The Vegas Golden Knights have traded forward Reilly Smith to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a 2024 third-round draft pick, the club announced Wednesday.
NEWS: The Vegas Golden Knights have acquired a 2024 third-round pick from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Reilly Smith. #VegasBorn
— 🏆 – Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 28, 2023
Kevin Weekes of ESPN initially reported the deal, but the team confirmed it shortly after.
**Breaking News** 🚨 📰
They told me the @GoldenKnights they are negotiating with F Reilly Smith @penguins for a 3rd Draft Pick. @espn @NHL @NHLNetwork @DKSportsbook @TSNHockey #HockeyTwitter pic.twitter.com/939VKLtejf
— Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) June 28, 2023
The third-round pick, which originally belonged to Las Vegas, was used in the trade deadline deal for Teddy Blueger.
Smith has been with the Golden Knights organization since the 2017 expansion draft, when he was acquired from the Florida Panthers for a 2018 fourth-round draft pick (No. 123).
Following all the moves that created the lineup for the 2023 Stanley Cup-winning Golden Knights
Note: This article includes transactions directly related to the acquisition of all players who appeared in at least one game during the Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup run or played at least 35 games during the 2022-23 regular season. The Vegas Golden Knights are only out for six days
He recorded 26 goals and 56 points in 78 games during the 2022-23 regular season and added four goals and 14 points in 22 postseason games en route to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup.
He ends his six-year tenure in Las Vegas with 124 goals and 286 points in 399 games. He is second all-time in Vegas playoff scoring with 66 points (18-48–66).
Smith has been a key part of the franchise, and the celebrated Misfit Line, since the inaugural campaign, but is the first casualty of the post-Cup offseason.
He is one of three players in franchise history to record 100 goals, along with the other two members of the Misfit Line, Jonathan Marchessault (150) and William Karlsson (122).
Smith played a key defensive role with Karlsson in the playoffs as the two shut down the opposition’s best players during Las Vegas’ Stanley Cup run.
Notably, Smith scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal for Las Vegas in Game 5 against Florida.
Shea Theodore to William Karlsson to Reilly Smith. What a past 🤠 #MisfitMagic #VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/7KeMnKZgYu
— Jillian Wagner (@JillianSydney) June 14, 2023
He was also the first player to receive the Stanley Cup from captain Mark Stone.
Captain Mark Stone passes the STANLEY CUP to Reilly Smith, who passes it to Jonathan Marchessault, who passes it to William Karlsson, who passes it to Brayden McNabb, who passes it to Shea Theodore, who passes it to William Carrier. #MisfitMagic #VegasBorn
— Knights On Ice (@knightsonice) June 14, 2023
Smith signed a three-year, $15 million extension last summer and has two years remaining on his deal, which carries a $5 million AAV.
The Golden Knights were reportedly working on a two-year extension for goaltender Adin Hill at around $4.9 million per season, though it has yet to be announced.
Golden Knights working to sign Adin Hill to 2-year, $4.9M extension, report
The Vegas Golden Knights are working on a deal to sign Stanley Cup champion backup Adin Hill to a two-year extension with an AAV of about $4.9 million, according to SportsNet’s Elliotte Friedman. Some other stuff today: It looks like Stanley Cup champion Adin Hill is looking at one
It’s possible Smith’s $5 million cap hit could be used to re-sign unrestricted free agent Ivan Barbashev, though that’s purely speculative at this point.
Smith will return to T-Mobile Arena on January 20.
