’ morning skate Saturday. “It was kind of, at that time, it didn’t seem like a good opportunity. It almost seemed like a demotion. How it turned out was completely different than that. And it couldn’t have been better for my career, my family and everything. I owe a lot to this organization here. It really changed my hockey career and my life. 

“Being part of that expansion draft was a blessing in disguise. But I think the coolest part of it was just a lot of people who were thrown off and cast away from their own team came together, and we were all just on an even slate coming into the season, and we all just wanted to enjoy it and make the most of the opportunity.” 

Smith, 33, joined the Rangers this past offseason via trade with Pittsburgh. He’s in the final year of a $5 million AAV contract but the Penguins are retaining 25% of that deal right now. Given the dysfunction within the Rangers, if New York does fall out of a playoff spot, could a return to Vegas be in the cards? With the VGK likely hunting for more winger depth at the deadline, it certainly can’t be ruled out.

Smith clearly still has an affinity for the VGK organization. Vegas only dumped him the first time because they ran out of cap space trying to retain Ivan Barbashev. Maybe, just maybe, he will return in the future.

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